Dundee University Boat Club was founded in the late 1980s by a group of enthusiastic medical students, seeking to bring the sport to the community at the University. Compared to a majority of its competitors in the University rowing circuit, with beginnings stretching back to the early 20th century, the club boasts a modest timeline of which tremendous effort has followed in order to spur on its development. Established in 1991 with the University’s Sports Union, it has steadily developed over the past 3 decades to provide rowing on the River Tay for students of Dundee. 

 

With its boathouse situated at Inchyra near Perth, the club predominantly spent the first 15 years growing its fleet of shells and training equipment, in order to boost its membership and demonstrate a real interest for the sport. Through the turn of the century, this largely continued alongside a push for competitive progress in Scotland and beyond. In 2010, the club came out on top of the then Scottish Universities Winter League competition which helped consolidate their progress through the preceding decade, with appearances at the Tideway and Henley Women’s Regatta, along with national fixtures such as BUCS Head and Scot Champs. Also during this time, the club extended its boathouse and made substantial progress in opening up rowing opportunities. 

 

As the club celebrated its 30th anniversary year, it plans to continue a trajectory of pushing further into the competitive sphere, whilst maintaining a strong student-led culture for members of all abilities and motivations to participate in. Development landmarks of winning the University Sports Union’s Club of the Year two years in a row, for 2018 and 2019, and again in 2021 and 2022, has also brought further recognition for its competitive endeavours. Following an incredible 2 years of success in the Scottish calendar, its senior women became Henley Women’s Regatta Finalists in 2019 for the Frank V Harry Cup, the second time the club had made such an appearance at the premium Women’s Regatta.

 

Most recently, the club won the Victor Ludorum for overall student winners at the Scottish Rowing Indoor Championships November 2019. This accomplishment marks the club’s most successful appearance at an indoor competition and has asserted Dundee’s position as a club to be reckoned with in the Scottish rowing landscape.