BEN HELM, PRESIDENT
Ben started rowing at George Heriot’s School in 1978 and has rowed or sculled since. He was awarded a Blue at Edinburgh University in 1985 and joined LRC in 1991. He rowed in various lightweight Great Britain crews from 1993 to 1996 including in the four at the Atlanta games. He won a silver medal in the eight at the World Championships in 1995, was in the LRC four that gained the world’s best time for Open and Lightweight fours in Paris in 1994 with a time of 05.48.86. This four raced at Henley Royal that year in the Stewards and Queen Mother Cups reaching the final in both events losing to the reigning Open World Champions.
Ben was Captain of the Club for the 1998-99 season and subsequently served on the Committee, initially managing the HPP relationship with GB Rowing, and as Chairman from 2012 to 2016. Since then, he has been a Vice-President. He focused on raising funds for the gym build and has acted as the Club’s Safety Adviser. He currently supports the Women’s Squad as a volunteer coach.
Ben obtained his umpire licence in 2006, and his FISA licence in 2011. He has chaired many regatta and head race committees and is presently Chairman of the Head of the River Race. He was elected a Henley Steward in 2016.
SOPHIE HOSKING, VICE-PRESIDENT
At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Sophie Hosking raced in the lightweight women’s double sculls with Kat Copeland. The duo won their final by over 2 seconds ahead of China, to become Olympic gold medallists. Sophie was subsequently awarded an MBE in the 2013 New Year Honours list.
During the 2012 World Cup Series, Sophie won a silver medal. At the 2011 World Rowing Championships Sophie won a bronze medal just a fraction behind the double from Canada. In Munich at the first World Cup of 2011 Sophie and her crewmate won gold.
Sophie attended Kingston Grammar School in London, before completing an undergraduate degree in Chemistry and Physics at Durham University. Following her retirement from competitive rowing, she embarked on a legal career.
Sophie was the first female Captain of the Club, serving for two years from 2013. She followed a family precedent as a member of the Club and as a rowing champion. Her father is David Hosking, now an Honorary Member. He won a gold medal at the 1980 World Championships in the lightweight eight. Sophie was appointed a Henley Steward in 2017.
Richard Philips, VICE-PRESIDENT
At the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Sophie Hosking raced in the lightweight women’s double sculls with Kat Copeland. The duo won their final by over 2 seconds ahead of China, to become Olympic gold medallists. Sophie was subsequently awarded an MBE in the 2013 New Year Honours list.
During the 2012 World Cup Series, Sophie won a silver medal. At the 2011 World Rowing Championships Sophie won a bronze medal just a fraction behind the double from Canada. In Munich at the first World Cup of 2011 Sophie and her crewmate won gold.
Sophie attended Kingston Grammar School in London, before completing an undergraduate degree in Chemistry and Physics at Durham University. Following her retirement from competitive rowing, she embarked on a legal career.
Sophie was the first female Captain of the Club, serving for two years from 2013. She followed a family precedent as a member of the Club and as a rowing champion. Her father is David Hosking, now an Honorary Member. He won a gold medal at the 1980 World Championships in the lightweight eight. Sophie was appointed a Henley Steward in 2017.
MIKE WILLIAMS, VICE-PRESIDENT
Mike Williams joined the Club in 1974 and served as Vice-Captain, Captain (1976-7 and 1977-8), Treasurer for 10 years in the eighties, Vice President 1993-2005 and President (2005-15) before resuming as a Vice-President. He was a committee member continuously between 1976 and 2020.
Mike learned to cox at Oundle School in the sixties, and continued to cox at Cambridge for Trinity Hall, Goldie (1972) and the Blue Boat (1973). He has coached many crews in the distant past, at Oundle, Kings College, Auckland, New Zealand, Trinity Hall and LRC. He has been a member of the Henley Royal, Metropolitan Amateur and Henley Town & Visitors regatta committees for many years. Mike was appointed a Henley Steward in 1993.
Mike held a British umpiring licence from 1979 and an international licence from 1997. He has been President of the Jury at numerous international events. He umpired at Henley from 1999 retiring as the senior umpire in 2015. In 1989 he was elected Treasurer of British Rowing (then known as The Amateur Rowing Association). After ten years as Treasurer, he stepped down from Executive Officer duties and became Chairman of the Finance Committee, finally stepping down from the British Rowing Board after 25 years’ service in 2014.
In 1993 Mike was elected Treasurer of FISA, the International Rowing Federation, and served in this position as a member of both the Executive Committee and the Council of FISA for 25 years, stepping down at the end of 2018. Mike lives in Remenham where he flies the LRC flag on his garden flagpole during HRR. Other than rowing, his interests include classic cars and golf.
In the 2023 New Year's Honours List, Mike was awarded an OBE for services to rowing. This honour followed previous recognition for Distinguished Service to International Rowing awarded by World Rowing in 2019.
ELIZABETH COTTRELL, VICE-PRESIDENT
Elizabeth gained a BSC in Human Biology at Oxford Brookes and an MSc in Science Media Production at Imperial College. After 13 years of working in television, she has recently gained her Diploma in Financial Advisory and has joined Quilter as a Financial Advisor.
Elizabeth has rowed at LRC since 2018 and has been a prominent member of the Women's Squad. She served as a Vice-Captain, Women’s Squad Captain and as a member of the Rowing Sub-Committee before being elected as Captain for two years (2022-24). Elizabeth's enthusiasm and willingness to organise a wide range of club activities have been much appreciated by members throughout the club.
Before joining LRC Elizabeth rowed at Oxford Brookes, Imperial and the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club gaining GB U23 trial experience and wins at Henley Women’s Regatta, BUCS and EUSA. At LRC she has had wins at WEHORR, Pair's Head, Poplar, Met, reached the final of the Wargrave Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta in 2024 and won the 500m sprint for England at HIR in 2025. This year she won the Copas Cup for Club Eights at Henley Women's Regatta, setting a new record with her crew.
