Image Credit: World Rowing
On Saturday, 6 September, the English Indoor Rowing Championships return after a four-year hiatus. Athletes will gather at the Bolton Arena to battle it out on Concept2 rowing machines, aiming for personal bests and to set the standard for the start of the season. As one of the first events this rowing year, competitors will look to establish themselves and gauge their fitness following the summer. With women competing across age categories from 16 to 75, in 500m sprints, 2,000 m endurance races, and 3,000 m team relays, the competition promises to be fast, fierce, and full of surprises.
500m Sprint
Meg Knight is undoubtedly one to watch in the 19-29 Women’s 500m. After a bronze at the U23 World Rowing Championships in 2024 and gold at the Metropolitan Regatta this year, Knight has the speed and experience to make a serious push for gold. Pippa Biggs also enters as a strong competitor, having made the quarterfinals of the aspirational single at Henley Women’s Regatta in 2023 and coming fifth in the British Rowing Indoor Championships (BRIC) in 2024 for the 500m sprint with an impressive time of 1:37.7. Charli Wheatley, fresh from the 2025 Lightweight Boat Race with Oxford University Boat Club, brings her determination and race day experience to the rowing machine. Her first coach was Pippa Biggs, so we can expect a similar skill and drive on the erg.
In the Masters 30-39 category, Rachel Fisher is the standout. With a 500m time of 1:28.7 at BRIC 2024 and multiple podium finishes in the sprints on Super Sprint Sunday, Fisher has shown she can deliver across distances and maintain top-level performances. She will be challenged by Rachael McIlwraith and Lois Smith, who have also consistently finished near the top of the 500m and 2000m events in previous indoor rowing competitions.
The Masters 40-49 field features Sally Brierly, who claimed first in both the 500m and 2000m races at BRIC 2024 and second at the 2025 World Rowing Indoor Championships. Tereza Horejsova will be looking to challenge Brierley and beat her third-place finish at last year’s BRIC, setting up an exciting contest in this category.
2000m
Many athletes are doubling up in the 500m and 2000m, testing their speed at different distances. Meg Knight and Pippa Biggs will again be ones to watch in the 19-29 Women’s event.
In the Masters 30-39 category, Rachel Fisher and Rachael McIlwraith are also leading contenders. Fisher has consistently achieved under 7:05 in the 2km, which marks her as the favourite, while McIlwraith’s versatility across sprint and endurance events, including ranking second in the 10,000m RowErg Event, makes her a serious contender.
Among the 40-49 Women, Sally Brierley remains the favourite, though Felicity Howes and Louise Crawford will push her hard. In the 50+ categories, Samantha Ayers stands out, having won two gold medals at the 2019 World Rowing Masters Regatta in Hungary after only rowing for three years. She also went on to win bronze in the 2,000 meters at the World Indoor Rowing Championships 2025. Her rapid progression highlights the potential for surprises in the master’s categories.
Eimear Slee, the first completely blind rower to medal at the Junior Inter-Regional Regatta, will also be one to watch in the Junior 2000m events. Having set a record time of 8:07.9 in the Sixth Form Girls PR3 2000m at the British Rowing Indoor Championships, Slee brings a unique story and impressive results to the start line.
Final Thoughts
With a mix of young talent, world-class masters athletes, and inspirational competitors like Slee and Ayers, the women’s events promise to be among the highlights of the 2025 English Indoor Rowing Championships. Whether sprinting over 500m or battling through the 2000m, these athletes are set to provide an exciting event and set a benchmark for the season ahead.
