[2] Whilst living and working in Seville as part of her degree course, she competed in the 2002 World Rowing Championships, finishing fourth in the double sculls with Debbie Flood.

[2] Houghton finished fourth in the quadruple scull at the 2003 World Rowing Championships at Idroscalo, Milan, Italy, partnered by Sarah Winckless, Alison Mowbray and Elise Laverick.

[2] Houghton won gold medals in the 2004 World Rowing Cups at both Lake Malta Poznań, Poland and Rotsee Lucerne, Switzerland, partnered by Alison Mowbray, Debbie Flood and Rebecca Romero – the first British women's quad to beat the Germans in this event.

[2] In the 2008 World Rowing Cup series, the quadruple scull team of Houghton, Grainger, Flood, and Vernon won Gold in Munich and bronze in Lucerne.

[2] At the Beijing Summer Olympics Houghton, Grainger, Flood, and Vernon won silver after being overhauled by the Chinese crew in the last couple of hundred metres of the race.

[2] Having had a year off in 2009, Houghton returned in 2010 to take her fourth World Championship Gold in the women's quadruple sculls, at Lake Karapiro, New Zealand, this time with Debbie Flood, Beth Rodford, and Annabel Vernon.

[2] In 2013, she teamed up with Victoria Meyer-Laker in the double sculls, taking Bronze in the World Rowing Cup at Penrith Lakes in Sydney, Australia, followed in June by Gold at Eton Dorney, London.

[1] In July 2013 at the Henley Royal Regatta she teamed up with Polly Swann, Victoria Meyer-Laker and Helen Glover to win the Princess Grace Challenge Cup for women's quadruple scull.