Helen Rachel Mary Backshall (née Glover; born 17 June 1986) is a British professional rower and a member of the Great Britain Rowing Team.

In 2016, they retained their European title at Brandenburg an der Havel, set the World Rowing Cup record time at Poznań and again won gold at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

In July 2008, between graduating from the University of Wales and starting at University College Plymouth, Glover, at her mother's suggestion, applied to the Sporting Giants scheme, whereby she was placed on GB Rowing Team's "Start" programme under coach Paul Stannard at Minerva Bath Rowing Club in Bath, Somerset.

[25] In February 2010, Glover gave up her teaching job and lived with no income while focussing exclusively on training for the national team selection trials.

[citation needed] Robin Williams started coaching Glover and Stanning in July when they were ranked 16th and 17th in their event, and were also regarded as reserves for the women's eight.

[1][28][29] In 2011, Glover and Stanning won the coxless pair event at the GB Rowing Team Senior Trials at Eton-Dorney with a time of 7 minutes 15 seconds.

In 2015, after retaining their world championship, Stanning said "Thinking back four years we were clear water ahead but lost it on the line.

Having already set a new Olympic record of 6 minutes 57.29 seconds in the heats, they finished the final ahead of Kate Hornsey and Sarah Tait of Australia, and Juliette Haigh and Rebecca Scown of New Zealand.

[40] Teamed with Polly Swann in the women's coxless pair, Glover completed a second clean sweep of three victories at the World Rowing Cup, winning gold at Penrith Lakes, Australia in March; Eton Dorney, London in June; and Lucerne Rotsee in July.

"[34][40][41] In July at the Henley Royal Regatta she teamed up with Polly Swann, Victoria Meyer-Laker and Frances Houghton to win the Princess Grace Challenge Cup for women's quadruple scull.

They completed the final in 7 mins 22.82 secs, finishing ahead of Roxana Cogianu and Nicoleta Albu of Romania, and having overhauled the American boat which had led briefly in the early stages.

"[49][50] In May, Stanning's training schedule was reduced in intensity, causing her to be replaced by Polly Swann for the European Rowing Championships at Ada Ciganlija, Belgrade on 30 May.

[52][53][54][55] Teamed with Heather Stanning in the women's coxless pair, Glover won gold at the second and third rounds of the World Rowing Cup at Lac d'Aiguebelette in France in June and Lucerne Rotsee on 13 July, which also clinched the overall title despite TeamGB not entering the first event in Australia in March.

[56][57] At Lucerne they again qualified directly for the final which, despite Glover's illness, they completed in 7 minutes 12.99 seconds, finishing a length ahead of the New Zealand 2 crew of Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler.

"[64][65][66][67] At the British Rowing Championships on 18–19 October at Holme Pierrepont (Nottingham), Glover was part of the composite crew that won gold in both the women's fours sweep event and the quad sculls.

[56][57] On 14 February 2015, Glover recorded her first victory in the GB Rowing, single scull, open-weight assessment trial held on the River Witham at Boston, Lincolnshire.

Glover said: "It's good to keep tallying them up and keep it exciting, but we don't go flat out on the start line thinking the aim of the day is to break records."

Quadruple Olympic gold medallist Sir Matthew Pinsent, reporting in The Times, described Glover and Stanning as "within reach of sporting immortality".

[75][76][77][78] On 21 June, Glover and Stanning won gold in the women's coxless pair at the second round of the World Rowing Cup at Lake Varese in Italy.

Multiple Olympic gold medalist Sir Steve Redgrave said "Glover and Stanning dominate any combination that is put up against them.

[89] Glover and Stanning were the dominant women's pair in the GB Team Selection Trials held at the Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake at Caversham over 22–23 March 2016.

Glover commented that it was "... the start of the season, rather than a peak ..." and Stanning noted their "great working combination with coach Robin (Williams)," and the "excitement of getting back into the boat each year.

At the 2021 European Rowing Championships in Varese, Italy, she won the gold medal in the coxless pair (W2-) teamed with Polly Swann.

[102] In June 2021, she and Swann were selected for the women's pair for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, making her the first mother to row for Britain.

"[106] In October 2022 Glover made her debut in the World Rowing Coastal Championships, and won silver in the women's solo class (CW1x) of the 'Beach Sprint' finals.

The event, organised by World Rowing at Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire, Wales, was truncated on safety grounds due to severe weather, but she was ranked second behind the New Zealand Olympian Emma Twigg who took gold.

[110] Glover was selected as part of the women's coxless four in the Great Britain squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

[113][114][115] On 16 September 2015, Glover and TV naturalist Steve Backshall announced their engagement on Twitter from Namibia, having met at a Sport Relief event in 2014.

[102] Glover was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to rowing, which she received from Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle on 10 April 2013.

[129][130][131] On 27 March 2016, Glover and Stanning presented winners' trophies to the Cambridge men's and Oxford women's crews in the Varsity Boat Races.