Willem III Rowing Club is one of the largest and oldest rowing clubs in The Netherlands. It is located on the south side of Amsterdam, on the bank of the River Amstel. The club also has training facilities near the Bosbaan, the former Olympic course on the south-west side of Amsterdam. It is a member of the Royal Dutch Rowing Federation (KNRB). Willem III members include famous rowers like Nico Rienks (gold medals at the 1996 and 1988 Olympic games), Ester Workel (silver medal at the 2004 Olympic games and 2005 World Championship and Herman Boelen (medal at the 1964 Olympic games). Willem III organises the Head of the River Amstel every year. This is an annual rowing race between Amsterdam and Ouderkerk aan de Amstel Austel. History Willem III Rowing Club was founded on 22 August 1882 by five friends: 15-year-old Arent Daniel Meyjes, his younger brother Gottfried and the brothers Egbert, Fije and Kees Bok. The boys were too young to join the existing rowing clubs, and therefore decided to start their own club. Their first base was the shipbuilding yard 'De Gouden Leeuw' the Meyjes brothers' father in the Kleine Kattenburgerstraat in Amsterdam. The fleet consisted of one (borrowed) sloop, the membership fee was 5-10 guildercent per week, and the annual budget amounted to 25 guilders. When naming their club after Willem III of the Netherlands, the boys did not realize that they needed permission from the monarch. They applied for this permission in 1885, which was granted on 18 December 1886 by the king. Boathouses In the following year the club and fleet grew, as a result of which the original boathouse became too small. The club moved to a new, larger, boathouse on the Hoogte Kadijk at the wharf 'Koning William'. Quickly, this housing became too small and in 1890 the club moved to a floating boathouse in the Oosterdok (opposite the current Maritime Museum. In 1896 the boathouse was moved to the river Amstel between the Govert Flinckstraat and the Stadhouderskade and in 1898 it was moved again to a spot close to the Amstelcanal. When Willem III existed 10 years it had 35 members and 60 supporters. By the turn of the century, the club had grown to 80 members and 77 supporters, and it owned 8 boats. In 1906, membership became open to women. To handle the ongoing growth, a second floating