Reading University Boat Club - Reading

Reading University Boat Club is the University of Reading's rowing club. Its boathouse stands at Christchurch Meadows in Caversham on an uninterrupted six-kilometre stretch of the River Thames, and its membership ranges from complete novices to Great Britain trialists.

Its earliest date is not stated consistently. The university's centenary timeline says the boat club formed in 1892, while the club's own historical timeline places a women's sculling club in 1894 and says the Boat Club formed in 1895. That club history also warns that much early information was lost.

The 1894 women's club was the first established sports club at the institution that became the University of Reading. Edith Morley, later the first woman professor in England, served as its secretary from 1905 to 1907, and the university records the club's first Henley race in 1926.

A fire destroyed the former boathouse and much of the early archive. Construction of its replacement began two years later, and the present boathouse opened in 1992; the university upgraded its fitness, strength and women's changing facilities in 2006.

RUBC lists racing boats across every boat type, a separate building with about 20 rowing machines, cycling machines and a strength-and-conditioning facility. Students also have access to the university's SportsPark fitness studio and coaching from a dedicated director of rowing.

The club established its head race in 1935 to provide experience before the Putney Head. The event began with three crews, added a second division in 2001 and admitted quads in 2015 alongside the traditional eights.

At the 2025 BUCS Head, Reading won nine medals and finished second in the university medal table while entering only sculling events. At the 2026 BUCS Regatta it won 30 medals and became the first university to take the men's and women's Victor Ludorum titles in the same year.