On the evening of Saturday 17th January, the King’s School rowing community came together for the Boat Club Dinner 2026 - an occasion that perfectly captured the spirit of one of the School’s most enduring and distinguished traditions.

Bringing together a record number of pupils, coaches, parents, Pilgrims and OKS, the dinner was not only a celebration of the year’s rowing achievements, but also a tribute to the commitment, camaraderie and legacy of excellence that defines the King’s School Canterbury Boat Club. Every current oarsman and oarswoman stands on the shoulders of the generations who have gone before them, and this sense of family and community made this year’s dinner extra special.

We were honoured to welcome Vicky Spencer (MT 1992-94) as our keynote speaker. She shared invaluable insights into her role as Olympic Transition Coach for U19-U23 with GB Rowing and inspired our pupils with the potential the sport offers for their future.

We were also delighted to host a special naming ceremony for the new boats recently acquired by the Club, made possible by the generosity of our community and the success of the recent Boat Club Fleet Appeal. It was a pleasure to have so many of our donors in the room to celebrate this significant milestone. We were especially pleased to welcome Chris Culverhouse-Hall (WL 1985-90) and his wife, Katie, as our guests of honour.

As the evening unfolded, laughter and applause punctuated the formal proceedings, and the dinner evolved into a true celebration—of friendships formed, lessons learned, and memories made. It became clear that for many, the Boat Club is not simply an extracurricular activity, but a defining chapter of their school life. With such commitment, spirit and fellowship at its heart, the future of the King’s Boat Club looks every bit as strong as its storied past.

Thank you to all who joined us and we look forward to welcoming you back next year. 

It is a real pleasure to welcome you all to what is a truly happy and special occasion for the King’s Boat Club: the celebration and naming of some wonderful new additions to our fleet, and, just as importantly, a chance to thank the people whose generosity has made all of this possible.

The club is enjoying a huge upswing of success in every respect – we are seeing growing numbers taking up the sport, improving results and a growing sense of community amongst parents and OKS. I am keenly aware of the sacrifice and hard work behind all of this – from our coaches to our pupils, and the many hours and hard yards of winter training to the early starts and time on the towpath for parents – it is all very much appreciated.

So this evening, as we name these boats, we do more than christen new equipment. We celebrate generosity, legacy, belief, and community. And we also look forward to the future of the club with great excitement.

Jude Lowson, Head