Racing Squads
Our Racing Squads are dedicated to excellence both on and off the water in sweep and sculling boats. We have three distinct squads, each designed for athletes who are serious about pushing their limits, refining their skills, and competing at a high level.
Whether you’re part of the Men’s Squad, the Women’s Squad, or the Master’s Squad, we’re committed to helping you reach your full potential with targeted training, expert coaching, and a competitive yet supportive training environment.
Men’s Squad
The Men’s Squad is our top-performing squad for male athletes. This squad follows a structured, performance-oriented land and water-based training programme designed to develop both strength and technique while ensuring peak conditioning throughout the racing season. We race in all boat classes, from 8s to 1xs, so if you’re looking for a club that will be spending lots of time in small boats, we may be the one for you.
We race at all major tideway heads, including Scullers Head, Pairs Head and Fours Head, before turning our attention to the 8s races in January - March. In summer, we typically target Metropolitan Regatta, Marlow Regatta and Henley Royal Regatta. Our annual training camp - which over the last few years has been in either Banyoles or Seville - helps to get us ready for summer racing and offers a great opportunity for our squads to bond (and hopefully enjoy some sun!). In addition to the key races we target, we also race at a number of smaller head races and regattas throughout the season, both locally and further afield.
The minimum training requirement for the Women’s Squad is 6 sessions / 4 days per week, with top boats training 8-10 sessions per week. The Squad’s weekly training schedule for the top boats includes:
2x erg sessions (one UT2 and one HIIT, both coached)
3x strength sessions
5x water sessions (coached, including double sessions on Saturday and Sunday mornings)
Furnivall is dedicated to working your rowing around your life, and not your life around your rowing, so land training can be done away from the club / in your own time.
Squad Coaches: Nick & Jack
Squad Captains: Paul & Alex
Women’s Squad
The Women’s Squad is our top-performing squad for female athletes. This squad follows a structured, performance-oriented land and water-based training program designed to develop both strength and technique while ensuring peak conditioning throughout the racing season. We race in all boat classes, from 8s to 1xs, so if you’re looking for a club that will be spending lots of time in small boats, we may be the one for you.
We race at all major tideway heads, including Scullers Head, Pairs Head and Fours Head, before turning our attention to the 8s races in January - March. In summer, we typically target Metropolitan Regatta, Henley Women’s Regatta and Henley Royal Regatta. Our annual training camp - which over the last few years has been in either Banyoles or Seville - helps to get us ready for summer racing and offers a great opportunity for our squads to bond (and hopefully enjoy some sun!). In addition to the key races we target, we also race at a number of smaller head races and regattas throughout the season, both locally and further afield.
The minimum training requirement for the Women’s Squad is 6 sessions / 4 days per week, with top boats training 8-10 sessions per week. The Squad’s weekly training schedule for the top boats includes:
2x erg sessions (one UT2 and one HIIT, both coached)
3x strength sessions
5x water sessions (coached, including double sessions on Saturday and Sunday mornings)
Furnivall is dedicated to working your rowing around your life, and not your life around your rowing, so land training can be done away from the club / in your own time.
Squad coaches: Kate & Matt
Squad Captains: Lucia & Ophelia
After a strong 2026 season - which included a pennant win at Hammersmith Head, our best result at WEHoRR since 2017 and reaching the quarter finals of Henley Women’s Regatta - we’re really excited to see what the 2027 season brings! We’d love to have you join us and are recruiting now to expand our squad, so please get in touch using the link below if you have any questions or to arrange a trial.
Master’s Squad
The Master’s Squad at Furnivall trains alongside the Men’s and Women’s racing squads and you will likely find yourself in boats with racing squad rowers now and again. This squad is open to experienced rowers of all genders and is ideal for athletes who want to combine their competitive drive with a more flexible, balanced approach to training as they “retire” from squad rowing. Ideally, you will have experience in small boats and are already able to or willing to learn to steer.
The Master’s Squad is welcome to join in as many of the racing squad sessions as they see fit. The minimum requirement is the one UT1/AT ergo per week and a weekend water session. The weekly training schedule for the top boats includes:
3x erg sessions (coached)
2x strength sessions
5x water sessions (coached, including double sessions on Saturday and Sunday mornings)
Coach: John
Squad Captain: Evelyn
Our racing squads are committed to fostering excellence while maintaining a supportive training and flexible training environment to allow you to work your rowing around your life.
If you would like to join us, please get in touch and come down for a trial session. We're always looking for passionate athletes ready to take their rowing to the next level.
Meet the Team
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Kate
WOMEN’S SQUAD COACH
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Nick
MEN’S SQUAD COACH
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Matt
SESSION COACH
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Jack
SESSION COACH
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Evelyn
STEERING COACH