Rowing at Queen Mary
This is a significant and exciting step for the club, and we want our community of members, sailing courses participants, families, and friends of QMSC to be part of it from the very beginning. That starts with a short market research survey, which you can find by clicking the link below:
We need your views to shape what we build and every single person who takes part will receive a personal invitation to the launch party, should the rowing project go ahead as we hope.
More on the party in a moment. First, let us tell you why we are so excited about this.
Coastal Rowing's Biggest Moment
Coastal rowing, the open-water, accessible in all conditions discipline, is having its moment in the spotlight. “Beach Sprint Rowing” using coastal rowing boats has just been confirmed as an Olympic event at the Los Angeles 2028 Games. Great Britain is already a force in the sport: at the 2024 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals, Team GB won three gold medals and a silver, finishing second on the overall medal table. Coastal rowing is fast, exciting to watch and welcoming to newcomers.
West London's rowing community has been growing quietly for years. Clubs at Twickenham, Kingston, Molesey, Walton, Staines, and Weybridge collectively represent thousands of active rowers and every winter they face the same frustrating problem: high river levels and Environment Agency stream warnings close the Thames to rowing for weeks at a time, leaving clubs with nowhere to train. QMSC's reservoir — large, calm, protected from tidal and flow conditions — is exactly what they need and what the area currently lacks.
Our water has always been here. Now we are opening it up to a whole new sporting community — and to you.
The plan in brief is to invest in a fleet of coastal rowing boats, develop a structured activity programme, and welcome both our own members and visiting rowing clubs onto the reservoir in a way that is fun, safe, properly organised and genuinely good for the club's long-term future. Social sessions, beginner courses, taster experiences, corporate days on the water and in time, the possibility of competitive coastal rowing events right here at QMSC.
We Need to Hear From You
Before we commit to the investment, we want to make sure we are building something that our community actually wants. That is where you come in.
We have put together a short survey — it takes no more than three minutes to complete — and your answers will directly inform what we offer, when we run sessions, how we can support schools and clubs, and how we communicate with the rowing and wider water sports community. Whether you have never set foot in a rowing boat in your life or you are a seasoned sculler looking for somewhere to train over winter, your view matters to us equally.
The survey covers things like your awareness of coastal rowing, your interest in trying it, when you would most likely take part, and whether you think a rowing facility is a natural fit for QMSC. There are no wrong answers honest feedback, including scepticism, is genuinely useful to us as we develop this proposal.
Complete our market research survey here:
Should we start Rowing at Queen Mary? – Fill in form
Every respondent will be personally invited to the QMSC Rowing Launch Party if the project goes ahead. Share this with friends, family, and fellow water sports lovers — the more voices we hear, the better what we build will be.
The Launch Party
Here is the part we are particularly pleased to share. If the rowing project receives the green light, we will host an official launch party on the water and in the clubhouse, to celebrate the beginning of something new. It will be an event to remember with boats on the water, a chance to meet the team, and the whole QMSC community together to welcome coastal rowing to the reservoir.
Everyone who completes the market research survey will receive a personal invitation. It is our way of saying thank you for helping us build this and making sure that the people who cared enough to share their thoughts are the first to celebrate what grows from them. Invitations will be sent directly by email once a launch date is confirmed.
What Happens Next
The survey will run over the coming weeks, and we will be sharing it across our social media channels and by direct mail to our full database. Please do pass it on to anyone you think might be interested — rowing club members, fitness enthusiasts, families looking for a new outdoor activity, corporate groups, or simply people who love being on or near the water. The wider the range of responses we gather, the more confidently we can shape the offer and present the case to Council.
We will publish an update on the findings and next steps in due course. In the meantime, follow us on social media for the latest news and do not hesitate to reach out to the club office if you have questions or would simply like to find out more.
This is the beginning of something genuinely exciting for Queen Mary Sailing Club, a new chapter on water we already love. We hope you will be part of it from day one.
See you on the water soon,
The QM Team
We are currently reviewing opportunities and working with a small number of local rowing clubs to bring rowing activity to the water at Queen Mary. Our primary focus is on the winter season, particularly during periods when the River Thames is prone to flooding.
The opportunity would allow clubs to book water time for group sessions. If your club may be interested, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please complete the form below, or contact us by email sailondon@queenmary.org.uk or phone to discuss further.