As spring comes to a close, the first major rowing regatta of 2025 makes it’s bow.
The men’s and women’s European Rowing Championships 2025 commence from 29 May to 1 June, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
A handful of Paris 2024 Olympians return as new names and faces rise up in the midst of the Bulgarian forest, with singles, doubles, fours and eights crews all taking to the water.
So let’s meet the British Rowing teams ready to dazzle.
Women’s Olympic boat crews
Paris Olympic gold medallists Lauren Henry and Lola Anderson are roaring back into action in Bulgaria, however it will look a little different for Henry who is crossing back over to the single sculls for the first time in over two years. Returning to the boat she grew up in before starting the quad, it's an exciting opportunity for the Olympic champion to make waves elsewhere.
Anderson continues in her usual quadruple sculls, but will this time be joined by doubles Olympic bronze medallist Becky Wilde in addition to qualified nurse Sarah McKay and Cam Nyland. Double sculls duo Vwairé Obukohwo and Freya Keto will both make the European championships debuts in Plovdiv.
Olympic bronze medallists in the women's eight, Heidi Long and Lauren Irwin, double up in the four and eight this time out. Long is a previous European and world champion in the four while Irwin secured U23 world gold in the event back in 2019. They will be joined by a host of new names in the event they won bronze in at Paris 2024, making for an exciting and unknown entity for British Rowing.
Also doubling up in the eight and the pair will be Eleanor Brinkhoff and Megan Slabbert.
Single sculls (W1x): Lauren Henry
Double sculls (W2x): Vwairé Obukohwo, Freya Keto
Pair (W2-): Eleanor Brinkhoff, Megan Slabbert
Quadruple sculls (W4x): Sarah McKay, Lola Anderson, Cam Nyland, Rebecca Wilde
Four (W4-): Daisy Bellamy, Lauren Irwin, Heidi Long, Eve Stewart
Eight (W8+): Heidi Long, Daisy Bellamy, Amelia Standing, Martha Birtles, Lauren Irwin, Eve Stewart, Eleanor Brinkhoff, Megan Slabbert, Jack Tottem (cox)
Men’s Olympic boat crews
Paris Olympians Callum Dixon and Matt Haywood will take part in the quadruple sculls alongside Cedol Dafydd and Rory Harris. Welshman Dafydd previously competed as a long distance runner before switching to rowing during his time at Bath Performance Development Academy.
Paris bronze medallist in the men's four, Matt Aldridge is stepping up to the eight this time round. He will be joined by a number of new names, as Will Denegri takes on the role of coxswain.
World Cup stalwarts Dan Graham, James Vogel and Jake Wincomb will make up the men's four, alongside Joshua Bowesman-Jones who is making his senior debut this championship.
Nine years after he started rowing at university, Aidan Thompson will compete in the men's single sculls, having previously raced in the doubles at the world championships. Instead it will be duo Jamie Gare and Tobias Schröder who will race in the double sculls.
Single sculls (W1x): Aidan Thompson
Double sculls (W2x): Jamie Gare, Tobias Schröder
Quadruple sculls (W4x): Cedol Dafydd, Callum Dixon, Matt Haywood, Rory Harris
Four (W4-): Joshua Bowesman-Jones, Dan Graham, James Vogel, Jake Wincomb
Eight (W8+): Will Stewart, Archie Drummond, Miles Beeson, Fergus Woolnough, David Bewicke-Copley, Sam Nunn, Matt Aldridge, Matt Rowe, Will Denegri (cox)
How to watch the European Rowing Championships
The European Rowing Championships will be livestreamed on the World Rowing website.
Sportsbeat 2025