Female Olympians from every Olympiad since 1976 came together for a celebration hosted Henley Royal Regatta, half a century after women’s rowing was introduced to the Olympic programme.
“This is 50 years of history,” says Dame Katherine Grainger, Team GB’s joint most-decorated female Olympian with four silver and one gold medals in rowing. “I don't think we've ever been able to gather people from every Olympics since 1976 in the same room, on the banks of the Thames in Henley during the Regatta to celebrate an incredible moment in history.”
For Katherine, who is chair of the British Olympic Association (BOA), Henley Royal Regatta was the perfect place for this reunion. “Every year, amazing crews and people we've met through rowing come back to Henley to celebrate. It’s an annual pilgrimage people make to come back. And we’re standing on the shoulders of the women who have had huge successes through the Olympic movement; we’re all here because of them.”
When Katherine learned to row at university, the only women’s event at Henley Royal Regatta was the Women’s Single Sculls, named The Princess Royal Challenge Cup in 1996. Now the Regatta is closing the gap on gender parity on the water, with the introduction of three new women’s events in 2026.
Maria Brandin was one of the first women to row up the full iconic Henley course in 1993. She won The Princess Royal Challenge Cup, and subsequently won it a further four times. “When you saw Maria Brandin coming down the course, you knew it was something special you were watching," reflected Katherine.
“It was a bit strange,” Maria says, reflecting on that first row. “I didn't recognise it then, but afterwards I did. We had to race early in the mornings and late afternoons, so the men had the best crowds. But we all just enjoyed it and we thought it was good for us that we got the opportunity to be here.”
"There's a lot of women here, the women who came first, who struggled hugely to get where they were and who paved the way for the rest of us."
Appropriately for a historic year in women’s rowing, Maria is this year’s prizegiver, and will award The Princess Royal Challenge Cup (along with 29 other trophies) to their next recipients on Sunday, 5 July.
The first invitational single sculls event for women at Henley took place in 1982 over a short course, and was won by Beryl Mitchell (later Crockford). Beryl was part of the first squad of women rowers to compete at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, where she finished in 10th place in the women’s pair. She represented GB a further two times.
Attending the dinner, 2012 Olympic reserve Jo Cook (now Barton) reflected on the impact Beryl had on her own rowing career, as an inspiration, a coach, and the founder of rowing at her school. “I feel like I'm representing Beryl here, because she introduced me to rowing. She started Lady Eleanor Holles Boat Club and she was a huge inspiration to me. She’s the only reason I’m able to be here today.”
Four years on from London 2012, Zoe de Toledo was winning silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics, coxing the women’s eight. She, too, is in awe of those first women to race at the Olympic Games, and the ones who came after them.
“I think there's a huge amount of power here in the room. There's a lot of women here, the women who came first, who struggled hugely to get where they were and who paved the way for the rest of us. Which was something that we were very conscious of in Rio; we really were standing on the shoulders of those who'd come before us. I think to have the opportunity to celebrate that here at Henley Royal Regatta, which is a hugely iconic rowing event, is really special.”
Gillian Webb joined Beryl Mitchell at the Montreal 1976 Olympics. “I started rowing at 16 and when I heard that the Olympics were having women's rowing. So I thought, ‘Yeah, I'm going to that’.”
Gill learned to row at Lea Rowing Club in Hackney, where she still coaches. She was invited to GB squad trials at age 18, and was in the coxed four for the first Olympics, finishing in eighth place.
“For us, rowing was such an amateur sport. And then going to the Olympics and meeting all the other sports that I'd seen on the telly, because I'd been watching the Olympics since I was eight years old and was obsessed with it. It was hard. It's a hard competition.”
"I feel like I want to soak up every moment, and hear what they feel like they love the most and miss the most, because then I want to keep living those moments now whilst I still have them.”
Her athletes raced at Henley Royal Regatta this year, qualifying for The Wargrave Challenge Cup for Club women’s eights.
As a Steward of Henley Royal Regatta, Jess Eddie (who won silver at Rio 2016 alongside Zoe) has had an incredibly busy week, but was thrilled to be able to celebrate such a momentous occasion. “This is so special. I think it's really incredible that Team GB, Henley Royal Regatta and British Rowing have come together to mark this occasion. It could have passed by. And I think everyone's been super excited to share this night together. It's a really hard thing going through an Olympic cycle. Probably some people might want to have some sob stories. There might be some of that. But hopefully it's a big celebration of what everyone's achieved.”
Paris 2024 Olympic Champion in the women’s quadruple sculls Hannah Scott is currently in the middle of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympiad. She’ll be racing in The Princess Grace Challenge Cup on Sunday, with the rest of the GB women’s quad. “I love coming to Henley. It holds loads of memories for me, I love being part of it, and also this year we're racing, which is really exciting.”
Reflecting on 50 years of women’s Olympic rowing with the rest of her squad, Hannah said: “ To put it into words, we're grateful for the women that came before us and paved the way for the sport. We’re at a point now where men's and women's sport is becoming more level, and we're seeing that at Henley Royal Regatta as well.”
For Hannah, the dinner is a learning opportunity. “I just love to listen. I think it's less about me and more about what you want to hear from others. For me, I feel like I want to soak up every moment, and hear what they feel like they love the most and miss the most, because then I want to keep living those moments now whilst I still have them.”
Richard Phelps, Chairman of Henley Royal Regatta, said: “This evening is incredible. It’s somewhat ironic given that most of these women couldn't row at Henley Royal Regatta when they were competing. But the great thing about Henley is it can adapt, it can move, it can progress and it can rejoice. And it is of course the world's best venue for any reunion.”
