Image Credit: World Rowing
Lycra, early mornings, bad weather — rowing is widely considered boring and unpopular. British Rowing has approximately 30,000 members across some 500 affiliated clubs in the UK. Without detailed statistics, but knowing that rowing is such a physical sport, I assume it is predominantly a student sport, as men and women go through their prime fitness years at this time.
With this in mind, we can compare it to a rival student sport: rugby. Rowing is nothing but a dot on a huge canvas. The RFU records around 170,000 members active on a weekly basis across around 2,000 clubs. So, it’s by no means a fact that people don’t want to participate in sport — the question is: what’s pushing them away from rowing?
Let’s first look at where rowing is done right. Among the tall houses, windmills, and tulips, the Netherlands has led the way in modern rowing over the last five years. Before we examine what’s happening in the country, I checked some basic statistics. Firstly, we must appreciate that the population is four times smaller than the UK. However, that doesn’t diminish the significance of the 45,000 people who are members of the KNRB (Dutch Rowing Federation), which has 120 clubs.
Comparing to rugby, we now see a completely different picture. Rugby in the Netherlands has only 15,000 members — meaning that, adjusted for population, it’s half as popular as in the UK. So what makes rowing so popular in the Netherlands?
I want to look at the open club side first. There are some major differences between the two countries. First, we have to acknowledge the effect of people per club. The fact that the UK is so spread out across many clubs has a seriously negative impact on the appeal of local rowing for prospective members.
From what I’ve found, the rise of small clubs in the UK seems to stem from petty politics. Many towns started with one club, but through disagreements, new clubs were set up. This has resulted in some towns having over 20 different small rowing clubs. While having more choice isn’t necessarily bad, lack of funding is — and what these clubs didn’t consider is that although the split groups now have more say in how the club is run, they still can’t get much done because the membership fees are spread so thin.
Higher membership levels in the Netherlands simply mean more money. This makes it easier to buy boats, invest in clubhouses, and generally offer more opportunities. In addition to funding, higher membership boosts the volunteer force, making it easier to tackle repairs, handle administration, and organize events.
All in all, rather than rowing in old, often rundown facilities, the Dutch have created a more pleasant and comfortable atmosphere around their clubs.
What’s happening inside these clubs is also important. Looking at what the British consider “veterans’ rowing,” you’ll find that while it exists in the Netherlands, it is much less competitive. Clubs are led by juniors, and veterans rarely race. When they do, it’s generally in autumn and winter head races. The 2k season is dominated by students and juniors.
Still, clubs remain very active throughout the week. While many veterans enjoy paddling at the weekend and after work in fine boats, there is also a large senior membership who are too old or unfit for narrow shells. Instead, they still enjoy sunny days in wherries, a sort of picnic boat. Similar to a coastal boat, the wherry prioritizes comfort and stability over speed. You’ll often see them out on the water as people paddle leisurely around town.
This boat class is crucial for maintaining membership as people age. That this group hasn’t emerged in the UK is unusual, but I believe it may be due to river conditions. The Netherlands has still water, whereas UK rivers often have a strong stream as they flow to the coast. Slow, heavy boats aren’t ideal for these conditions, especially for people who are less physically capable.
So, I understand that some might argue it isn’t practical. Nevertheless, the benefits of having this senior group are clear. They bring in substantial funding with very little cost. Their contributions help support young competitive rowers — in fact, it’s often their money that allows clubs to buy so many racing boats.
But this is only half the story. Rowing starts with a much younger group, and while there are clear differences in open club rowing, student rowing is worlds apart.
