About The Club

The world’s oldest canoe club, Royal Canoe Club (RCC), is based on the Thames in Teddington, a few miles from central London. Founded in 1866, the club has been prominent and competitive in all disciplines of canoeing and kayaking in the UK and worldwide ever since. The club has owned the freehold of the Trowlock island site for a number of years and in 1993 obtained the freehold to the mainland clubhouse, which had previously been owned by British Petroleum (BP). The mainland site is now shared with the skiff, rowing and dragon boat clubs.

Royal Canoe Club’s primary focus is on the competitive flatwater sprint and marathon disciplines with many club members having progressed to international level, representing Great Britain at World Championships and Olympic Games in various disciplines. These members include names such as Chris Canham, Alan Williams, Jeremy West, Steve Jackson, Duncan Blyth, Trevor Hunter, Jess Walker, Jonathan Boyton, Ian Wynne and Tim Brabants, to name a few. The club has, despite its flat-water origins, also had considerable success at downriver (whitewater) racing, with numerous medalists at World and European Championships.

In addition to adults, the club runs both cadet (10-14 years) and junior (14-18 years) sections and provides support and coaching for all levels from beginner to advanced. The club is involved in both the World Class Start and World Class Potential programmes. Royal is also playing an important role in the development of local athletes by contributing to the British Canoe Union’s Talent Identification initiative.

Clubhouse

The club has two clubhouses, the newly-built, state-of-the-art facility on Trowlock Island and the mainland facility at the end of Trowlock Way. The island clubhouse incorporates the Wells Room in which paddling and rowing machines are used, and the exceptionally well kitted-out Paul Gilbert gym. Both clubhouses have male and female changing facilities while the mainland clubhouse also contains the kitchen, bar, office and on-site physiotherapy facilities.

Gym

The revamped Paul Gilbert gym is available for the use of members and contains a comprehensive variety of free weights, fixed-weight machines and specialist, paddling-specific equipment. The gym is used by the various sections of the club for winter land-based training as well as for junior and cadet development programmes.

Food

Food is available in the mainland clubhouse on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings after training. Wednesdays are the main canoe club night.

Boat Storage

Open and covered boat storage is available for canoes and kayaks. For full details see the membership page for pricing

Physiotherapy

The club has access to the services of a chartered physiotherapist. Further information can be obtained here

History

John MacGregor, a Scottish Lawyer, living in London launched canoeing as a recognised sport and recreation in the late 1800′s. He went on extensive tours on the lakes and rivers of Central and Northern Europe. These tours were undertaken in a craft which he designed and built and which he named ‘Rob Roy’. His boat is kept at the National Maritime Museum and from time to time is displayed. . He then extended his travels to the river Jordan and the Suez Canal, all his trips being recorded in a series of books.

Through his books and lectures, which he gave on his return, he formed a group of interested gentleman who met in the Star and Garter Hotel in Richmond on the 25th July 1866 to form the Canoe Club – the first such club to be formed in the world. Membership quickly grew and included Diplomats, Doctors, Lawyers and Businessmen. They all apparently used ‘Rob Roy’ craft and encouraged others to participate in their chosen sport.

The first recorded Regatta was held at Thames Ditton on April 27th 1867, when 15 canoes took part in a paddling race and a canoe chase and in December of the same year, six members took part in the first long distance race over a 12 mile course between Teddington Lock and Putney Bridge.

In 1867, Edward Prince of Wales (later to become King Edward VII) became Commodore of the Club and in 1873, by command of Queen Victoria, the Canoe Club became the ROYAL CANOE CLUB, this was a significant honour for the club, which was devoted to small craft at a time when larger yachts were a status symbol. We are very proud of our name.

In 1874, the Club instituted an annual competition for the PADDLING CHALLENGE CUP and the SAILING CHALLENGE CUP followed in the next year. Both are still raced for today and to win either means as much to present day canoeists as it did to the first to compete for these magnificent trophies.

During the first 10 years, the Club regularly held meetings on the Thames at Teddington and established a camping ground there but it was not until 1878 that a Clubhouse was obtained. This was in Turk’s Boathouse at Kingston. Michael Turk’s Grandfather applied to become a member of Royal Canoe Club, but his application was refused as it was considered that he was “in trade.” Michael Turk, has been made an Honorary Member of Royal Canoe Club, to put right the wrong which we now felt was done to his Grandfather. In 1897, the Club obtained a lease of land on Trowlock Island, a site which was later purchased. The timber building put up at a cost of £500 is still the main base for canoeing.

The sailing canoe was introduced in the early 1870′s and a section still exists within Royal Canoe Club for Canoe Sailing, although it is no longer at Teddington, the modern design of the craft and the building which has taken place along the river over the years, have made the water at Teddington unsuitable for such sailing craft.

Royal Canoe Club members had the honour of representing their country at the Berlin Olympics in 1936 when canoeing was introduced as an Olympic Sport. Members have represented their country at every Olympic Games since 1936. After the 1936 Olympics, members of Royal imported single and double seat racing Kayaks to Great Britain, the first such boats to arrive and the Club has remained a Centre of Excellence ever since.

In 1922, Edward, Prince of Wales (later to become the Duke of Windsor), became Commodore a position he held until he succeeded to the throne.

In 1993 an opportunity arose to acquire premises which had previously been owned by BP as part of their Company’s leisure activities. The BP site was ideal, being situated on the mainland whereas Royal’s Clubhouse was on the island. Suddenly we could offer so much more.

Walbrook Rowing Club, part of the BP set up, had until our acquisition had sole use of the mainland clubhouse. The format of Walbrook Rowing Club prevented rowers who were not employed by BP from becoming members, therefore membership was fairly small. Once Royal Canoe Club became involved, membership to Walbrook became open and the rowing section has grown beyond all recognition since and continues to go from strength to strength. Already two members representing England in the Home Countries Regatta held in Eire during 1999.

The Skiff Club, which also once had been based at Turk’s boathouse, also joined with Royal Canoe Club in acquiring the BP premises. Prior to our purchasing the BP site, The Skiff Club, did not have a permanent base from which to operate from and were only too pleased to be able to contribute in a small way to the purchase of the BP premises. The Skiff Club has a very active core of members, who contribute to the success of the site.

Dragon boating is another sport which we can offer. Several of our members are part of the successful Great Britain Team competing at World and Eurpean Championships and are current holders of gold, silver and bronze medals.

Canoeing continues to be our dominant sport; the British Olympic squad frequently trains at Royal and members frequently represent their country at internationals, both at Senior and Junior levels. Sights are now being set on the 2012 London Olympics and, more specifically, the events taking place on Dorney lake. We also teach absolute beginners and encourage people who have canoed or rowed in the past and need just a little bit of confidence building before getting back on to the water.

We are always keen to hear from prospective members. If you’re keen to learn to canoe, get in touch, you’ll find a ready welcome for you at Royal Canoe Club.