Sir William Perkins's School Boat Club (SWPSBC) is a rowing club based on the River Thames at Sir William Perkins's School Boathouse, Thameside, Laleham, Surrey.
History Sir William Perkins's School Boat Club was founded in 2003 by Liz Bernard, a teacher at the school, to introduce pupils to the sport of rowing. Originally operating out of Staines BC, a new boathouse was opened in 2016 as part of the school's Building Development Programme, and is owned by Sir William Perkins's School, with rowing being the major school sport. The boathouse is located next door to Burway Rowing Club.
Since its foundation in 2003, the club has won many national medals, enjoyed victories at Henley Women's Regatta, and has had crews racing at each edition of Henley Royal Regatta since 2018. Since 2011, there has been a growing list of SWPS international athletes, who have competed for both the Great Britain and England Rowing Teams at Under 16, Under 19, Under 23 and Olympic level whilst representing the Boat Club.
At the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, Hattie Taylor became the first member of Sir William Perkins's School Boat Club to stand on the Olympic podium, winning bronze in the Great Britain Women's eight.
At the 2026 National Schools' Regatta, the club ranked 6th on the overall medal table - the highest placed girls' school programme - with three gold medals. This included the Championship Girls' Coxless Four, who rowed to a new national record time. The 2026 British Rowing Club Championships saw Perkins crews win nine medals - four of them Gold - and set two new British Championships records en route to second on the overall medal table. Henley Women's Regatta included the first ever Perkins eight to reach the semi-finals, and at Henley Royal Regatta, the 1st Quad became the first Perkins crew to progress to the weekend - as semi-finalists.
Honours Henley Royal Regatta YearEvent & Round 2018 Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup (Junior Women's 4x) Qualified 2019 Diamond Jubilee (JW4x) Qualified 2021 Diamond Jubilee (JW4x) Pre-Qualified 2022 Diamond Jubilee (JW4x) Qualified 2023 Diamond Jubilee (JW4x) Quarter-Final, Prince Philip Challenge Trophy (Junior Women's 8+) Qualified 2024 Diamond Jubilee (JW4x) Pre-Qualified, Prince Philip (JW8+) Qualified 2025 Diamond Jubilee (JW4x) Quarter-Final, Prince Philip (JW8+) Qualified 2026 Diamond Jubilee (JW4x) Semi-Final, Prince Philip (JW8+) Pre-Qualified
Henley Women's Regatta YearEvent & Round 2010 J16 4+ Quarter-Final, J16 4x Quarter-Final 2011 J16 4+ Winners, J16 4+ Semi-Final, J16 4x Quarter-Final 2012 J16 4+ Winners, J16 4+ Final – All-Perkins final 2013 Junior 4+ Quarter-Final, J16 4+ Quarter-Final 2014 Junior 8+ Quarter-Final 2015 Junior 4x Quarter-Final 2017 Junior 8+ Quarter-Final 2018 Junior 4x Quarter-Final, J16 4+ Quarter-Final 2019 Junior 2x Winners, Junior 4+ Quarter-Final 2021 Junior 4x Quarter-Final 2022 Junior 2x Semi-Final, J16 4x Quarter-Final 2023 Junior 4x Semi-Final 2024 Junior 4x Semi-Final 2025 Junior 4x Semi-Final 2026 Junior 4x Semi-Final, Junior 8+ Semi-Final
British Rowing Champions YearWinning Crew 2018 WJ18 4x, WJ16 2x 2019 WJ16 2x 2023 WJ18 2x, WJ16 2x 2024 WJ18 2- 2025 WClub 2-, WJ18 2-, WJ18 4-, WJ18 4x (composite) 2026 WJ16 4x, WJ16 2x, WJ16 4+, WJ15 4x+
National Schools' Regatta YearEvent & Medal 2009 J15 Girls' 8+ Gold 2010 J14 Girls’ 8x+ Gold, J15 Girls' 8+ Bronze 2011 J14 Girls' 4x+ Gold, J16 Girls' 4+ Bronze 2012 J16 Girls' 4+ Gold, J15 Girls' 4+ Silver, J14 4×+ Silver, J16 Girls' 2- Bronze 2013 Championship Girls' 2- Gold, J16 Girls' 8+ Silver, J16 Girls' 4+ Bronze 2016 J15 Girls' 1st 8+ Silver, J15 Girls' 2nd 8+ Bronze 2017 Girls' 2nd 4x Bronze 2019 J15 Girls' 2nd 8+ Gold, Girls' 4+ Bronze 2022 Championship Girls' 2x Silver, J16 Girls' 2nd 4x Silver, J15 Girls' 1st 8+ Bronze 2023 Championship Girls' 2x Silver, J16 Girls' 2x Bronze, J15 Girls' 2nd 4x+ Bronze 2024 J16 Girls' 2x Silver, J15 Girls' 2nd 4×+ Silver, Championship Girls' 2x Bronze, Championship Girls' 2- Bronze, Championship Girls' 4+ Bronze 2026 Championship Girls' 4- Gold, J16 Girls' 2nd 4x Gold, J15 Girls' 1st 4x+ Gold, J16 Girls' 1st 4x Silver, J15 Girls' 2nd 4×+ Silver, Championship Girls' 2x Bronze
International Honours YearCrewEventVenue 2011 GBR WJ16 4-GB vs France J16 MatchLondon, England 2012 GBR WJ16 4-GB vs France J16 MatchGravelines, France 2013 GBR WJ16 8+(GOLD)GB vs France J16 MatchLondon, England 2013 GBR U19 W4-(2 GOLDS) & W8+(GOLD)Coupe de la JeunesseLucerne, Switzerland 2018 GBR U19 W2x(GOLD)Munich Junior RegattaMunich, Germany 2018 GBR U19 W2x(BRONZE)Coupe de la JeunesseCork, Ireland 2019 GBR U19 W2xMunich Junior RegattaMunich, Germany 2019 GBR U19 W8+(BRONZE) & W4xCoupe de la JeunesseCorgeno, Italy 2021 GBR W4-(4th) H.TaylorOlympic GamesTokyo, Japan 2022 GBR U19 W2x (GOLD & SILVER)Coupe de la JeunesseCastrelo de Miño, Spain 2023 GBR WJ16 2-GB vs France J16 MatchNottingham, England 2023 GBR WJ16 2xGB vs France J16 MatchNottingham, England 2023 England WJ18 2x(GOLD) & 4x(GOLD)Home International RegattaLough Rinn, Ireland 2024 GBR U19 W2-(SILVER) & 4-Munich Junior RegattaMunich, Germany 2024 England WJ18 2-(GOLD), 8+(GOLD) & Sprint 8+(GOLD)Home International RegattaStrathclyde, Scotland 2024 GBR W8+(BRONZE) H.TaylorOlympic GamesParis, France 2024 GBR U19 W2xCoupe de la JeunesseRačice, Czechia 2024 GBR U19 W2-World Rowing U19 ChampionshipsSt Catharines, Canada 2024 GBR U19 W4-(SILVER)World Rowing U19 ChampionshipsSt Catharines, Canada 2025 GBR U19 W4x(GOLD) & 2xMunich Junior RegattaMunich, Germany 2025 GBR WJ16 8+(GOLD)GB vs France J16 MatchLondon, England 2025 England WJ18 2-(GOLD), 8+(GOLD) & Sprint 8+(GOLD)Home International RegattaDorney Lake, England 2025 England W Sprint 8+(GOLD), W2- & 8+ A. Cowell & K. BurtonHome International RegattaDorney Lake, England 2025 GBR U19 W2x(SILVER)World Rowing U19 ChampionshipsTrakai, Lithuania 2026 GBR WJ16 4+GB vs France J16 MatchGravelines, France 2026 GBR U23 W2- A. CowellWorld Rowing U23 ChampionshipsDuisburg, Germany 2026 GBR U19 W4-(2 GOLDS)Coupe de la JeunesseLucerne, Switzerland 2026 GBR U19 W8+(2 GOLDS)Coupe de la JeunesseLucerne, Switzerland 2026 GBR U19 W2xCoupe de la JeunesseLucerne, Switzerland
Notable alumnae Harriet Taylor
See also Rowing on the River Thames
References