The Big Row
The Big Row is Love Rowing’s annual fundraiser raising funds for inclusive and accessible rowing projects across the UK – because rowing is for everyone!
The Big Row
The Big Row is Love Rowing’s flagship annual fundraising challenge — bringing together individuals, clubs, schools, regattas, and organisations to collectively take on ambitious endurance challenges in support of inclusive and accessible rowing.
Each year, the challenge evolves in scale and creativity, but the purpose remains the same: raising vital funds and awareness for Love Rowing, and showing what the rowing community can achieve together.
2021 London to Tokyo… and back to Paris
The first ever Big Row took place in 2021 as a virtual fundraising challenge, uniting the rowing community during a landmark sporting year.
To celebrate the Olympic and Paralympic Games, participants collectively rowed the distance from London to Tokyo and back to Paris – an incredible 19,000km.
Rowers from across the UK logged metres on ergs and on the water, proving that even when apart, the rowing community could come together to achieve something extraordinary.
2022 Around the world
In 2022, The Big Row returned on an even bigger scale.
Throughout May, participants across the UK worked together to row the entire circumference of the Earth – a staggering 40,075km.
Clubs, individuals, schools, and organisations all contributed to this shared global goal, cementing The Big Row as an annual event that combines endurance, inclusivity, and collective impact.
2024 – Paris to Los Angeles
Hundreds of people took part in Love Rowing’s 2024 Big Row, rowing the distance from Paris to Los Angeles – 15,241km – between 5th and 11th September 2024.
Participants included:
* Individuals
* Rowing clubs
* School rowing programmes
* Regattas
* Organisations
Challenges were completed both on land and on water, making the event accessible to as many people as possible. Together, the community once again showed that The Big Row is about participation, connection, and shared purpose – not just distance.
2025 The Big Row: Hike Row
In 2025, The Big Row took on its boldest format yet.
The Big Row: Hike Row was completed by Ben Gallagher, Veteran and Ambassador for Love Rowing, who undertook an epic multi-discipline endurance challenge to raise funds and awareness for inclusive rowing.
“I covered approximately 125kms of rowing and hiking, climbing more than 3,000m in elevation and pushing through three nations in a continuous endurance effort.”
Ben Gallagher
3 Challenges | 3 Nations | 3 Days
Matching the challenge
Individuals, rowing clubs, schools, and organisations across the UK are matching Ben’s challenge in their own way.
Why?
To raise vital funds for inclusive and accessible rowing – ensuring more people can experience the benefits of our sport.
What’s next?
Every Big Row builds on the last – and the journey is far from over.
Watch this space for the next Big Row.
Latest News
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On the banks of the River Dee, Queen’s Park Chester Rowing Club marked the first anniversary of Rowing to Success — a programme that, in just twelve months, has quietly changed the way almost 100 young people see themselves.
Love Rowing named Social Impact Partner for Invictus Games Birmingham 2027
Love Rowing is proud to be announced as an official Social Impact Partner of Invictus Games Birmingham 2027, supporting a shared ambition to create more adaptive sporting opportunities for the Wounded, Injured and Sick (WIS) Armed Forces community.
Changing Lives Together Fund is now LIVE
Love Rowing and British Rowing are pleased to announce that the Changing Lives Together Fund is now open for applications.
This new partnership fund is designed to harness the power of rowing to change lives, supporting projects that open up participation, remove barriers and help more people access the physical, mental and social benefits of the sport.