James started rowing at the age of 11 at Itchen Rowing Club, following in his father's footsteps. By the time he was 17 he had won the Junior Sculls Championships for the Hants and Dorset region and was the youngest person to win this. The following year he trialled for the GB Junior Team and was selected to row in the M4+ at the World Junior Championships in Brandenburg.
James raced with the senior men's squad in 2009, winning a bronze medal in the eight at the first World Cup in Banyoles, and was placed 8th in the second British men's four in Munich. He also raced in the men's pair at the 2009 World U23 Championships, where he finished 8th.
For the 2010 World Cup Series James raced in the men's eight, winning a gold medal in Bled, a bronze in Munich and taking another bronze in Lucerne.
At the 2010 World Rowing Championships on New Zealand's Lake Karapiro, James won a silver medal in the eight. They were only six-tenths of a second behind the reigning world champions, Germany, as they crossed the line. The bronze medal went to Australia.
At the 2011 GB Rowing Team Senior Trials held on 16–17 April at Eton/Dorney, James took 5th place in the men's pair with Moe Sbihi.
James won bronze in the men's eight at the 2011 World Cup Regatta in Lucerne.
At the 2011 World Rowing Championships in Bled, James won a silver medal in the men's eight after rowing through opposition from Canada and Australia. Germany won the gold.
At the 2012 GB Rowing Team Senior Trials held on 10/11 March at Eton/Dorney, James and crew mate Moe Sbihi came fifth in the men's pair.
During the 2012 World Cup Series, James raced in the men's eight. In Belgrade, the crew won a silver medal finishing 3 seconds behind the German eight. The crew now stroked by James won silver once again in Lucerne but closed the gap to just over 1 second. The crew won a bronze medal in Munich, the final race before the Olympics in London.
At the 2012 Olympic Games in London James won a bronze medal in the men's eight.
We are delighted that James has joined Row Britannia and will be visiting Winchester University on the 26th February 2020 between 10am and 1130am and will also visit The Chichester College Group at their Chichester Campus during the last week in January 2020.
