Walk by the Boat Tents during Qualifiers at Henley Royal Regatta and you might just catch sight of one of sport’s most rewarding moments. When results for the various time-trials are posted on the board, or read out over the tannoy, the wild celebrations from successfully qualified crews are indicative of the privilege and sense of achievement that is associated with racing at Henley Royal Regatta course.
Richard Phelps, Chair of the Committee for Henley Royal Regatta, said: “We’ve had a fantastic day of racing! Crews from around the world gave it their all in pursuit of a place in next week’s Regatta. The standard of competition has been very high, and it’s clear just how much this event means to every athlete out on the water. With the sun shining and spectators lining the course, today was a perfect showcase of the spirit and tradition that makes Henley so special."
"The standard of competition has been very high, and it’s clear just how much this event means to every athlete out on the water."
Thames Challenge Cup
One of the highlights of Friday’s Qualifying Races saw three Vesta Rowing Club crews progress into Saturday’s draw. Vesta have shown a bit of everything this season and will harbour high hopes as they take their place alongside the established front runners and Putney neighbours, Thames RC and London RC.
Adam Smith, 32, 7 seat in the Vesta C crew, has been competing for 10 years and after five unsuccessful attempts at qualifying, has finally made it through to the main Draw. “It’s a relief to say the least,” he said, “I was planning to retire, so finally qualifying is the cherry on the top.“
Smith added: “We have no expectations for next week; we want to go down the course as fast as we can. We are a lightweight crew, so it's a good advantage to have a tailwind, but I’m not sure that will happen.”
“Three Vesta crews qualified today, and we have all been jostling for the spots, so there is lots of competition, but we are hoping to see how far we can go next week.”
The Stonor Challenge Trophy
The Stonor Challenge Trophy has an incredible international entry this year, which, following the Qualifiers, will be boosted by a strong representation from the UK after crews from Nottingham Rowing Club, Nottingham Rowing Association, and Rob Roy Boat Club all qualified on Friday afternoon.
With such a strong international Entry in this event, a domestic winner appears on paper to be a tall order. Henley’s ever-changing conditions - be it wind, searing sunshine, or boat wash - pose a challenge even for the most seasoned crews. Combined with the unique one-on-one format, these elements promise to deliver some truly exciting racing among this world-class field of women’s scullers.
The Temple Challenge Cup
The Temple Challenge Cup is the pinnacle of men’s student racing. It is an event that Oxford Brookes has historically dominated. As well as the ‘A’ crew, who had already qualified, Oxford Brookes B, C, and D crews will also take their place in tomorrow’s Draw.
After claiming six trophies at Henley Royal Regatta in 2024, Brookes will be hoping to make it four wins in a row in The Temple Challenge Cup. The last non-Brookes crew to win this event, A.S.R. Nereus, also qualified.
The Island Challenge Cup
Edinburgh University secured three crews in Saturday’s Draw, with the B and C crews joining the pre-qualified Edinburgh A crew.
This event has only had British and American winners since its inception in 2021. But this year, three-time winners Brookes could face tough competition from three Dutch crews; Nereus, Laga and Aegir. Could this be the first year that the Island goes orange?
This summer’s Regatta has seen an incredible 768 Entries from 19 nations, including a record 589 domestic Entry and 179 from overseas.
The 2025 Draw takes place at 12 noon on Saturday, 28 June in Henley-on-Thames Town Hall.
______________________________________________________________________
Notes to the editor
For any media enquiries, please contact Henley Royal Regatta’s press office, The PHA Group - press@hrr.co.uk
Background
Henley Royal Regatta, founded in 1839, is the best-known rowing regatta in the world, renowned for its match-racing. It is one of the highlights of the summer sporting and social calendar in the UK, as well as the rowing calendar internationally. Over 400 races are staged at the Regatta, featuring Olympians and emerging stars from around the world. www.hrr.co.uk You can stay up to date with Henley Royal Regatta including race results, schedules and event information on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, X and Facebook.
