Brentford Boat Club Strikes Gold at Dorney Lake
Coxed quad crew wins at national junior sculling competition
The victorious crew and their medals. Picture: Brentford Boat Club
March 24, 2026
Brentford Boat Club is celebrating after its J14 coxed quad secured gold at the Junior Sculling Head of the River race at Dorney Lake this Monday (23 March). The victory marks a major milestone for the young squad, whose determination has shone through an exceptionally challenging start to the year.
The Junior Sculling Head is one of the biggest national events in the junior rowing calendar, drawing schools and clubs from across the UK. Known as “the Scullery,” the competition champions sculling—where each rower uses two oars—and is widely regarded as a key test of emerging talent.
Brentford’s gold-winning crew, made up of committed 13- and 14-year-olds from local state schools, delivered a standout performance against strong national competition. The club said all of its crews performed well, but the J14 victory was “the icing on the cake” for a team that has shown extraordinary resilience.
That resilience has been essential. Just six weeks ago, Brentford Boat Club had no boats, no access to the water and no gym space. With their facilities unavailable at Ferry Quays, young athletes kept their training going in parks and on local streets, maintaining a demanding six-day-a-week schedule to stay race-ready.
Their fortunes changed thanks to support from Hounslow Council, which provided the club with a new home at Dukes Meadows on the site of the former Old Chiswick Boathouse. The site had been unused for five years, and the slipway was overgrown and inaccessible. Determined to get back on the water, the junior rowers—and many of their parents—rolled up their sleeves to clear weeds, mud and debris to restore the launch area.
The rowing community also rallied behind the club, donating and lending boats and equipment so that Brentford’s young athletes could compete at Dorney. That generosity, combined with the athletes’ hard work, made Saturday’s success possible.
The Brentford Boat Club crew on the water
Brentford Boat Club now has nearly 90 members from 30 different local schools, offering opportunities for boys and girls from complete beginners to performance-level rowers. The club prides itself on giving every athlete the chance to compete if they wish. At this year’s Scullery Head, Brentford entered 56 rowers and five coxes, a significant achievement for a club that only recently regained access to the water.
The club is keen to welcome new members. More information is available at www.brentfordboatclub.com.
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