The rowing scene in Henley-on-Thames
Henley-on-Thames is the rowing capital of the world. The Henley Reach - the 1 mile 550 yards (2,112m) straight stretch of the Thames from Temple Island to Henley Bridge - has hosted Henley Royal Regatta continuously since 1839, defining the international standard distance and giving its name to courses from Canada to Australia. Leander Club, founded 1818 and the oldest non-academic rowing club in the world, sits at the finish line and serves as a year-round training base for the Great Britain senior team. The town hosts at least five separate Henley regattas across June, July and August, and the Stewards Enclosure dress code (lounge suits, ties, dresses below the knee) is as much a fixture of the British summer as the racing itself.
Key numbers
The Henley Reach is a non-tidal, almost perfectly straight stretch of the Thames running south to north between Temple Island and Henley Bridge. Since 1967 the regatta course has been an exact 1 mile and 550 yards (2,112 metres) - the historic international standard for boat racing. The course is boomed off into two racing lanes (Berks and Bucks) for the regatta period; outside regatta the reach is open water shared by Leander, Henley RC, Upper Thames, Shiplake College and visiting crews from around the world who use it as a pre-regatta training base.
All 9 rowing clubs in Henley-on-Thames
Sorted by founding year. Every entry links to the club's own website; we verified all URLs in May 2026. If you spot an error or your club is missing, let us know.
| Club | Founded | Location | Reach | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Leander Club
Founded 1818 and the oldest non-academic rowing club in the world. Sits at the finish line of the Henley Royal Regatta course and serves as a year-round training base for the GB senior squad - known the world over by its hot-pink racing colours. |
1818 | Leander Way, Remenham, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 2LP | Henley Reach (non-tidal) | Senior elite / high-performance |
|
Henley Rowing Club
Founded 1839, the same year as the Royal Regatta, and one of the oldest open (non-academic, non-school) rowing clubs in Great Britain. Junior squad Victor Ludorum at the British Rowing Junior Championships four years running (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018) and Fawley Challenge Cup winners at Henley Royal Regatta in 2007. |
1839 | Wargrave Road, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 3JD | Henley Reach (non-tidal) | Senior community |
|
Reading Rowing Club
Founded 1867 just above Caversham Bridge in Reading, about 8 miles downstream of Henley. The driving force behind the Reading Amateur Regatta since its revival, and a regular qualifier for Henley Royal Regatta. |
1867 | View Island, Caversham, Reading, RG1 8DR | Thames (Caversham reach, above Caversham Lock) | Senior community |
|
St George's College Boat Club, Weybridge
Boat club of St George's College, Weybridge (founded 1869) - a long-standing Henley Royal Regatta competitor in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup that uses the Henley Reach for regatta-week training each summer. |
1869 | St George's College, Weybridge Road, Addlestone, KT15 2QS (trains on the Thames upstream and at Henley) | Thames (Surrey reaches and Henley training camps) | School |
|
Reading University Boat Club
Founded 1892, based at the former Dreadnought pub on the Caversham reach. Organises the Reading Head of the River Race (since 1935) and has won at Henley Royal Regatta in 1986, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013; topped the BUCS regatta medal table in 2011. |
1892 | The Dreadnought, Caversham, Reading | Thames (Caversham reach, above Caversham Lock) | University |
|
Phyllis Court Club Rowing Section
The rowing section of Phyllis Court Club, a private members club founded 2 June 1906 on the Buckinghamshire bank opposite the Royal Regatta finish line. British Rowing affiliated and primarily recreational - fitness, fun and friendship on the famous Henley stretch. |
1906 | Phyllis Court Drive, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 2HT | Henley Reach (non-tidal) | Recreational members club |
|
Remenham Club
A private members club on the Berkshire bank by the Henley Royal Regatta finish line, founded 1909 specifically to serve rowers and supporters during the regatta. Operates as the social hub for many crews, coaches and officials throughout HRR week. |
1909 | Remenham Lane, Remenham, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 2LR | Henley Reach (non-tidal) | Members enclosure (regatta hospitality) |
|
Shiplake College Boat Club
The boat club of Shiplake College, on the Thames immediately upstream of Henley. Won the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta in 2025 (beating Radley College) - the first PE win in the college's history - having reached the final in 2024 for the first time in 30 years. |
1959 | Shiplake College, Shiplake Court, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 4BW | Henley Reach (non-tidal, Shiplake stretch) | School |
|
Upper Thames Rowing Club
Founded 1963 on the site of the old Henley Regatta boom sheds; the clubhouse lawn fronts the first half of the Royal Regatta course. Strong senior and masters squads - 23 golds at the 2025 World Rowing Masters Regatta - plus the Upper Thames Enclosure during HRR week. |
1963 | Remenham Lane, Remenham, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 2LR | Henley Reach (non-tidal) | Senior community / masters |
Major regattas in or near Henley-on-Thames
Tuesday to Sunday ending first weekend of July (30 June to 5 July 2026)
Friday to Sunday in mid to late June
Three days in mid-July (10-12 July 2026), the week after Henley Royal
Saturday in early August
Late October (start of the winter head-race season)
Early March (organised by Reading University Boat Club since 1935)
Held annually late March / early April from 1975 until the final edition in 2019
Software for Henley-on-Thames rowing clubs
Most of the 9 clubs above still run their boat booking, member admin, session attendance and crew lineups on a combination of spreadsheets, WhatsApp groups and printed sheets on the boathouse wall. Row HQ is rowing-club management software built specifically for clubs like these.
If your committee is hitting the predictable problems - lineups in the wrong file, fees uncollected, attendance unrecorded, captain on holiday with the password - book a 30-minute demo. We've ported clubs from spreadsheets in a weekend.
See Row HQ for your club
Free forever for clubs of up to 20 active members. No card needed.
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From the blog
If you're researching the rowing scene in Henley-on-Thames as a club admin or captain, these are the most useful pieces we've written.