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“A lot of my key milestones have been with him”: How a Tyneside duo became a world-beating partnership

Ahead of the first World Rowing Cup of the season, reigning World Champions Dan Graham and James Robson from the Men’s Coxless Four talk through their long careers by each other’s sides

Dan Graham and James Robson go way back. All the way to the River Tyne to be precise. In September 2017, the two were at opposite ends of their university journey. A fresh-faced Graham arrived at Newcastle University Boat Club having made the short hop, skip, and jump from Tyne United Rowing Club, while Robson was gearing up for the final year of his Masters.

“I think Robson and I are coming up to our 10-year anniversary this season,” explained Graham.

“I remember when I was a J17 and I was doing pieces against him in single sculls. At least for me, a lot of my key milestones have been in a crew with him. My first Henley was with him, my first Henley win was with him, and my first World Cup back in 2023 in Lucerne was together.

“We missed a medal by 0.3s which was pretty cool but disappointing. Last summer, my first World Rowing Championships was with him…I can’t really get rid of him,” he said with a laugh.

“It fills me with such pride, watching him grow up in front of my eyes,” added an amused Robson.

Whether it’s Newcastle University Boat Club, Leander Club, or the Great Britain Rowing Team, the two have helped get the very best out of one another.

“We’re two people from Newcastle that have had decent senior international careers and joined a long list of people from Newcastle who have managed to do that. It’s a well-trodden path and we are just two of many who have done that. It’s been fun to feel like I’ve gone through most of my career with Dan.”

Joining the pair out in Seville are fellow Blue Star alumni Olympic Champion Lola Anderson, and Holly Youd. The latter will make her debut for the senior team having won the 2024 U23 World Rowing Championships in the Women’s Pair. Will Stewart, who won silver in the Men’s Eight in Shanghai and the Prince Albert Challenge Cup with Robson in 2017, travels as a reserve.

Robson, Graham, and Stewart were part of Newcastle’s Championship Eight at BUCS Regatta in 2018. An event that stands out in Robson’s memory for all sorts of reasons.

“My lasting memory of Dan was him forgetting to do his gate up in our Time Trial and his blade popped out with 300m to go! That was the lowest point in our racing relationship,” said a chuckling Robson.

“I’d say that’s fair enough,” laughed Graham.

Both are now settled into life at the National Training Centre. However, Robson along with crewmates from the Men’s Four George Bourne and Douwe De Graaf spent last season at Cambridge University, winning the Boat Race as part of a captivating line up.

A season training at Ely made their World Championships result all the more impressive, but the crew’s history of rowing together helped them succeed in Shanghai.

“I was the only member of the boat who had been based at Caversham for the majority of the year,” explained Graham.

“Those guys had been doing well during the Trials and it was clear they were some of the top guys in the country. I was curious as to what their approach was going to be once we got in a boat together.

“It was surprising but also refreshing that we didn’t take ourselves too seriously. I wasn’t sure what to expect joining up with them, but, Douwe and George know how to have a laugh in training. There’s always an undertone of seriousness and when they race you see a completely different side to them, which is cool.”

The crew got out to Shanghai and continued building momentum throughout the World Rowing Championships. They posted the fastest time in the heats, the fastest time in the semi-finals, and ultimately were crowned World Champions, a title they hope to hold after racing later this year in Amsterdam.

“The standard of international rowing is so high. Staying at the same level is not going to be enough this year,” emphasised Robson.

“We have to get better and we’re well aware of that. It’s been fun coming into training having a great reference point of what we need to do to go a certain speed but we know we need to push and be better if we want to achieve what we want to achieve. It’s a fun challenge for us to push the boundaries. It’s been a good start and we’re looking forward to getting out to Seville and testing ourselves against international crews in sunny Spain!”