Leander is one of, if not the most, prestigious rowing club in the world. The club website states “Leander is acknowledged as the most successful Olympic sports club in the world.” Seems a reasonable claim, given it has 123 Olympic medals and 3 Paralympic medals to its credit. Its physical location in a stately building on a lovely stretch of the Thames River in Henley-on-Thames, which converts into command central for the various Henley regattas, also adds to the club’s stature.  Add in women in hats and men in morning coats having tea between races, and Leander seems quintessentially elite English.

So what is with the hippo? A bright pink hippo is the club logo.  Last time I checked, there were no hippos in the Thames.  Good thing, given the number of scullers and boats on the river, since hippos can be very mean.  They are considered scarier than crocodiles, even though hippos are vegetarian.

Turns out that meanness is why the hippo became the symbol for Leander Rowing Club.  Hippos are the King of the River.  Yup, guess Leander could make the same claim.  And it turns out that for the club’s bicentenary next year, some of Leander GB athletes will row 900 km down the Kafui River in Zambia, promoting rowing in sub-Saharan Africa. They will definitely see some hippos there.

How do I know about the hippo? On our Classic River Thames trip we get a private tour of the club by one of the athletes, followed by dinner in the exclusive dining room.  It’s an amazing experience, with fascinating insights into elite rowing and the history of the sport.  Next time I will have to remember to ask why the hippo is pink …