The winners of the Premier events of Henley Royal Regatta 2026
and how their red boxes were won
The Hambleden Pairs Challenge Cup Winner: L. Meriano & A. Codato, ITA
A. Santruckova & P. Flamikova, Czechia v L. Meriano & A. Codato, Italy
L. Meriano & A. Codato, Italy, beat both C.L. Westley & K.E. Williams of South Africa and L. Zehetmair & L. Swoboda of Austria to reach Sunday. Their opponents, the Czech pair of A. Santruckova & P. Flamikova, progressed through the competition by winning rounds against M. Mast & M. Van der Wal of the Netherlands, and L.C. Bryden & I.H. Campbell of Cambridge University.
In the ninth staging of The Hambleden Challenge Cup, the Italians swiftly pulled away from the adjacent pair, and by Remenham, there were four boat lengths between the crews. This was further extended by The Grandstands, and the Italians blazed through the line five lengths ahead, in a time of 7 minutes and 48 seconds.
The Double Sculls Challenge Cup Winner: M. Mackovic & N. Pimenov, Serbia
M. Mackovic & N. Pimenov, Serbia v M.E.C. Haywood & J.J. Knight
Securing their slots in the final of The Double Sculls Challenge Cup were M. Mackovic & N. Pimenov of Serbia, and M.E.C. Haywood & J.J. Knight. Their opponents, the GB double sculls racing in club colours, had beaten Oddershede & J.R. Poulsen, Bagsværd Roklub of Denmark easily, and P.L.V. Rodrigues & T.A. Neves of Portugal by 2 ¼ lengths, and were prepared to make their mark.
In Sunday’s final, it was the Serbians who set the pace, rating 43 to edge a canvas lead advantage by the ¼ Mile. Whilst just ahead, their opponents ability to reverse the narrative was put to rest by the Half Mile, where Mackovic and Pimenov were 1 ¼ ahead. Commanding throughout, with a four-length lead at The Mile, the Serbians were delighted with their race, winning Henley Royal Regatta for the first time in their country’s history.
The Town Challenge Cup Winner: Hollandia Roeiclub, Netherlands
Hollandia Roeiclub, Netherlands v Nautilus Rowing Club 'A'
Hollandia Roeiclub entered The Town Challenge Cup as one of the title favourites. Both crews had posted similar times across their racing, so this was one of the most anticipated finals of the day.
Nautilus Rowing Club 'A' went off the blocks hard and fast, tucked to Temple Island’s buoys, but a storm was brewing. Trouble in the Nautilus crew caused their steering to veer dramatically into the middle then onto the Hollandia side of the course, water the Dutch were then forced out of and onto the buoy line. After a few warnings, a mid-Island blade clash brought the charge to an abrupt end.
Hollandia came to almost a complete stop, having to readjust to avoid the oncoming booms. Undeterred, Nautilus continued up the course and led by three lengths at the Barrier, matching this lead at the Fawley, and crossed the line far ahead of their competition. Moments later Hollandia were across and the hands went up in protest. Nautilus's steering troubles proved fatal: they were disqualified, handing victory to Hollandia Roeiclub.
The Grand Challenge Cup Winner: Oxford Brookes University & Leander Club
Team Italia, ITA v Oxford Brookes University & Leander Club
With only two entries in The Grand Challenge Cup for Premier open eights this year, it was a battle of two national teams: Great Britain, composed of rowers boating under Oxford Brookes University and Leander Club, and Team Italia, Italy. The GB boat came into today’s race off the back of a second-place finish in last week's World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne.
It was down and out as soon as the flag dropped for Italy. Off the start, rating 48, Oxford Brookes and Leander took a canvas lead over an Italian crew. They led by ½ a length at the Barrier, in 1 minute 45 seconds, three seconds short of the record, but claimed a further ½ length by the Half Mile. Unfazed by Italy's persistently higher rating, they were two boat lengths clear by the Mile before powering home to a dominant three-length victory.
The Stewards' Challenge Cup Winners: Leander Club
Leander Club v Nautilus Rowing Club
The final marked the only Stewards’ Challenge Cup race up the track this week, with Leander Club coming in favourites. Their crew was the current senior British four, reigning World Champions and recent winners at World Rowing Cup III.
Carrying this accolade, Leander Club had everything to lose, but throughout the race, demonstrated composure, in spite of a strong fight from the Nautilus crew. A ¼ length up at The Barrier, Leander were not able to get clear of their opposition, who by Fawley, were only a canvas length behind. Nonetheless, the experience of the Leander four prevailed, making a move to secure a length lead at The Mile Post, and a further length to win The Stewards’ Challenge Cup by two lengths.
The Silver Goblets & Nickalls’ Challenge Cup Winners: J.N. Wincomb & T.W.K. Digby, Marlow Rowing Club and Leander Club
S.D. Ford & A. Grundy v J.N. Wincomb & T.W.K. Digby
Ahead of Finals day, S.D. Ford & A. Grund had claimed victory against the Croatian pair, and secured an easy transition into Sunday racing. After a surprise withdrawal from the Irish pair, J.N. Wincomb & T.W.K. Digby had made their way into the finals with wins by a length in the quarter final, and 1 ¼ length in the semi final against the German pair.
The Marlow and Leander pair maintained a lead throughout, securing a length by the ¼ Mile, 2 ¼ lengths by ¾ Mile and a win by nearly two lengths.
The Stonor Challenge Trophy Winner: Francis & L.J. Spoors, Waiariki Rowing Club, New Zealand
Francis & L.J. Spoors, NZL v N.B.M. Phillips & H.A.G. Marshall
Paris Olympic Champions Francis & L.J. Spoors of New Zealand came up against St Andrew Boat Club’s N.B.M. Phillips & H.A.G. Marshall in the Final of The Stonor Challenge Trophy. This represented a remarkable rise for the Scottish double, who beat both the City of Oxford Rowing Club and Thames Rowing Club by 3 ¾ lengths to make it to Sunday.
Aware of the calibre of their opposition, N.B.M. Phillips & H.A.G. Marshall went hard out of the stakeboats, holding on the Kiwis, just a canvas behind at the ¼ Mile. They continued to cling on to the Olympic gold medallists until the Fawley marker, and it was only there that Francis & L.J. Spoors strode out to a ½ length advantage. At this point, the Waiariki Rowing Club double found their middle race rhythm, stretching out to a 1 ¾ length lead ahead of their opposition by The Mile, and a strong 3 ¾ lengths ahead by the finish line.
The Diamond Challenge Sculls Winner: O.Zeidler, GER
D.M.V. Gonçalves, POR v O. Zeidler, GER
In the Premier men’s single sculls event, Gonçalves and Zeidler came together after successful campaigns, with Zeidler shaking off Dutch, German and British interest, and Gonçalves defeating Henley Rowing Club, Denmark's Poulsen and South Africa's Baxter.
Zeidler, already a four-time winner in this event, showed his class again, quickly seeing off Portugal's D.M.V. Gonçalves. Rating 48 off the start, Zeidler took a canvas lead by the end of the Island over Gonçalves at 40. Settling to 37, the German led by a length at the ¼ Mile. Despite missing The Barrier record by two seconds , Zeidler was still lengths ahead of Gonçalves, which he had furthered to a comfortable three length margin passing Remenham. Moving past the Progress Board, he crossed the line to beat Gonçalves by 4 ¾ lengths in 7 minutes 39 seconds, making this Zeidlers’ fifth Diamond Sculls title.
The Remenham Challenge Cup Winner: Leander Club and Molesey Rowing Club
Team Italia, ITA v Leander Club & Molesey Boat Club
In another showdown and straight final between the national teams of Italy and Great Britain, the racing demonstrated the enduring appeal of Henley Royal Regatta to top-class crews.
Both crews rated 43 out of the Island and were level, a margin replicated at the ¼ Mile. Leander and Molesey took the lead at the Barrier, driving away by half a length, a lead they had extended to ¾ of a length at the ½ Mile. The British crew won the last World Rowing Cup in Lucerne and showed their steel as a unit through the middle portion of the course, stretching out to a one and ½ length lead by the ¾ Mile and two and ¼ lengths by the Mile. Through the Enclosures, rating 36, Leander and Molesey led by three lengths to reclaim The Remenham Challenge Cup.
The Queen Mother Challenge Cup Winner: Team Italia, ITA
Leander Club & Twickenham Rowing Club v Team Italia, ITA
Silver medallists at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, and gold medallists at the 2025 World Rowing Championships, Team Italia entered Henley Royal Regatta in fine fettle and with an unchanged line-up from the boat that secured gold in Shanghai last summer. They were up against stiff competition in the form of Leander Club and Twickenham Rowing Club., the current British national crew who recently took gold at World Rowing Cup III, and were silver medallists behind the Italians in China. Both crews faced tough races in the semi finals, the British fending off an Irish/Portuguese composite, and the Italians defeating the Irish national quad.
Italy received a steering warning right as they left the stakeboats, out fast and overrating Leander Club and Twickenham Rowing Club the entire race. Courageous, they secured a length on the opposition by Fawley, which they managed to hold as Remenham approached. Running out of water, the GB composite began their charge, and whilst they managed to lower the lead to ½ length at The Mile, they succumbed to the Italian’s early speed, who claimed this year's Queen Mother Challenge Cup.
The Princess Royal Challenge Cup Winner: L.R.Henry, Leicester Rowing Club
L.R. Henry, Leicester Rowing Club v M. Lobnig, Austria
Magdalena Lobnig beat E.E Martin of the USA and P. Badenhorst, RSA to reach the Final of The Princess Royal Challenge Cup and face Lauren Henry, one of the world’s best female scullers over the last two seasons. Lobnig had proved her capacity, turning a close match against Badenhorst into a place in the finals against Great Britain’s best.
Out of the Island, Lobnig had a canvas lead. Henry, fresh from her win at the Lucerne World Rowing Cup, sculled out to a comfortable 1 ¼ length lead by the ½ Mile. Her class and power was near-impossible to match; Henry shone in the afternoon’s conditions, winning by five lengths, and claiming a second consecutive Henley Royal Regatta title. This makes her the third woman ever to successfully defend a title in The Princess Royal Challenge Cup.
The Princess Grace Challenge Cup Winner: Leander Club & Reading University
Leander Club & Reading University v Hollandia R.C., The Netherlands
Home interest in reclaiming this Trophy against Dutch opposition was piqued on Sunday afternoon, as the senior British boat came up against a development crew from the Netherlands.
After losing this Final in 2025, the crew from Leander Club and Reading University - stroked by Olympic champion Imogen Grant - fired away from the Island at 42, unperturbed by two separate steering warnings from Hollandia. At the Barrier, this richly talented UK outfit led by three lengths and continued to stretch away to earn themselves a comfortable win. It’s been an excellent week for this crew, who also took World Rowing Cup gold on the Lucerne waters just seven days ago.
