Rowing: King’s claims Victor Ludorum at Chester Regatta

The King’s School Chester Rowing Club enjoyed a memorable – and successful day on the River Dee, delivering a series of outstanding performances at the historic Chester Regatta and securing the prestigious Victor Ludorum Trophy as the most successful club at the event.

The Chester Regatta is the oldest regatta in the world. Established in 1733, it has over 100 years’ more history than even the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, and it is always a special occasion when rowers from The King’s School Rowing Club compete on home water. 

This year, we fielded almost 80 athletes across 15 divisions and enjoyed remarkable success throughout the day, finishing first or second in 12 events and recording an impressive nine overall victories.

The club’s younger rowers who led the way with a clean sweep of the J14 categories entered. King’s crews claimed victories in the Boys’ Coxed Quad, Girls’ Coxed Quad and Girls’ Double Scull, showcasing the strength and depth of our emerging talent.

The J15 squad also enjoyed a successful day, securing wins in the Women’s J15 Coxed Four, Women’s J15 Double Scull, Open J15 Coxed Quad, Open J15 Double Scull and Open J15 Single Scull.

Director of Rowing, Nick Wells, said: “These performances reflect the hard work and commitment shown by our young athletes throughout the season and truly highlight the exciting future of the club.”

Further success was enjoyed by the senior squad, with the J16 Double Scull producing one of the most thrilling races of the day to claim victory in a closely fought contest. Strong performances across other events included narrow second-place finishes in the J16 Single Scull, J18 Double Scull and Open Coxed Four, where a crew made up entirely of J16 athletes competed impressively against opposition from university clubs. 

Nick Wells was thrilled to be awarded the Victor Ludorum Trophy for most successful club.

He said: “This was a fitting reward for a day of consistent excellence across all age groups. More than anything, the success we enjoyed today reflected a true community effort; since arriving in Chester, I never fail to be impressed with the way that athletes, coaches, parents and supporters continually work together to ensure that The King’s School Rowing Club is of the leading programmes in the North West.

“Chester Regatta and The King’s School Chester have stood at the heart of city life for more than 775 years combined, and we are proud to play our part in sustaining the traditions, community spirit and sporting excellence that make Chester such a special place. Being crowned Victor Ludorum on our home river was a fitting way to celebrate that shared heritage.”

Thank you to everyone who supported the athletes throughout the day and helped to create the incredible atmosphere on the banks of the River Dee, as well as the coaching team for their tireless work preparing crews, supporting athletes and contributing to the smooth running of the event.

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