Performance rowing programme

University of St Andrews offers students a world-leading academic education alongside a holistic, athlete-centred performance rowing programme.

Led by Director of Rowing Alan Sinclair, we aim to deliver the very best support and a comprehensive programme of training and competition to enable our top student rowers to harness their full potential and achieve sporting and academic excellence whilst studying at St Andrews.

Our aim is to provide a programme that allows rowers of all abilities to be involved in the sport we all love, whilst pushing our athletes to reach new heights and become the best they can possibly be.

Scholarships are aimed at players who are already competing at a high level and who believe they have the necessary attributes to be part of a performance rowing programme whilst studying for their degree in St Andrews.

With world-class facilities, highly experienced coaches, and a comprehensive support programme, you’ll have access to a positive rowing environment, enabling you to flourish in both your academic and sporting endeavours.

Rowing Roster 2022

Find out more

• Scholarships

  

  The University is committed to attracting high academic achievers with a talent for rowing to come to study at St Andrews. There is nowhere more special that provides both a world-leading teaching experience combined with a professionally run rowing programme.

  The University’s sport scholarship programme supports exceptional student athletes from around the world to achieve sporting and academic excellence whilst studying at the St Andrews. Combining academics with a performance programme can be very demanding, but ultimately, extremely rewarding. We are looking for exceptional individuals who are able to balance these demands and strive for excellence.

  We have developed a range of offers at undergraduate and postgraduate level in order to attract and then support our very best athletic students.

  St Leonard’s Masters Scholarship

  Postgraduate taught one-year Masters applicants
  The St Leonard’s Masters Scholarship is open to national and international applicants for eligible postgraduate (taught) Masters degree programmes and based on academic excellence and/or financial need.

  The scheme aims to allow applicants to draw on their professional and life experiences to demonstrate resilience, resourcefulness, and commitment. Applicants are asked to explicitly articulate their potential using both academic and professional or life experiences. Excellence can be demonstrated in music and theatre or leadership in sports or civic duty as well as in formally assessed academic work.

  Eligibility
  We welcome applications from talented student athletes looking to extend their playing career, whilst continuing their studies.

  Did you know?

  There are no eligibility restrictions on playing sport and representing the University whilst studying for a postgraduate qualification at St Andrews.

  Saints Rowing Performance Scholarships

  Undergraduate/Postgraduate
  Saints Rowing Performance Scholarships are offered to students who are playing at a high, competitive level and who wish to pursue an elite level of rowing whilst studying in St Andrews.

  Scholarship rowers will be provided with a comprehensive support package and a wide ranging array of benefits including access to world-class facilities and highly experienced coaches. Rowers represent the University across Scotland and around the UK.

  Eligibility
  Scholarships are open to all rowers, and both undergraduate and postgraduate students. The number of scholarships awarded each year will be determined by the quality of the applicants.

  For more information and details on how to apply please visit the Sport Scholarships section of the Saints Sport website.

• Rowing programme

  The rowing programme at St Andrews ensures all rowers benefit from a holistic, athlete-centred programme, enabling them to compete at the highest level possible and reach their full potential.

  We aim to inspire our students and actively encourage every member to work hard, develop, improve and enjoy their rowing experience at university.

  Athletes on the performance rowing team get access to a full support package including:

  • Specialist coaching focusing on skill development and team preparation
  • Weekly sport specific Strength & Conditioning sessions
  • Individual skills sessions with the Head Coach and Director
  • Physiotherapy support
  • Sports nutrition, recovery and time management
  • Access to a Sports Psychologist
  • Regular fitness testing to monitor progress
  • Individual meetings to discuss personal goals
  • Access to off-season programming
  • Pre-season training
  • Leadership programme
  • Personal development workshops

• Competition

  The club is aiming to be a highly competitive entity in both Scottish and British rowing. Results have seen a huge improvement in the last couple of years and continue to follow an upward curve. We are consistently the highest ranking non-GB funded programme in Scotland. We regularly send athletes to represent Scotland at HIR each summer. Outstanding performances resulted in our first gold medals at BUCS Regatta last season, as well as breaking the top 50 at WEHORR, winning the Medium Academic Club Pennant at HORR, being quarter finalists at Henley Women’s Regatta and semi-finalists and the furthest-progressing Scottish crew at Henley Royal Regatta.

  

  British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) championships

  Alongside Henley, British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Regatta is a pivotal event in the Saints Rowing calendar. Every year sees consistent and impressive improvement in the competitive performance of the Club at BUCS. The Club, in recent history, has had multiple medal finishes and A Finals in both Men’s and Women’s events, in pairs, fours and singles, including a win in both Men’s and Women’s Intermediate pairs in 2019. The club ranks consistently within the top non-funded programmes in the country, placing ninth in the medals table in 2019 beating some prestigious funded programmes, including Imperial College Boat Club and the University of London Boat Club.

  The club had never attended BUCS Head prior to 2016 but our showing at the event in the last few years has been up with the major UK university rowing programmes. In 2017 we won not only our first BUCS points but also medalled in the WChmp4+ event. 2017 and 2018 brought a series of 5th finishes in championship events, narrowing missing out on medalling. BUCS Head is also used as a racing opportunity for our novice squads in their development towards becoming senior athletes.

  Scottish Universities Championships

  Taking place at Strathclyde Park in April, SUCS Regatta gives the Club the opportunity to trial crew combinations and race plans before the central summer racing focuses, including BUCS Regatta and Henley regattas. In the past few years, the Club has secured multiple Scottish University Championship titles, including wins in Men’s and Women’s Championship Pairs, Interemdiate Eights, Fours, Doubles, Quads and Singles. We are consistently the top non-GB funded programme within Scotland and multiple VL accolades with Scottish Student Sport.

  Head of the River Race

  Two of the world’s largest Head Races in London feature on the Club’s annual racing calendar. Despite our comparatively small size, the Club has had tremendous success at Men’s and Women’s Tideway over recent history. Every year since 2015, the first VIIIs have broken Club records with the Senior Women breaking the top 50 in 2018 and the Men’s 1st VIII+ finishing 63rd in 2019, winning the Medium Academic Club Pennant.

• Facilities

  

  Loch Ore Meadows Country Park

  Following a move from Perth Sailing Club in 2016, where we had access to a stretch of the River Tay, the club relocated to Loch Ore Meadows Country Park offering more consistent weather and water conditions.

  Preparations are underway to make this our permanent home, with plans in place for a boathouse for our growing number of both training and competitive boats.

  Loch Ore allows us much more consistent and frequent training conditions. The small size of the loch allows for easier coaching yet is large enough that all our crews are able to train at once, with access to a 1.4km stretch of water. This is supplemented by training camps abroad and in Scotland to give access to larger expanses of water.

  

  Performance Centre

  Following a multi-million pound redevelopment of the Performance Centre, students at St Andrews have access to some of the best sports facilities in Scotland.

  Saints Sport offers a wide range of indoor and outdoor sports facilities, which are available all year round.

  Indoor facilities

  • dedicated performance suite
  • modern, spacious gym
  • exercise studio
  • four-court sports hall
  • new technical climbing wall
  • eight-court arena
  • four-court indoor tennis centre

  Outdoor facilities

  • 13 grass pitches
  • full-size floodlit 3G synthetic pitch
  • sand-dressed synthetic pitch
  • four tennis courts
  • athletics track
  • additional multi-sport grass pitches
  • multi-sport courts

  Performance Suite
  Saints Rowing scholars make use of the top class Performance Suite – a dedicated Strength and Conditioning gym that provides a private space for the performance squad to train undisturbed. Sessions are run by expert Strength and Conditioning accredited coaches who develop basketball specific programmes for our athletes.