Henley Royal Regatta, how posh is it & is rowing just a sport for the wealthy?

[Thirtyfiveandcounting]

Just that. Friends live near Henley on the Thames & have said loads of American club crews are over for the race?
Is it very posh? I never thought much about rowing in terms of cost investment but I imagine it's fairly costly? Is it as elitist as polo?

Friends invited us into the steward’s enclosure this year again. There are a lot of posh people there, very dressed up anyway. We’re going to the festival on Friday and there is a dress code for that too. I’ve just ordered a poncho from Amazon because it’s going to be chucking it down. 🤣
Not everyone who rows is posh but the events are a bit like Ascot insofar as a lot of people go just to dress up and soak up the atmosphere.

It looks fabulous. My dc have done many activities over the years but rowing wasn't one of them. Have a great time on Friday, I'd love it!

I don't think it's as elitist as polo or like golf where an effort is made to try to keep it exclusive. It's a capital-intensive sport because you need a boat, and usually a club. It's mainly based around access to the Thames so that means it's associated with private schools. DH was privately educated, did rowing and attended endless regattas. All worth it I guess as his team were junior national champions it also works wonders for men's physique

It looks like a very impressive sport & builds great teamwork. I think I'd enjoy Henley more than Wimbledon 😁

I live in a provincial market town on a river and there's a rowing club that anyone can join. It regularly runs introductions for novices and although there are obviously members who learned to row in "posher" surroundings - boarding school, university, etc - most of members are just people who saw an alternative to the gym and gave it a try. Looks very tempting on a warm sunny day! although not enough for me to join

Everyone I knwo who rows is either posh or American.
Never been to Henley though

There are rowing clubs wherever there is water and most of the members are "working class".
One of my ex-colleagues was a regular entrant at Henley (ending up in the "veteran" class) and on the years he wasn't rowing, he always went along for the social side (he had full entry).

We used to live near Henley and would
go and watch every year, didn't go into any of the enclosures but just milled around in the public areas enjoying the atmosphere & fireworks.

Also used to watch the rowing in Oxford, "Eights Week" was a good excuse for a picnic & Pimm's on the banks of the Isis.

I think it depends on your route into the sport. If you learn at school you are likely to be at a private school so there is that "posh" element. But, as a pp said, if you live in a town on a river that has a rowing club then it is open to anyone (off the top of my head, theres a few towns along the Severn with town rowing clubs, Oxford- city not the university, and also in Yorkshire but there will be more!). And actually would imagine those costs aren't too dreadful - you don't have to own your own boat as you use club equipment! I know friends who got into that way who just went to the local state school. And then there's people who get into it at university who tend to be sporty but a mix of backgrounds.

Henley is kind of not that representative as it is a huge international event and, as someone has said, is more like Royal Ascot with enclosures and blazers everywhere. Other competitions are nothing like Henley and will have a mix of private school, town and university teams. Club blazers are a bit of a thing in rowing but, outside Ascot, mainly for annual dinners or special regattas.

It would be a fantastic team sport for your DCs OP.
And it is not exclusivist like polo would be in my opinion.
Get your kids to watch the Olympics rowing to spark an interest.
Anyone can join a local club. Have a look around your area for a local club and ask what age they can join and if they have taster sessions.

As for Henley Regatta, yes I'd say the majority of public are dressed up as for the races in a sense, but it is a very inclusive crowd and watching the races is really interesting.
It is an international event and you'll see the best of the best from all sorts of countries (USA, China, everywhere). Loads of races.

Oh and rowing clubs often have gyms for members to do dry land training - not huge amounts but rowing machines and maybe some weights. So you can get the bonus of not having to pay for a separate gym.

I was in the rowing club at uni, as I wanted to join a club to meet boys but couldn’t do any sports. I was a cox. It was fun, I’m from a council estate raised on benefits so enjoyed bossing around all the posh public school boys, as that’s 100% what they all were. nice guys, though. And fit!

It’s definitely a sport for all - junior membership at our local club is £130 per year and for that there are two sessions a week. It costs extra only when you want to enter a race. My kids are all members and one has rowed at Henley - we go watch on the free bit of riverbank! It’s an endurance sport really which is why I think it doesn’t have huge uptake - going through your pain barrier is required….

Yes friends said the town is full of Americans & varsity kids!

It's just a day out having a picnic on the banks of the Thames, with 2 boats occasionally going past in my experience!

Op I've been and it's not a ticket event. You can watch people join in the fun from anywhere in the town. You can just walk down the river bank to get some "buzz".

I've have to bars there and into the super posh inner sanctum. I can assure you the bars where locals go along the river are far more fun!

Ie away from the blazer crowd.

*oh and usually you don't to for the rowing 😂.
It's a huge event and banks will send people for fun and all sorts.

Surely it's like Royal Ascot as in posh horse racing but the majority of horsey folks just ride their horses or live near a yard and ride there.
Henley is just one aspect
I actually think rowing is quite cheap - club membership is cheap and you don't need your own boat. Def events for kids are dominated by private schools but there's lots done to get it open to all esp indoor rowing via - for example - London Youth Rowing

I rowed and sailed, courtesy of my sink comprehensive. Then I joined a sailing club and sailed two days a week through the club, plus one afternoon a week through school.

It's one of those sports that needs equipment so you need to be in a club. Not particularly elitist but only some places are suitable for river rowing, you need a suitable river! Here gig rowing is popular and an all comers sport, lots of teams from kids to seniors, £3 a session to cover boat costs (council provide storage)

I rowed in my teens and am certainly not posh. Living near a river is the only prerequisite. There are many local clubs who will welcome new members. Subs and fees were cheap and no special equipment needed.

DS rows - a couple of times at Jnr British Championships, JIRR, wins in NE regional Heads & Regatta’s. He’s state school educated & we have 2 rowing clubs in our market town, one at the school & the town one.
We’re not posh & many of the people he rowed with aren’t!

His dream is to go Henley!

I don't think it is partiularly elitist as a sport, but at the same time it is not accessible to everybody. As others have said, it mainly depends on living near a suitable river! We live in a village near Henley and learning to row or joining a rowing club are no more expensive than other sports. However, the local state schools don't row and the private schools do, so I guess that makes it more elitist. If you go to a state school you will need to do it after school.

DS is doing rowing at school (yes it is a private school but not one of the v posh ones).
He loves it which is great as he’s dyspraxic and hates ball games.

Our club rowed on a canal, full of sofas, burnt out cars, angry fishermen, and swans. I was very good at steering!

Isn't that a shame that the state school don't utilise the river.
My dh canoed for years but that's not quite in the same league as rowing!