The 2025-26 academic year was a great success for both squads at St John’s College Boat Club (SJCBC). The women’s squad continued to climb the ranks of college rowing, headlined by a well-earned win at Tyne New Year’s Head for the 1st VIII, and a third-place finish for the novice women at Novice Cup. Two years of sustained growth allowed SJCBC to send two women’s eights to the Women’s Head of the River Race, a feat achieved only once before in the club’s history.
The men’s squad enjoyed similar success, with strong performances from both eights at the Head of the River Race and a string of wins in fours across the regatta season, including victories at Durham City Regatta for both the first and second fours.
Both squads ended the year on a high at Durham Regatta, with the club winning three events for the first time since 2010 – one of SJCBC’s best results at the event.
Durham Regatta
The women’s top four, racing the newly purchased Hudson 4+, Woodroffe, enjoyed an outstanding weekend, winning both the Women’s Elite B 4+ and Women’s Non-Champ A 4+. The Elite B final against Chad’s went right to the wire, with John’s taking the win by a canvas. On Sunday, they beat Warwick and Sheffield University before setting up a rematch of last year’s final against Cuth’s. This time, John’s came out on top by a length to complete a fabulous weekend.
After their victory in the NCA 8+ last year, the men’s 1st VIII was keen to continue that success. In the Open Elite B VIIIs, they beat Aidan’s before facing City of Sheffield in the final. The crews were side by side down the course until a Sheffield lane infringement under Baths Bridge dramatically triggered a re-row. In a ferocious second race, John’s pushed to the limits to take the win by a single bow ball.
It was great to see twelve John’s crews out on the water over the weekend, showcasing the scale of the club. Our novices also performed strongly, with the novice men’s top 4+ winning two rounds to reach the semi-finals and the novice women’s top 4+ making the final.
Five years of coaching bursaries
Over the last five years, the club has been generously supported by Georg Dalitz (SJCBC alumnus 2018–19), who provides dedicated funding for one or two members each year to undertake the British Rowing courses required to become qualified coaches.
During that time, the club has seen remarkable progress, with growing performance and novice squads, a steady climb through the college standings and increasingly strong race results. Investment in coaching has been an important part of that success. By consistently qualifying and developing coaches across multiple boats, SJCBC has built real depth of coaching knowledge which is passed on from year to year. It has also been fantastic to see recipients continue their journeys in rowing, particularly through further coaching roles.
Over the past five years, seven coaching bursaries have been awarded, supporting members of SJCBC to undertake British Rowing coaching qualifications. The scheme has helped build coaching expertise within the club, with recipients going on to coach crews, take on wider responsibilities and pass their knowledge on to other rowers.
Georg writes:
I am delighted that, now in its fifth year, a programme established to restore the club to its pre-Covid levels has far exceeded that goal. There is no greater joy than seeing something you once envisaged develop beyond your expectations. I feel privileged to be part of this fantastic story, which the members of SJCBC and St John’s continue to carry forward each year.
For Andrew Hambling, a recipient of the coaching bursary in 2024/25, the experience offered more than he had initially expected:
“I initially signed up to the coaching bursary to help develop my ability to communicate my pre-existing knowledge of rowing, but instead walked away with a plethora of skills worth so much more than I had initially signed up for. The course is aimed towards building your ‘coaching toolbox’, which I then had the privilege of putting into practice coaching the women’s squad in 2025/26. One of the best parts was attending alongside rowers from around the country with a huge range of coaching experience, some of whom I am still in contact with today.”
Women’s Squad Captain Emilia Perkins saw the impact of that training first-hand:
“Andrew’s coaching and enthusiasm were pivotal to the success of the Women’s 1st VIII last year. Using skills learnt on the British Rowing coaching course, Andrew was incredibly patient and effective, designing tailored session plans for the crew and even hopping into the cox seat to really get a feel for the boat.
“Looking back at videos from the start of the season and comparing them to the quality of the boat at the end of the year, the improvement is unbelievable. It is a real testament to how impactful hard work, genuine enthusiasm and the right coach can be in rowing. As a club, we are so lucky to have Georg Dalitz fund the coaching qualifications.”
That development translated into results, with the Women’s 1st VIII claiming victory at Tyne New Year’s Head in torrential conditions and finishing as the fourth-fastest college crew at the Women’s Head of the River Race. In a further milestone for the squad, two women’s college eights competed at the event, marking only the second time in the club’s history that this has been achieved and highlighting the growing depth and strength of the club.
Looking ahead
As SJCBC continues to grow, so do its ambitions. For the men’s squad, the focus for 2026/27 is developing both VIIIs and getting the 2nd VIII onto the water consistently, with the ambition of bringing home the Small Academic Pennant at the 2027 Head of the River Race.
The women aim to maintain their place among the leading squads in college rowing, continue growing participation and once again send two VIIIs to the Women’s Head of the River Race – with a top-three finish for the 1st VIII firmly in their sights.
