Loch Lomond Rowing Club - Balloch | UK Rowing Clubs | Row HQ

Loch Lomond Rowing Club was established on Loch Lomond in 1827 and is recognised as the oldest rowing club in Scotland; the club itself describes its lineage as the second-oldest in the United Kingdom, tracing its roots to the early Loch Lomond Regatta. It is affiliated to Scottish Rowing, the sport's national governing body north of the border. The club rows on the River Leven, the short river that drains Loch Lomond southwards towards the Clyde, and is based on Heather Avenue in Balloch (Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire). In the early 1970s the clubhouse moved to its present site, alongside the Vale of Leven angling club on the bank of the Leven, where members launch onto both the river and the open loch. Loch Lomond is an inclusive community club catering to all ages and abilities, with adult, junior and veteran (masters) members. The membership has spanned rowers from age 12 to over 60, and the club competes at Scottish Championship and masters regatta level as well as offering learn-to-row and recreational rowing on one of Britain's most scenic stretches of water. The club's most notable product is Peter Haining MBE, who learnt to row at Loch Lomond in the early 1980s before going on to win three successive World Lightweight Single Sculls titles (1993, 1994 and 1995) and a gold medal in a lightweight crew at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. Fellow Loch Lomond member Jim McNiven also became a World Champion, in the lightweight eight at the 1994 Indianapolis World Championships.