National Schools' Regatta is the largest rowing regatta for junior rowers in Great Britain. Held annually in May, the three day regatta offers events for junior rowers between the categories J14 and J18 (the number being the age group).
History
The regatta was first raced in 1947 as the "Colts and Third Eights Regatta", when Desmond Hill the master-in-charge of rowing at St Edward's School, Oxford, invited the third VIIIs of Shrewsbury School, Bedford School and Radley College to race against St. Edwards in Godstow. The event was repeated annually at a number of locations in the Thames Valley, and then later at Pangbourne, until in 1963 when it moved to the Child Beale Trust Estate. With the growth of the regatta and the addition of many more events for junior crews the regatta changed its name to "The National Schools' Regatta" in 1964.
In 1973, the regatta moved to the Holme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre, due to the frequency of unfair weather conditions at the Child Beale Estate, and the ability to hold six lane racing at Holme Pierrepont. Weather conditions continued to be an issue for school rowing and the 2008 edition was cancelled after three 1st VIIIs, entered in the Childe Beale Cup, from The King's School, Canterbury, Bedford Modern School, and Shiplake College, swamped. It was decided by the officials to completely cancel the rest of the racing for both the Saturday and Sunday. The officials were criticised for not cancelling the event earlier and led to calls for the regatta to be moved to Dorney Lake, where the 2012 Olympics rowing events took place.
Owing to Holme Pierrepoint having organised a triathlon over the desired weekend, the organisers were forced to relocate the regatta to Dorney Lake in 2016, where it was held from 2017 onwards. The event was cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2021, Eton College won the 1st, 2nd & 3rd eight events and in 2024 St Paul's School repeated the success; it was the fourth and fifth times respectively that this has been achieved in the regatta's history.
In 2025, the event returned to the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham. Racing once again suffered from poor weather conditions, and the committee decided to cancel Sunday's events as a result.
After a review of the 2025 regatta, it was announced that the regatta committee had agreed to host the event at Dorney Lake once again for at least 5 years, starting with the 2026 event. The regatta chairman cited capactiy grounds as a leading factor in the decision.
Past winners Queen Mother Challenge Cup (Ch.8+) The Queen Mother Challenge Cup for championship eights is the regatta's premier event, featuring the first eights of the traditional, 'championship' rowing schools of England. The event attracts approximately 12 entries each year, with smaller schools usually entering the Child Beale Cup for School eights. The Queen Mother forms part of the title known as 'The Triple', which also consists of Championship eights at the Schools' Head of the River Race and The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. Due to the high level of competition, the Queen Mother Challenge Cup has only been won by ten private (fee-paying) and one state school:
Eton College (20 wins), Hampton School (6 wins), Radley College (6 wins), Abingdon School (5 wins), St. Edward's School (4 wins), St Paul's School (4 wins), Shrewsbury School (3 wins), Westminster School (2 wins), Pangbourne College (1 win), Wallingford School (1 win), Shiplake College (1 win).
The other schools that have come close to winning but thus far only achieved silver medals are Emanuel School in 1975 and 1981, Bedford School in 1978, King's School Chester in 1984 (by just one foot), 1985, and 1992, Kingston Grammar in 1994, Canford School in 2004, and King's College School, Wimbledon in 2021.
1971 - Hampton School 1972 - Eton College 1973 - Eton College 1974 - Eton College 1975 - Radley College 1976 - Shrewsbury School 1977 - Eton College 1978 - Eton College 1979 - St Edward's School 1980 - Wallingford School 1981 - Radley College 1982 - Shrewsbury School 1983 - Eton College 1984 - St Edward's School 1985 - Hampton School1986 - Hampton School 1987 - Cancelled due to high winds 1988 - Hampton School 1989 - Eton College 1990 - Eton College 1991 - Eton College 1992 - Hampton School 1993 - St Edward's School 1994 - Eton College 1995 - Eton College 1996 - Eton College 1997 - Radley College 1998 - Eton College 1999 - Hampton School 2000 - Radley College2001 - Radley College 2002 - Abingdon School 2003 - Pangbourne College 2004 - Abingdon School 2005 - Eton College 2006 - Shrewsbury School 2007 - Eton College 2008 - Cancelled due to high winds 2009 - Eton College 2010 - Eton College 2011 - Eton College 2012 - Abingdon School 2013 - Abingdon School 2014 - Abingdon School 2015 - Westminster School2016 - Westminster School 2017 - St Paul's School 2018 - St Paul's School 2019 - St Paul's School 2020 - Cancelled due to the COVID 19 pandemic 2021 - Eton College 2022 - Eton College 2023 - St Edward's School 2024 - St Paul's School 2025 - Shiplake College 2026 - Radley College
The Aylings Challenge Cup (ChG.8+) The Aylings Challenge Cup for Championship Girls Eights has become the blue riband event for junior women, with increasing entries in recent years to match the increase of junior women's rowing across the UK. A notable success has been that of Headington School who retained the trophy for 9 consecutive years between 2009 and 2017 and have won the event a record 12 times. The Aylings Challenge Cup makes up one of the three trophies for the Junior Women's Eights Triple, including Girls' Ch8+ at Schools' Head of the River and the Prince Philip Challenge Trophy at Henley Royal Regatta.
1990 - George Watson's College 1991 - George Watson's College 1992 - Kingston Grammar School 1993 - Lady Eleanor Holles School 1994 - Lady Eleanor Holles School 1995 - Lady Eleanor Holles School 1996 - Lady Eleanor Holles School 1997 - Lady Eleanor Holles School 1998 - Lady Eleanor Holles School 1999 - Lady Eleanor Holles School 2000 - Lady Eleanor Holles School 2001 - Headington School 2002 - Headington School 2003 - King's School Worcester 2004 - Kingston Grammar School2005 - Cancelled 2006 - Molesey Boat Club 2007 - Lady Eleanor Holles School 2008 - Cancelled 2009 - Headington School 2010 - Headington School 2011 - Headington School 2012 - Headington School 2013 - Headington School 2014 - Headington School 2015 - Headington School 2016 - Headington School 2017 - Headington School 2018 - Henley Rowing Club 2019 - Lady Eleanor Holles School2020 - Cancelled 2021 - Lady Eleanor Holles School 2022 - Henley Rowing Club 2023 - Headington School 2024 - Hinksey Sculling School 2025 - Shiplake College 2026 - Shiplake College
Non-Championship Eights Non-Championship Eights (formerly the Child Beale trophy for First Eights) was an event for School and Club VIIIs and was traditionally entered by smaller and less well established or funded schools. There is a similar event named First Eights at Schools' Head of the River. The event was last held in 2019. One month later at Henley, Championship and Non-Championship eights race together in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup.
2009 - Bedford Modern School 2010 - Eton College 2011 - St Joseph's College 2012 - King's College School2013 - St George's College 2014 - Pangbourne College 2015 - Shiplake College 2016 - London Oratory School2017 - Molesey Boat Club 2018 - Bedford School 2019 - Monmouth School Discontinued
Course Records
Event name Club Name Year Time Notes Championship Eight Radley College Boat Club 2026 5:43.00 Championship Girls' Eight Headington School Oxford Boat Club 2026 6:31.39 In Semi-Final Non-Championship Eight Monmouth School 2019 5:54.59 Event Discontinued Second Eight Radley College Boat Club 2026 6:00.08 Girls' Second Eight Henley Rowing Club 2019 6:49.01 Third Eight Shiplake College Boat Club 2026 6:03.77 Championship Quad Henley Rowing Club 2019 6:02.14 Championship Girls' Quad Marlow Rowing Club 2026 6:44.25 Second Quad Leander Club 2019 6:10.20 Girls' Second Quad Latymer Upper School 2016 7:07.10 Championship Coxless Four Hampton School Boat Club 1999 6:13.75 Championship Girls' Coxless Four Sir William Perkins's School Boat Club 2026 7:01.46 Championship Coxed Four Eton College Boat Club 2016 6:27.70 School Coxed Four Westminster School Boat Club 2019 6:40.95 In Heat, Event Discontinued Girls' Coxed Four Kingston Rowing Club 2019 7:22.73 Championship Pair Radley College Boat Club 2019 6:50.97 Championship Girls' Pair Kingston Rowing Club 2019 7:37.25 Championship Double Windsor Boys' School Boat Club 2022 6:38.61 Championship Girls' Double Hartpury University and College 2024 7:21.07 Championship Single Hartpury University and College 2024 7:08.33 Elliott Donovan-Davies Championship Girls' Single Coleraine Grammar School 2019 7:54.88 Molly Curry J16 Championship Eight St. Pauls School 2026 5:55.91 J16 Championship Girls' Eight Henley Rowing Club 2019 6:51.60 J16 Open Second Eight Radley College Boat Club 2026 6:16.85 J15 Championship Eight Norwich School 2019 6:16.52 J15 Open Coxed Quad Windsor Boys' School Boat Club 2024 6:42.45 J15 Girls’ Coxed Quad Great Marlow School20247:31.08Dorney Lake 2km course
References