Starting today and for the first time the Junior Women’s Eights – one of three new women’s events this year.
Enniskillen and Shrewsbury will the first teams to kick off that event at 12:00
Events Starting Today
Open
- Thames – Men’s eight
- Wyfold – Men’s four
Students
- Prince Albert – Men’s four
- Temple - Men’s eight
Schools
- Princess Elizabeth – Men’s eight
- Fawley - Men’s quad
- Junior Women Eights
- Jubilee – Women’s quads
Notes
- 80 races today
- Interesting opportunities for crews with the regatta at a different time (six weeks later than normal) and different set up
- Many coaches have Henley experience but no one has the experience of getting crews ready six weeks later – it will be interesting to see how form works out today
- Henley Town Regatta last week was heavily used by competitors to get used to water and course
Ones to Watch
- Race 1 - First race 0900. Tyne bowman, Ian Shipley, had a brain tumour in November. He wants to thank surgeon John Crossman. He was in ICU 5 days; the 7-man, David Squirrell had a heart problem cycling and was cleared to row in July
- Race 12 Prince Albert – Isis against Cambridge
- Race 31 JWE fantastic to see them racing today – other races in this category today
- Race 50 Prince Albert west country Derby – Bristol Uni v Exeter Uni
- Race 61 – luck of the Henley draw – Newcastle Uni A v Newcastle Uni B!
- Some B crews qualified over A crews
- Race 46 1500 – ‘Humdinger of the day’: Radley College v Shiplake College
- PE is smaller entry this year [24 rather than 32] so humdingers will happen earlier in regatta
- First time Fawley and Diamond Jubilee have same numbers in the draw [24 in each] – so parity between schoolboy quads and schoolgirl quads for first time
- Oxford Brookes will have strong campaign
- No returning Olympians today – more likely on Friday and Saturday in elite races
- Today is about students, schools and clubs
Sarah Winckless is a Henley Race Umpire, Steward and commentator and an Olympic medallist
