Securing the future of rowing

A £12.6 million gift from a group of anonymous donors is set to transform rowing at Oxford. This support, comprising a gift of £10.6 million and an additional £2 million in matched funding, is a major step towards the creation of a £20 million endowment for the sport across all the teams.

Named in honour of former Oxford rower and coach Dan Topolski, who passed away in February 2015, the Topolski Fund will underpin Oxford rowing for both the men’s and women’s teams as well as the lightweight teams, putting them all on an equal footing.

Once the £20 million target is met, the Topolski Fund will be sufficient to fund all four of the University’s rowing clubs in perpetuity, enabling them to have the best possible coaching and training programmes without being dependent on external funding.

The endowment will be particularly significant for the lightweight teams who currently receive nothing through sponsorship. Colin Smith, former president of the Oxford University Boat Club, Olympic silver medallist and Oxford Blue says: ‘Those people who want to row will be able to do so without significant financial constraint, regardless of income.’

Oxford’s tradition of academic excellence has historically gone hand-in-hand with a reputation for sporting achievement, and rowing is no exception. Since the first Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge in 1829, rowing has grown to become one of the University’s biggest and most successful sports. It has produced no fewer than 120 Olympians and 78 medallists.