Rowing is on the rise as participation in England reaches a quarter of a million

December 10, 2015

According to the latest figures from Sport England’s Active People Survey (APS9) out today, weekly rowing participation in England has increased by 21% compared to last year (APS8 13/14) and up 9% compared to the post-Olympic figures in October 2012 (APS6)*, with nearly a quarter of a million people rowing in England on a monthly basis. This increase reflects our objectives of growing the sport, whilst also retaining current participants and so building on the legacy of 2012.

On-water activity remains healthy with indoor rowing being one of the key drivers behind this growth in participation, up 10% compared to October 2012 (APS6), and is a key focus for the sport and British Rowing.

British Rowing is supporting multiple initiatives that will help drive indoor rowing participation such as the University Indoor Rowing Series, which saw over 1,800 competitors take part at events across the country this year. A new indoor rowing product is also being developed by British Rowing which will help make indoor rowing machines more fun and engaging and enable users to get the most out of their work-out.

The growth in participation numbers is also supported by an increase in the number of women rowing, up 45% this year compared to October 2012, demonstrating the inclusivity of rowing and its appeal to all.

Andy Parkinson, CEO of British Rowing, said: “One of our strategic aims at British Rowing is to grow the number of people taking part in our sport so it is great to see that participation in England is on the up. Our sport has many different types of rowing activity to offer, from indoor through to coastal rowing and beyond. Today’s figures further reinforce that there really is something for everyone whether on or off the water.”

Indoor rowing will be showcased this Saturday, 12 December, with the biggest ever British Rowing Indoor Championships taking place at the Lee Valley VeloPark, London. Over 1,000 competitors, of all ages and abilities, will be competing against the clock and each other to be crowned Indoor Rowing Champion.