September 2022 – September 2023: Launching the Dream

Lambton RC was established in September 2022. The Club was founded by a passionate group of 7 volunteer coaches and 32 junior members, along with their supportive, resourceful, and enthusiastic parents.

Initially the Club didn't have any equipment, or a place to row from. However, the local and national rowing community was incredibly generous, donating  boats and blades; and some amazing sponsors and contributions from local businesses allowed for the acquisition of other essential items, such as a trailer to transport the boats. The iconic Vimto Powered Lambton Gazebo also joined the Club.

Certain individuals in particular were key to the Club getting off the ground, their contributions and efforts will always be remembered, and the Club is hugely grateful to them for their generosity and belief in the Club, and for sharing our vision and ambition for the future.

In October 2022 the Club started rowing out of Maiden Castle in Durham, before finding it's permanent home on the Lambton Estate, in January 2023, where the Club has rowed ever since.

First Race, First Win

Affiliation with British Rowing was achieved on 24th May 2023, which immediately allowed members to start racing. At the very first regatta, with four crews entered in three events, Lambton RC celebrated its first win. The WJ13 quad collected their pots at the Durham Regatta Gala Award Ceremony and the cheer that greeted the announcement raised the roof.

That summer, the Club then achieved its first National Medal, with the WJ14 girls double winning a Bronze Medal at the Junior British Championships.

Racing Success

•  LRC competed in 5 regattas with 17 wins/medals in total (including the bronze medal at Junior Brit Champs) and 1 head race resulting in 2 wins.

  
  

Other News

• The Club launched a crowdfunding campaign to buy a defibrillator in August 2023.

  Three junior rowers’ mums ran the GNR together, meeting their £1,000 target. A defibrillator was subsequently acquired from the Red Sky Foundation, which became the Club's Charity Partner.

  
  

September 2023 – September 2024

The coaching team and membership continued to grow, with new  members joining  through free learn-to-row sessions for both juniors and adults.

Racing Success

• Over the head season, LRC competed in 7 head races with 11 wins. This included one "fastest boat of the day" award for the J15 boys double.

  
  

• Over the summer, the Club competed in 11 regattas with 57 wins.

  
  

• An LRC athlete competed at Henley Women’s Regatta for the first time, reaching the quarter-finals of the Fiona Dennis Trophy for Aspirational Lightweights.

  
  

• Three LRC crews were selected to represent the Northern Region at the Junior Interregional Regatta.

  
  

• Nine crews won events at The Durham Regatta.

  
  
• Twenty crews represented the Club at the Junior British Championships in July 2024.

Indoor Rowing Competitions

• At the Gateshead Schools Indoor Rowing Competition (March 27, 2024), junior LRC athletes, representing their schools, won 3 gold medals in the J14, J15, and J16 individual erg events.

  
  

• An LRC athlete won a bronze medal in the Year 8 boys 500m event at the British Rowing Indoor Championships in Birmingham (Dec 9, 2023).

  
  

Key Events and Training

• Lambton’s First Invitational Regatta (23rd August  2024): With other local clubs invited to attend, using LRC boats and blades, 64 crews enjoyed a full day of side-by-side racing. The event was a big success and was reported on in the local press.

  
  

• Windermere Training Camp (10-14th August  2024): The first LRC Residential Rowing Training Camp took place in the Lake District, with 37 attendees (juniors and adults).There were 4 rowing sessions per day, including a 5am sunrise row along the length of the lake and back, technical feedback sessions in the evening (see dedicated area on website for more details).

  
  
• Olympic bronze medal winner in the eight at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Lauren Irwin, visited the Club (27th August 2024). Having been coached by LRC's Head Coach as a junior, she shared her inspiring journey with the juniors and volunteers.

GB Pathway

• Junior athletes from LRC were selected for the GB Start Camp in October 2023, and the GB World Class Start Women’s Training Day in York in January 2024.

  
  

• Four J15 athletes were invited to the GB Under 16 Virtual Training camp a year early, the first step to GB selection.

  
  
  
  

September 2024 – September 2025

Racing Success

• Over the Head season, LRC competed in 7 head races with 22 wins.

  
  

• Over the summer, the Club competed in 14 regattas, resulting in 99 wins/medals for junior and adult rowers.

  
  

• This included 6 national medals:

  • Silver medal at the Junior Interregional Regatta.

    
    

  • Gold medal at Masters Champs.

    
    

  • 2 silver and 2 bronze medals at Junior British Championships (a silver and a bronze medal were won in the same event).

    
    

• Seven LRC crews were selected for JIRR.

• LRC won the Victor Ludorum at Wansbeck Regatta.

  
  

• One of Lambton’s junior members, racing for his school (Radley College), made it to the finals of the Princess Elizabeth Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. He then won a Gold medal in the quad at Coupe De La Jeunesse (2nd August  2025).

  
  

Second Invitational Regatta(August 23, 2025)

• Clubs from the region were once again invited to attend, racing with Lambton boats and blades to avoid having to transport their own.

  
  

• The event featured a time trial in the morning for 62 athletes, with the top two in each event racing in a side-by-side final.

  
  

• 19 crews competed in side-by-side racing in the afternoon, with a number of juniors getting to race for the first time.

  
  

GB Pathway

• Six athletes from LRC attended the GB J16-18 Development Day at Cambois (September 2, 2024).

  
  

• Four J16 athletes were accepted for the Under 19 GB trials in Boston, Lincolnshire (16 November 2025).

  
  

• Four LRC athletes were selected to attend the GB J16 Crew Sculling Camp in Nottingham (April 5–7, 2025) 

  
  

• At the GB France Trial (June 29, 2025), the junior open single was 3rd overall, and the junior women’s pair was 6th overall.

  
  

Training and Club News

• The 2nd Windermere Residential Rowing Camp(August 9–13, 2025) was another success, with 48 rowers attending.

  
  

• In February 2025, Andrea Swingler was awarded British Rowing Volunteer of the Year for the Northern Region.

  
  

• The Club organized a successful and free Capsize Drill at South Shields Marine College (September 6, 2025), inviting two other clubs to attend (65 athletes attended).

  
  

• The Club ended the 2024–2025 season with 122 members, which includes 78 junior athletes and 22 rowing adults.

  
  

Charity & Community

• In December 2024, several juniors took part in the Boxing Day Dip to raise money for the Red Sky Foundation.

  
  

• The Club held its first Rowing Marathon, on 16th August 2025, rowing 45 kilometers from Wear Mouth to Lambton and back to raise money for the Red Sky Foundation.

  
  

• The Club took part in number of community outreach sessions in the local area , including an Indoor rowing outreach session for Durham Youth Group  and a Lambton Litter pick.

  
  

• Several adult rowers, coaches, and volunteers took part in the Great North Run in September 2025, raising over £1,000for the Red Sky Foundation

Coaching Team