Where Are the Most Popular Rowing Locations?

Rowing happens wherever there is calm water, but a few places have become famous through history, big regattas or Olympic Games. This is a tour of the best known, grouped by type, with a note on what makes each one popular and what a visiting rower should know.

Historic rivers

The Thames, England. Home of Henley Royal Regatta and a huge number of clubs. The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race is rowed on the tidal Thames in west London on a course where the tide and bends decide the race as much as fitness. See Henley’s history.

The Charles, Boston. Lined with college boathouses and host to the Head of the Charles each October. See rowing in Boston.

The Schuylkill, Philadelphia. Known for the boathouses of Boathouse Row, which give the city a strong rowing identity.

Dedicated rowing courses

Many of the world’s best regattas use purpose-built or well-established courses. These are usually flat, straight, buoyed into lanes and sheltered, which makes them fair for racing and good for timed training:

• Rotsee, Lucerne, Switzerland. A long, narrow lake that regularly hosts World Rowing Cup regattas.
• Lake Bled, Slovenia. Scenic and calm, with major regatta history.
• Eton Dorney, England. The 2012 Olympic rowing venue. See London 2012.
• Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, Rio de Janeiro. The Rio 2016 venue.
• Sea Forest Waterway, Tokyo. The Tokyo 2020 venue.
• Vaires-sur-Marne, France. The Paris 2024 venue. See rowing at Paris 2024.

Olympic venues change every four years, so a regatta course built for a Games often becomes a national training centre afterwards. That is part of why they remain popular with squads and visiting crews.

Lakes and coasts

Lake Karapiro in New Zealand hosted the 2010 World Championships and is central to rowing there. Alpine lakes such as Maggiore and Lugano are popular with recreational rowers. Coastal rowing is growing around Ireland, Cornwall and the Mediterranean, using sturdier boats that suit swell. See the best rowing locations in Europe.

North America

The northeast has the oldest tradition in the US, the West Coast has strong clubs on the bays and sounds, and Lake Lanier in Georgia was used in 1996. See our top 10 US locations.

What makes a location popular

Factor	Why it matters
Flat, sheltered water	Fair racing and safe training
Straight length	Room for 2,000 m or longer pieces
Clubs and boathouses	Access to boats, coaching and people
Regattas	Reasons to travel and race
Reputation	Attracts visiting crews and training camps

Events that put places on the map

Some locations are famous mainly because of one event. Henley is known for its royal regatta, the Charles for the Head of the Charles, and the tidal Thames for the Boat Race. Head races, where crews start one after another and race the clock over a few miles, suit rivers with a long, winding course. Regattas, with side-by-side racing over 2,000 m or shorter, suit straight lakes and purpose-built courses. If you want to watch rowing, check the dates of these events in advance, because crowds and road closures can make a visit harder than it needs to be.

Visiting as a rower

Contact a club before you travel. Ask about boat hire, whether visitors can join outings and what the local hazards are, such as tide, weir, boat traffic or cold water. Many clubs welcome visiting scullers and will lend a boat if you can demonstrate competence. Bring your own footwear if you need it, and be ready for local rules on right of way.

Choosing for yourself

A famous venue is not necessarily the best for you. If you are starting, pick a club close to home and build up. Browse the clubs hub, or see how to choose the best rowing location.