Top 3 English Rowers of All Time

Any ranking of rowers is subjective, but three English names come up again and again: Steve Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent and Helen Glover. Here is the case for each, with the boats they won in and what sets them apart, followed by a short list of others who could be argued into the top three.

How to judge a great rower

Olympic gold is the obvious measure, but it is not the only one. Rowing offers more than one way to be great. Longevity counts, since a rower who wins at several consecutive Games has stayed ahead of a new set of rivals each time. Range counts, because moving between pairs, fours and other boats shows adaptability. World Championship titles count too, since they are contested every year. And so does influence on the sport after racing.

1. Sir Steve Redgrave

Born in Marlow, Redgrave won gold at five consecutive Olympic Games from 1984 to 2000. Longevity across five Games and several boat classes is what sets him apart. See our full profile of Steve Redgrave.

He raced in coxed fours, coxless pairs and coxless fours, partnered with Andy Holmes and then Matthew Pinsent, among others. He is also the example people most often reach for when they want to describe sustained excellence in endurance sport.

2. Sir Matthew Pinsent

Pinsent won gold at four consecutive Games from 1992 to 2004. He did it first in the coxless pair with Redgrave and then in the coxless four. Read Matthew Pinsent’s profile.

The Athens 2004 four’s win by a tiny margin is one of the best-remembered finals in Olympic rowing. Pinsent also adapted when Redgrave retired and a new partnership had to be built with James Cracknell. That adaptability, as much as the medals, is part of his case.

3. Helen Glover

Glover, from Cornwall, won Olympic gold in the women’s coxless pair with Heather Stanning at London 2012 and again at Rio 2016. She later returned to the sport after having children and won silver in the women’s coxless four at Paris 2024.

Her story stands out because she came to rowing through a talent identification programme rather than as a lifelong rower. That route has since been used by other British athletes. Read her story in Helen Glover: an Olympic success story and Heather Stanning’s profile.

What the three have in common

• Pairs and fours: Redgrave, Pinsent and Glover all made their names in small sweep boats, where there is nowhere to hide.
• Long careers: each stayed at the top level through several Games.
• Strong partnerships: Redgrave and Pinsent, and Glover and Stanning, are among the best-known pairs in the sport.
• Adaptability: each adjusted to new partners and new boats.

Who just misses out?

Plenty of others would be in the discussion.

• Katherine Grainger is Scottish, so she is outside this English list, but her five Olympic medals make her one of Britain’s greatest rowers. See Katherine Grainger.
• Pete Reed and Andy Triggs Hodge are also strong candidates after winning three Olympic golds each, in the coxless four and the eight. See Pete Reed.
• James Cracknell won Olympic gold in the coxless four at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, and has since been an endurance athlete and broadcaster.
• Jack Beresford had a remarkable run of medals in the 1920s and 1930s. See Jack Beresford.

For more

See British Olympic rowers and the Olympic rowing hub.