Chester-Le-Street ARC is proof that when community spirit meets clear ambition, remarkable progress can happen quickly.

Over the past two years, the volunteer-led club in County Durham has undergone a transformation. What was once a boathouse in a deprived state, with an ageing fleet, is now a thriving rowing hub supporting athletes from complete beginners to national medallists. At a key moment in that journey, WinTech became part of the story. “First and foremost, we are a community club,” said Arran Lewcock, Club Captain at Chester-Le-Street. “Our primary objective is to support our local area with a safe, fun and accessible route to rowing. We have a real drive to expand, improve and become a leading club firstly in the Northern region but secondly on a national stage.”

Since 2023, the club’s committee and trustees have raised over £300,000 to upgrade every area of the organisation. Investment has gone into the building fabric, improved training facilities including a new gym, infrastructure upgrades and - critically - a modernised fleet.

The ambition isn’t just about medals. The next phase includes deeper integration with local schools, social groups and charities, as well as creating a welcoming space at the club for the wider community. “We want to continue this exponential period of growth while retaining what a club with its heart firmly embedded in the town of Chester-Le-Street and its people is" , commented Arran. 

CLSARC’s success is powered by an impressive volunteer coaching team. The club combines Henley Royal Regatta winners, national champions and former GB Rowing Team athletes with a younger generation of coaches (half of whom are under 25), providing energy and long-term stability. 

So far, that structure is delivering results. In 2025 alone, five Chester-Le-Street crews medalled at the British Rowing Club Championships, including a new British record. The club now supports everything from recreational rowing to high-performance junior pathways. Reaching that level required equipment that matched their ambition, though, so the partnership with WinTech began with a specific challenge.

“We had an urgent requirement for a racing single for our junior women,” Arran explains.

With several athletes on the brink of national success, the club’s existing boats were not suited to lighter junior scullers preparing for the British Rowing Club Championships. The solution came in the form of a WinTech super lightweight single, delivered on 7th May 2025.

The impact was immediate.

Shared between WJ15 and WJ14 athletes, the boat went on to win 42 consecutive races. Its only non-victory came in the form of a silver medal at the British Championships. Meanwhile, the WJ14 sculler secured gold and broke the British record by 22 seconds. “That initial single purchase proved to both the club and me that first and foremost, WinTech is a fast boat in the right hands.”