Cambois Rowing Club has a long and distinguished history. Founded on the River Blyth
in 1911, the club moved to the lower reaches of the River Wansbeck in 1977 where
members from 8 to 80 years of age now regularly operate from a modern boathouse
complete with land-training facilities.
Although its junior crews have enjoyed much success at national level over recent
years and its veteran crews have returned with medals from international championships,
the main theme of the club is the enjoyment of rowing by a wide section of the community.
The lower Wansbeck, especially the mile between the Stakeford and Sheepwash bridges
is both picturesque and uniquely well-suited for teaching the skills of rowing and
sculling; an excellent riverside cycleway allows coaches conveniently to watch and
advise their crews. Also the friendly atmosphere of the club means that a crew of
experienced lifelong rowers has often been prepared to include a few complete novices,
some well past their youth, in order to introduce the newcomers to the delights
of rowing in a racing boat.
In common with some other rowing clubs in the North-East, the Cambois club want
to recruit more members in the 20 to 40 year age group. Especially welcome this
summer will be folk who have recently been involved, and preferably been successful,
in other sports. For example, off-season footballers could both maintain their fitness
and enjoy the challenge of learning a branch of athletics that can be physically
demanding.
Our boat fleet include two eights. Our flagship boat, the Norman Howitt, is a vespoli eight that our successful men's squad race at the most prestigious
eights event of the year at the head of the river race on the Thames. In addition we have four coxed four/quads, three coxless quad sculls/fours,
six double sculls / pairs, eight single sculls and two training singles with floats.
Club members meet to row on Sunday mornings and on most Saturday mornings at 9.30
am. During the Summer months there are usually outings each evening from Monday
to Thursday. The veterans squad meets on a Thursday morning and individual groups
of members can arrange outings at other times.
During the winter months or if our english weather is not great, the boathouse contains excellent facilities to train or simply to keep fit.
Our boathouse