The Morning Session
Oxford Brookes storm to victory over University of Washington, U.S.A. to take the win in the Prince Albert Challenge Cup (Student Men's Coxed Fours) © Ben Rodford
Tideway Scullers' School win The Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup (Junior Women's Quadruple Sculls) at the final of Henley Royal Regatta © Ben Rodford
London R.C. battled Thames R.C. 'A' all the way down the course to eventually surge past and take the win in the Wyfold Challenge Cup (Club Mens' Coxless Fours) © Ben Rodford
Aleix Garcia Pujolar & Rodrigo Conde Romero win Spain’s first ever title at Henley Royal Regatta © Ben Rodford
conditions: Sunshine and patchy clouds with a cross-headwind
1 11.00 P. Albert 598 Oxford Brookes University vs 611 University of Washington, USA
Brookes defended their Prince Albert Challenge Cup (Student Men's Four) after charging through in the middle of the race and pulling away from Washington, the 2015 champions, through the Stewards’ Enclosures to the finish.
Brookes rating far lower than Washington (33 vs 39) were ½ a length behind at the Barrier but were reeling Washington in by Remenham, level by the Mile and won by a storming 3 ¾ lengths.
It was a double over Washington in this Regatta after Brookes knocked out Washington in the Temple. Brookes beat University of California, Berkeley last year and and are showing their mettle against the big USA college programmes throughout the events in this Regatta.
Champions: Oxford Brookes University
2 11.10 Jubilee 544 The Tideway Scullers' School vs 548 Wycliffe Junior R.C. 'A'
Whichever way this race went, it would be a new name on the trophy, and it was anybody's guess who would come out on top, following a number of races through this season in which the win changed hands and was decided by only a number of seconds.
But today, it was Tideway Scullers’ School who took the club’s inaugural Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup title (Junior Women's Quad Sculls). The Tideway crew led from the start, and held off multiple advances from the favoured Wycliffe crew who seemed unable to match the steady intensity which the London girls brought to Finals Day.
Champions: The Tideway Scullers' School
3 11.20 Wyfold 347 London R.C. vs 368 Thames R.C. 'A'
London beat the holders and Putney rivals Thames to win The Wyfold Challenge Cup (Club Men's Coxless Four). London, champions in 2011 and favourites at the start of the Regatta, led from start to finish but it was not entirely comfortable.
London led by ½ a length at the Barrier but could not extend. Thames were always in contact and London weaved a little close to the booms through the middle. But it was London with the Grandstand finish and they won by 1 ½ lengths.
Champions: London Rowing Club
4 11.30 Thames 52 Thames R.C. 'A' vs 34 K.A.R.Z.V. De Hoop, NED
Thames Rowing Club ‘A’ beat K.A.R.Z.V. De Hoop from the Netherlands to take back the Thames Challenge Cup trophy (Club Men's Eight) following their loss in the final of this event last year at the hands of Molesey.
The Thames event is made up by rowers who balance their working lives with a near professional level of training. Thames have been champions in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2018, and are clearly finding the right formula. Today they were supreme in their victory, leading the race from the start and drawing out a lead of nearly 4 lengths through the Enclosures.
Champions: Thames R.C. 'A'
5 11.40 P.Grace 396 Shawnigan Lake School, CAN vs 391 Leicester R.C. & Leander Club
Great Britain’s quad beat Canada’s to win The Princess Grace Challenge Cup (Women's Quad Sculls) despite a crew change from yesterday with Rebecca Wilde coming in for Lola Anderson as a medical replacement in the three seat.
The GB quad were slightly ragged off the start and were warned as they veered to the middle of the Course off the Bucks station. The Canadians led by half a length, but it was down to a canvas by the Barrier and GB asserted their class as Paris 2024 Olympic medal hopefuls and were 2 ½ lengths just before halfway at Fawley.
It was the first of the 14 finals today for Leander, this time as a composite with Leicester Rowing Club.
Champions: Leicester R.C. & Leander Club
6 11.50 P. Wales 408 Leander Club vs 406 Hollandia Roeiclub, NED
Leander denied another Dutch crew a win, beating Hollandia Roeiclub, NED and securing a third Prince of Wales Challenge Cup (Intermediate Men's Quad Sculls) win in a row following victories in 2021 and 2022.
With two returning from those previous winning crews, Leander had all the experience to control the race. Hollandia Roeiclub, the Dutch U23 national quad, made overcoming that experience difficult, with the bowman starting the race with his blades out the water.
The Dutch crew, following their unfortunate start, were able to draw level with Leander before the local crew found another gear at the Fawley, pulling away to a length’s lead and going two-for-two so far in a Leander packed day.
Champions: Leander Club
7 12.00 Town 292 Leander Club & Imperial College London vs 291 Leander Club
Great Britain’s powerful four beat the GB development four to win The Town Challenge Cup (Women's Coxless Four) to make it three from three for Leander.
Heidi Long, Rowan McKellar and Rebecca Shorten, joined by Helen Glover, the double Olympic gold medalist were as dominant as expected. They took immediate control and were 2 ½ lengths up by the Barrier and extended away.
McKellar (bow seat) is doubling up and will be in the two seat in the Remenham in Race 19 in the GB vs Canada showdown.
Champions: Leander Club & Imperial College London
8 12.10 Ladies' 13 Leander Club vs 16 Oxford Brookes University 'A'
In the race of the morning so far, two titans at the top of British rowing collided, with Leander being denied a repeat of last year’s victory as Brookes ‘A’ held off the local crew to win The Ladies’ Challenge Plate (Intermediate Men's Eight).
Although Brookes led through all the Course markers, they were unable to break away from Leander, and the local crew launched one final attack but left it marginally too late, following Brookes over the line three feet behind.
Champions: Oxford Brookes University 'A'
9 12.20 Stewards’ 288 Oxford Brookes University vs 289 Thames R.C. 'A'
Great Britain’s men’s four were the hot favourites and delivered in style in The Stewards' Challenge Cup (Men's Coxless Four) to see Brookes take back the title they won in 2021 and make it two-in-two for Brookes after their win in the Ladies’.
Thames were loaded with previous Henley winners but the Brookes four of Ollie Wilkes, Dave Ambler, Matt Aldridge and Freddie Davidson are the European and world champions for a reason. Aldridge and Davidson had lost by one foot to the Australians last year but there was no chance of a close finish this year and Brookes were five lengths up by the Barrier.
Champions: Oxford Brookes University
10 12.30 Visitors’ 312 Oxford Brookes University vs 307 Leander Club
Taking three wins in a row, Brookes proved too much for Leander once again, winning in the Visitors’ Challenge Cup (Intermediate Men's Coxless Four). The local club were not able to make it even following the loss in the Ladies’ two races ago.
Brookes were able to slowly draw out a lead over the course of the race, taking a length over Leander past the Mile marker. Brookes answered every question Leander had for them, only extending their lead when Leander pushed and finishing nearly two lengths ahead.
Champions: Oxford Brookes University
11 12.40 Temple 138 Oxford Brookes University 'A' vs 156 Syracuse University, USA
Holders Oxford Brookes made it four wins in a row at today's Finals Day as they outclassed a strong Syracuse eight The Temple Challenge Cup (Student Men's Eight). It would be incredible if it was not also so expected given the strength of the Brookes programme.
Syracuse beat the Brookes ‘B’ boat with comfort in the semi-final, and Nereus in the quarters, but they were never able to threaten Brookes ‘A’.
Brookes were a ¾ length up by the Barrier and though Syracues held them they could not pull back. Brookes were a length up the Mile and won by 1 ¼ lengths.
Champions: Oxford Brookes University
12 12.50 Doubles 654 A. Thompson & J.E. Collins vs 651 A. Garcia Pujolar & R. Conde Romero
Spain’s world silver medalists. Aleix Garcia Pujolar & Rodrigo Conde Romero had a golden Sunday winning Spain’s first ever title at Henley Royal Regatta as they beat the British double of Aidan Thompson & John Collins (Twickenham Rowing Club and Leander Club) The Double Sculls Challenge Cup (Men’s Double Sculls).
Garcia Pujolar & Conde Romero (Club Natació Banyoles and Club Remo do Miño, Spain) left nothing to chance, gave it everything and it was clear what it meant to them after crossing the line. They needed to be at their best as Collins has won this event three times with different partners.
The Spanish double were dominant off the start, 1 ¼ lengths up at the Barrier. Thompson & Collins threw everything they had into the second quarter of the race, the Spanish held and then made their move, pulling away to win by three lengths.
Champions: Garcia Pujolar & Conde Romero (Club Natació Banyoles and Club Remo do Miño, Spain)
13 1.00 Island 209 University of Pennsylvania 'A', USA vs 187 Oxford Brookes University 'A'
As the morning session finished, Brookes completed painting the Thames burgundy with another win, this time in The Island Challenge Cup (Student Women's Eight) over University of Pennsylvania ‘A’.
Although Pennsylvania led off the start, control over the race swung to Brookes past Fawley, and the British crew led the Americans by a quarter of a length into the Enclosures. Laying everything on the line, Pennsylvania pressed hard but Brookes, carrying the successes of the morning with them, held on to win by a canvas. Knowing how to close out nail-biting races has been a feature of their campaign on Finals Day, winning in similarly dramatic style in the Ladies’.
Champions: Oxford Brookes University 'A'
The Afternoon Session
CONDITIONS:
14 2.30 PE 244 St. Paul's School vs 241 St. Edward's School
Ending their 24-year wait for a Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup (Junior Men's Eight) title, St. Edward’s School beat defending winners, St. Pauls, to kick off the afternoon session in a tight run race.
It was clear that the race was going to be hard fought from St. Pauls, who always seem to find another gear at Henley in recent years, and have shown that their final 500m speed is some of the best on the circuit. But St. Edwards , Oxford took it to the London schoolboys, leading them by a length at Fawley, and responding to every push that Paul’s made coming into the Enclosures.
Those who claimed that Teddies have been hiding in the dark following their National Schools Regatta win over a month ago saw the Oxford schoolboy crew in the stark sunlight of Finals Day take the win by a third of a length.
Champions: St. Edward's School
15 2.40 PRCC 716 D. Dymchenko, AZE vs 731 M. Wieliczko, POL
In a matchup of world class standard, Diana Dymchenko of Azerbaijan beat Marta Wieliczko of Poland in The Princess Royal Challenge Cup (Women's Single Sculls). In a blustering crosshead wind Dymchenko, who has been a semi-finalist at Henley Royal Regatta on three different occasions, broke through to take her first win in the prestigious event.
In a race measured by feet and inches rather than lengths, the two scullers couldn’t be separated for the majority of the Course, until they came to past the progress boards, at which point Dymchenko, a world champion coastal rower and unfazed by the choppy conditions, put together a blistering finish to the cheers of the crowds.
Champions: D. Dymchenko, AZE
16 2.50 QM 382 Nottingham R.C. & Leander Club vs 381 A.Z.S. Torun & W.T.W. Wloclawek, PO
Marked out for many as a David and Goliath encounter, the British quad of Callum Dixon, Tom Barras, George Bourne and Matt Haywood took the win over the mighty Polish crew of Fabian Baranski, Miroslaw Zietarski, Mateusz Biskup and Dominik Czaja in The Queen Mother Challenge Cup (Men's Quad Sculls). The (open) secret of the British crew was their combined 19 Henley entries over the last few years, compared to the total unfamiliarity with Henley Royal Regatta for the Polish crew who are current world and European Champions.
The British started strong, holding level Polish at the Barrier before the Polish eeked out half a length's lead through Remenham. But this race reminded us, and importantly the Polish, once again that the most important metres at Henley Royal Regatta are often the last 112. With their experience of the Course, between the 1⅛ Mile marker and the finish, the British produced a gritty final push, rowing the Polish down and taking the win over the world Champions.
Champions: Nottingham R.C. & Leander Club
17 3.00 PP 262 Greenwich Crew, USA vs 259 Deerfield Academy, USA
Greenwich Crew won an all-American final in The Prince Philip Challenge Trophy (Junior Women's Eight) beating Deerfield Academy in a hotly-contested race.
A great last quarter from Greenwich Crew, Connecticut, USA, saw them pull remorselessly ahead of Deerfield Academy, Massachusetts , inch-by-inch with every stroke until they crossed the line half a length ahead.
Rowing building headwind, Deerfield were faster off the start and were a canvas ahead for much of the race, but Greenwich pulled past and Deerfield had no response.
Champions: Greenwich Crew, USA
18 3.10 Goblets 630 J. Walkey & J. Cullen, CAN vs 631 O.H. Wynne-Griffith & T.J.E. George
GB pair, Ollie Wynne-Griffith & Tom George (Leander Club) beat Jack Walkey & Joel Cullen (Rowing Canada, Canada) in The Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup (Men's Pair) to chalk up another win for Leander Club.
Wynne-Griffith & George, the losing finalists last season, won a dominant gold at the Varese World Cup a fortnight ago by three seconds. Their time of 6:13.15 was a British record. They had too much for the Canada pair and controlled the race from the start. They were 2 ½ lengths up by the Barrier and extended away.
Champions: Ollie Wynne-Griffith & Tom George (Leander Club)
19 3.20 Remenham 4 Leander Club 'A' vs 6 Maple Bay Rowing Club, CAN
Canada’s women’s eight shocked Great Britain’s women’s eight off the start and went onto a convincing victory in The Remenham Challenge Cup (Women's Eight). It was Canada’s first win in the Remenham since 2015.
Canada perhaps benefited from Britain’s Rowan McKellar (two seat) doubling up from winning the Town (women’s quad) three hours before, but they also tactically surprised GB and were a length up at the Barrier. Britain could not respond and Canada were nearly two lengths up by Remenham and only a sprint finish by GB cut the margin of victory to 1 ¼ lengths. For Canada it was revenge for the Varese World Cup a fortnight ago when GB took silver nine hundredths of a second ahead of them in third.
Champions: Maple Bay Rowing Club, CAN
20 3.30 Diamonds 712 O. Zeidler, GER vs 699 P. Plominski, POL
In a race which saw the world champion, Oliver Zeidler pitched against Piotr Plominski from Poland, the German was formidable in securing his third Diamond Challenge Sculls title (Men's Single Sculls).
It seemed unlikely that Plominski was going to overturn Zeidler, who knows the Henley Course very well, and Zeidler made this abundantly clear, dealing with the choppy conditions past Temple Island confidently, and moving away to take the win by 2 lengths.
Champions: O. Zeidler, GER
21 3.40 Grand 1 Maple Bay R.C., CAN vs 2 Oxford Brookes University & Leander
In the oldest event at Henley Royal Regatta, a modern rivalry was showcased between the British and the Canada men’s eights in which the British took it by storm securing The Grand Challenge Cup (Men's Eight) for the third successive year.
This was a re-run of the race two weeks ago at World Cup II in Varese in which the British won by around six seconds. It was a dominant display from the start of the race for the British crew, who then exploded away at Remenham to lead by four lengths and take the race emphatically.
Champions: Oxford Brookes University & Leander
22 3.50 Stonor 671 O.A. Obukohwo & K.S.A. George vs 668 J. Moffatt & J. Casson, CAN
Jill Moffatt & Jennifer Casson, Canadian national rowers, avenged The Grand Challenge Cup result with a confident win in The Stonor Challenge Trophy (Women's Double Sculls). The British combination of Vwairé Obukohwo & Katherine George were left standing at the start of the race, being dropped by over a length at the ¼ Mile. The deficit was irrecoverable, and the Canadian combination continued to dominate the race with a substantial lead which few expected.
Champions: J. Moffatt & J. Casson, CAN
23 4.00 Hambleden 639 E.M. Lindberg & E.C. Witt vs 635 R.E.S. Edwards & C.P.W. Brew
Emily Lindberg & Elizabeth Witt, rowing for University of London and Imperial College London, were beaten by Rebecca Edwards & Chloe Brew from Leander Club in The Hambleden Pairs Challenge Cup (Women's Pair). It was a race which saw the underdogs of Lindberg & Witt push Edwards & Brew the whole way down the Course.
In increasingly difficult conditions both pairs experienced issues, with Lindberg & Witt lurching in the first 10 strokes and Edwards & Brew steering waywardly at times which meant that the Leander crew never totally broke free of the London & Imperial composite. The Leander crew went on to take the win by nearly two lengths.
Champions: R.E.S. Edwards & C.P.W. Brew
24 4.10 Wargrave 68 Leander Club vs 78 Thames R.C. 'A'
Making it two-one Thames-Leander in the Wargrave, Thames Rowing Club, although not having all the races their way in the morning, took the win against Leander Club in The Wargrave Challenge Cup (Club Women's Eight).
The London club claimed the win in emphatic style, leading Leander by two lengths at the Mile and holding their lead through the Enclosures for a repeat of last year’s final result.
Champions: Thames R.C. 'A'
25 4.20 Britannia 575 Thames R.C. 'A' vs 566 Molesey B.C.
To make it back-to-back wins, Thames Rowing Club ‘A’ took a controlled and accomplished win over Molesey Boat Club in The Britannia Challenge Cup (Club Men's Four). In the only race today which saw the two London clubs with a historic rivalry come together, Thames R.C. ‘A’ came out victorious in a race which they dominated from the starting stroke. They ultimately took the win by nearly four lengths.
Champions: Thames R.C. 'A'
26 4.30 Fawley 440 Hinksey Sculling School 'A' vs 448 Leander Club 'A'
In the final race of Henley Royal Regatta, 2023, Leander ‘A’ produced a dominant performance over Hinksey Sculling School ‘A’ to win The Fawley Challenge Cup (Junior Men's Quad Sculls).
The race began with a mistake from Hinksey who, coming out through the Island, were buffeted by strong winds forcing them onto the buoys which they clipped, breaking their stride. Leander, seeing this, capitalised early, leading the Hinksey boys to a two length lead by Fawley. The lead was too much for Hinksey to recover, and Leander went on to win the race by over three lengths.
Champions: Leander Club 'A'
St. Edward's hold off defending winners St. Paul's to win the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup (Junior Men's Eight) for the first time in 24 years in a nail-biting race © Ben Rodford
Dymchenko of Azerbaijan, fights off Wieliczko of Poland in a tight race to win her first Princess Royal Challenge Cup (Women's Single Sculls) title © Ben Rodford
In an all U.S.A. final, Greenwich pip Deerfield Academy to the line to take the win in the Prince Philip Challenge Trophy (Junior Women's Eights) © Ben Rodford
Cambridge alumni Ollie Wynne-Griffith and Tom George, racing for Leander Club, defeated Canadian pair Jack Walkey & Joel Cullen of Canada to win The Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup (Men's Pair) © Ben Rodford
Oxford Brookes and Leander reverse the results of the Remenham race between GB and Canada, pinching the win from the Men's Canadian Eight with ease in the Grand Challenge Cup (Men's Elite Eights) © Ben Rodford
