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IWD 2024: Rowing’s Female Pioneers, Past and Present
Graphic: World Rowing
8 March 2024
By Tim Koch
Tim Koch marks International Women’s Day with an eclectic mix of images of women rowing.
Today, 8 March, marks International Women’s Day – a global day of celebration acknowledging the great social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women and a platform to urge equality for 49.6% of the world’s population.
In Memoriam
Within three months at the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024, rowing lost two remarkable women, Pauline Churcher (left) and Pauline Rayner MBE (right). Pauline Rayner (née Sanson, later Horan) pictured second from the right. Picture: @katie_kap Pauline Churcher (née Baillie Reynolds), second from the left, pictured with her United Universities Women’s Boat Club crew that raced in the 1961 European Rowing Championships in Prague (the only FISA regatta for women at that time).
The press information that was released with the above photograph.
The patronising press 1950s style
The Norwich Union RC “girls” at the 1951 Serpentine Regatta.
A Civil Service Ladies Rowing Club crew that raced a University of London eight in 1952. The press information notes that they are “all Misses except one”. Since 1997, CSLRC has been called Barnes Bridge Ladies Rowing Club.
Audrey Upcott of Stuart Ladies RC, a “Boating Belle” pictured in 1954.
New to the International Rowing Family
Nazanin Malaei was 5th in the Women’s single sculls Final B Tokyo 2020, the best performance out of the four Iranian female scullers who have represented their country at the Olympics since the first, Homa Hosseini, in 2008. Picture: @LU_Rowing
At Rio 2016, Saiyidah Aisyah Rafa’ee (pictured here recently in Sydney) was Singapore’s first Olympic rower.
Chierika Ukogu became the first Nigerian to row at the Olympic games when she qualified for Rio 2016.
Ossis
Christine Scheiblich of East Germany pictured at the World Championships in 1975, won Gold in the women’s singles at the 1976 Montreal Games, the first Olympics to have women’s rowing events.The Gold Medal winning East German Women’s Eight at Montreal.
Edith Eckbauer and Thea Einöder, the West German women’s coxless pair Bronze Medalists at Montreal.
Oxbridge Afloat
A postcard from c.1905.Cambridge, winners of the 1983 Women’s Boat Race at Henley.Oxford, 1987Cambridge, 1990Oxford Torpids, 1987
Impractical rowing kit
European women boating on lake Naini Tal in the north of India in 1867. I hold that this is the oldest known photograph of women engaged in rowing. The fact that they appear to be doing it with some commitment and seriousness is a bonus. Their hatbands bear the name of their crew, “Undine.”A postcard from c.1900.Titillation from the ‘20s.
Late News
Lola Anderson, pictured here after winning the Women’s Wingfields in 2021, is the new Captain of Leander, the third woman to have the honour. Leander has accepted female members since 1998. In 2013, Debbie Flood was elected as the club’s first female captain and was re-elected the following year. Vicky Thornley then served in the role in 2018 and 2019.
Hear The Boat Sing 