Rowing Clubs in Germany: Where to Row and How to Join

This page is for anyone moving to Germany, studying there or looking for a first club in a country where rowing has very deep roots. The first German club was founded in Hamburg in 1836, and that club is still rowing on the Alster today. When the Deutscher Ruderverband (DRV) was founded in March 1883 it already had 34 clubs and 1,166 members, according to World Rowing, which in 2014 described it as the largest member federation in the sport.

Clubs to start with

Club	Founded	Location/water	Who it’s for	Website
Der Hamburger und Germania Ruder Club	1836	Hamburg, Alster	learn-to-row, recreational, competitive	der-club.de
Hamburger Ruderinnen-Club von 1925	1925	Hamburg, Isekai on the Alster waterways	learn-to-row, juniors, competitive	hamburger-ruderinnen.de
Ruderklub am Wannsee	1906	Berlin, Wannsee	juniors, masters, competitive	raw-berlin.org
Potsdamer Ruder Club Germania	n/a	Berlin, Großer Wannsee	juniors, recreational, competitive	prcg.de
Rudergesellschaft Wiking	1896	Berlin-Neukölln, Neuköllner Wasserkreuz	juniors, recreational	rg-wiking.de
Berliner Ruder-Club Ägir	n/a	Berlin-Friedrichshagen, Spree	juniors, masters, recreational	rudern.de listing
Kölner Rudergesellschaft 1891	1891	Cologne, Rhine	masters, recreational	rudern.de listing
Crefelder Ruder-Club 1883	1883	Krefeld, Rhine and Elfrather See	juniors, masters, competitive	crc1883.de
Mainzer Ruder-Verein	1878	Mainz, Rhine	juniors, recreational, competitive	mainzerruderverein.de
Frankfurter Ruderverein von 1865	1865	Frankfurt, Main	juniors, masters, competitive	rudern.de listing
Heidelberger Ruderklub 1872	1872	Heidelberg, Neckar	university, masters, competitive	rudern.de listing
Münchener Ruder-Club von 1880	1880	Starnberg, Starnberger See, plus Oberschleißheim	learn-to-row, recreational, competitive	mrc1880.de
Casseler Frauen-Ruder-Verein	1913	Kassel, Auedamm on the Fulda	learn-to-row, recreational	cfrv.de
Ruderverein Hoya von 1926	1926	Hoya, Weser	learn-to-row, recreational, competitive	rudern.rvhoya.de

Despite its name, Potsdamer Ruder Club Germania has its clubhouse on the Großer Wannsee in Berlin, so check the address before you plan a commute. For more countries, see all club guides.

How German rowing is organised

The DRV is the national federation, and clubs join it. Below it sit regional associations, such as the Berlin and Hamburg Landesruderverbände, which publish their own club lists. The DRV’s Vereinssuche lists several hundred clubs by postcode, and each club page uses the same labels. That makes it the quickest way to compare clubs before you write to any of them.

Those labels are worth learning. Wettkampfrudern and Leistungssport mean racing. Wanderrudern is touring, Freizeitrudern is recreational rowing, Hochschulrudern is university rowing, Schulrudern is school rowing, and Erwachsenenausbildung means adults can learn to row.

Season and regattas

Racing mainly runs from spring to autumn, and winter usually moves training onto ergs and into the gym.

• German Championships. In 2026 they were held in Hannover on 24 and 25 July, as part of the multi-sport event Die Finals.
• Hamburger Ruder-Regatta. This 2,000m regatta doubles as the North German Championships. The 2026 edition took place on 26 and 27 September on the Dove-Elbe course in Allermöhe, with 900m sprint races too.
• Club events. Krefeld’s Rudertag on the Elfrather See is a beginners’ regatta for local people, held after four training sessions.

Touring matters as much as racing at many clubs. Hoya, for example, rows on the Weser and has touring badges for adults and juniors. If you prefer long days out to 2,000m racing, ask a club about its Wanderfahrten.

Joining as a visitor or newcomer

German clubs are member associations, so you usually join the club instead of paying per session. As a general rule, expect an annual fee and possibly a joining fee, and ask about any boathouse work duties. Fees vary, so get them from the club directly. If you’re comparing countries for a move, our guide to rowing clubs in Portugal sets out how joining works there.

Most courses are small and seasonal. Wiking announced a beginners’ course for June and July 2026, and Kassel’s 2026 taster courses were already full by autumn. Crefelder Ruder-Club offers a Schnupperzeit, a trial period before you commit.

Language is the main barrier. Der Club’s website is entirely in German, and that is typical. Many clubs will happily reply to an English email, but coaching on the water is likely to be in German, so ask first. As a rule of thumb, experienced rowers should expect a club to check their ability before they take out a boat alone. As Kassel puts it, the one real requirement is that you can swim.

How to pick a club in Germany

• Read the Angebot first. A club with no Erwachsenenausbildung label may not teach adults at all. Kölner Rudergesellschaft 1891 lists adult training, but no junior or racing programme.
• Check the water. A Rhine club such as Mainz or Krefeld deals with current and barges, while Wannsee and Starnberg clubs row on lakes. Lakes are generally easier for a nervous beginner.
• Check who the club admits. Names can mislead. Kassel’s women’s club also takes men, and Wiking pairs with a partner club for women.
• Consider a university route. Students can look for the Hochschulrudern label, which Heidelberg lists, and ask whether their university has a rowing group. If you’re studying near the Dutch border, see the student and city clubs in the Netherlands.

New to the sport? Start with rowing for beginners and 10 reasons to join a rowing club. If you are closer to the Alps, see rowing clubs in Austria.

Spotted a mistake or a club we should add? Let us know.