On the back of Team GB’s successful showing on the water at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Agecroft Rowing Club is throwing open its doors to the public for the Great British Rowing Weekend.

From 7-8 September, clubs around the country will be welcoming their local communities, giving them the chance to give rowing a try, with British Rowing looking to grow visibility and participation in the sport.

Salford-based Agecroft have around 150 members, run morning and afternoon sessions at weekends and is used by local schools during weekdays, while the Greater Manchester Youth Rowing program is based at the club.

The club will be launching a Learn to Row course on the day in an effort to introduce more people into rowing.

Club treasurer JP Nuttall said: “We’re going to be launching our Learn to Row course that weekend, so we’re looking at an intake of 18 individuals who haven’t rowed before.

“We were going to do a taster day initially, but then we decided to do the standard Learn to Row course and the plan now is to have a taster session during October time.

“Those 18 people are the first ones in our waiting list – we’ve got another cluster of 18 people who are going start with us around October.

“When I got back from the Olympics, about 35-40 were added to our waiting list just during August.”

After a disappointing Games in Tokyo, the British rowing team enjoyed a spectacular return to form during the Paris Olympics, winning nine medals including three golds, and have more success in their sights at the ongoing Paralympics.

Their alumni includes Graeme Thomas, who was part of the men’s quadruple sculls team who finished fourth at the Games in Paris this summer to complete what was his last Olympic cycle.

Nuttall said: “Graeme is an inspiration to our junior members. He usually comes down to our annual dinner.

“He was also down here during last summer training when he wasn’t down at Dorney, and he would actually spend time going out sculling with juniors at the same time.

“My son had the opportunity two years ago to go out on the water when Graeme was on the water and he was buzzing when he came off the water because he’d rowed next to an Olympian.”

A celebration of rowing! The Great British Rowing Weekend launches in 2024. From 7-8 September 2024, clubs around the country will be opening their doors to their local communities, giving everyone in the UK a chance to try rowing – for more information visit britishrowing.org