The Morning Session
Conditions: cool, slight headwind
Scratch vs Seasoned
Race 2: Penn Athletic Club Rowing Association, USA v City of Cambridge Rowing Club
In the opening race of The Thames Challenge Cup, Penn Athletic Club Rowing Association, USA - who formed a crew composed of graduates from a variety of top US universities specifically to contest this Trophy - took on the City of Cambridge. Having been consistently racing together since the Head of the River in March, the latter’s experience paid dividends down the Henley Royal Regatta track as the home favourites took a length lead by the Barrier, increasing to 1 ½ lengths at the Fawley. They maintained this lead into the Enclosures, with the eventual winning margin recorded as 1 length.
Yarm’s A Charm
Race 12: Tideway Sculler’s School ‘B’ v Yarm School
Not always a crew that finds victory easy to come by on the Henley Royal Regatta course, Yarm School were deserved winners in their opening heat of The Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup. Although this race will not be remembered for drama or intrigue, the mature way in which Yarm strode out of the blocks and dictated the pacing of their contest against the Tideway Scullers School ‘B’ spoke of a crew with experience beyond their years. With fierce support back home in Yorkshire, Yarm will face Wycliffe College, the holders, in Thursday’s racing schedule.
A Boom Too Soon
Race 23. Sydney Rowing Club, Australia v Haldens R.K., Norway
It was an abrupt end to racing for Haldens R.K., Norway when they came up against Sydney Rowing Club in The Wyfold Challenge Cup. Struggling with their steering right from the off, Haldens R.K. were warned and, upon correcting their course, hit the Booms. A flying spoon to the back is the last thing any rower expects to feel mid-race, but the Norwegians succumbed to Henley Royal Regatta’s hardware and lost the race in dramatic and quite traumatic fashion as the legendary Henley Royal Regatta course claimed another victim.
The Afternoon Session
Conditions: OVERCAST, BUILDING HEADWIND
Aussie Rules
Race 36: City of Bristol Rowing Club vs Sydney Rowing Club. ‘A’, Australia
Almost a decade into what has become a regular grudge match between City of Bristol Rowing Club and Sydney Rowing Club, Australia, it was the Antipodean crew who outflanked the UK contingent, this time in The Wyfold Challenge Cup. Bristol beat Sydney in this event back in 2017, but Sydney has since prevailed in their Britannia Challenge Cup meetings in 2019 and 2023. Bristol got off to a strong start, leading until the Barrier, but Sydney steadily chipped away at the margin and moved through to claim a 1 length victory.
Close Call for the Canadians
Race 48: Ridley College, Canada vs Norwich School
A fiery race; the second photo finish of the afternoon came in the sixth heat of The Fawley Challenge Cup between Ridley College, Canada, and Norwich School. Both Junior crews were fast out of the stakeboats, trying to establish themselves on slightly greyed course conditions. Technical and clean, Ridley and Norwich remained within three feet of each other up the course, motoring towards the Enclosures at ever-increasing rates. Bowball to bowball as they crossed the line, both crews were left to drift, and it was some time before Ridley College were told they had made it, by a singular foot, into Wednesday’s racing.
double win for deerfield
Race 53: Deerfield Academy, USA vs Shrewsbury School, and
Race 56. Dulwich College vs Deerfield Academy, USA
After a run of poor luck earlier in the day for some visiting junior crews, Deerfield Academy, USA have returned some glory to the states with a double header of victories in the two Junior eight trophies. In The Prince Phillip Challenge Trophy, Deerfield were out of the starting blocks with a bang against Royal Shrewsbury School, leading by two lengths at the Barrier, and taking an eventual victory by 4 ¼ lengths. This accolade was swiftly matched by their men’s crew in The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup. They weathered an early storm from the tenacious Dulwich College, but showed their USRowing Youth National Championship experience to come through by a single length at the Finish.
The Evening Session
Conditions: Brighter, slower headwind
Double trouble from the Donaghys
Race 64: Enniskillen Royal Boat Club vs Wallingford Rowing Club and
Race 72: Claires Court School vs Enniskillen Royal Boat Club
Last seen at Henley Royal Regatta in 2021, Enniskillen Royal Boat Club’s Junior women had never previously won a race until today. Their eight produced a commanding performance to defeat Wallingford Rowing Club by 3¼ lengths in a technically-accomplished display. The victory is all the more remarkable given that none of the Irish athletes had raced at Henley Royal Regatta before. Amongst the youngest competitors in the boat is 15-year-old Clodagh Donaghy, one of three siblings competing at this year’s Regatta.
The Donaghy celebrations continued shortly afterwards when her brother, Cillian, in Enniskillen’s Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup eight, won the club’s second-ever Junior men’s side-by-side victory, defeating Claires Court School by 1 3⁄4 lengths.
Thames ‘C’ off the Challenge
Race 65: Thames Rowing Club 'C' v Marlow Rowing Club
Thames Rowing Club 'C’ took to the course with Marlow Rowing Club in this heat of The Wargrave Challenge Cup. The depth of the Putney-based institution is impressive, boasting an extraordinary four crews in this event alone. Thames Rowing Club established a lead that Marlow Rowing Club fought hard against, remaining within a boat length at the Mile mark. As the Finish line approached, Marlow found fresh speed, but ran out of water. Thames triggered the buzzer with a ⅓ length lead.
Pacing your Racing
Race 76: Los Gatos Rowing Club 'B', USA v Claires Court School
Los Gatos Rowing got off to a fierce start in their battle against Claires Court School, where they led by ¾ of a length at the Fawley marker. Heading through Remenham, Court ate away at their lead foot by foot. The grit and belief that Claires Court demonstrated to overturn the race was admirable, and they were rewarded with a ¾ length win. Racing the Henley Royal Regatta course is an unpredictable affair, and all is not lost until the buzzer sounds. In pursuit of redemption, Los Gatos go again in The Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup on Thursday.
