Tuesday's Racing Sessions

conditions: Changing conditions with a tailwind across the course

A great start for Great Marlow School

Race 1

Opening with the first heat for The Fawley Challenge Cup, these schoolboys gave us some exciting sculling to watch.

With their third Henley Royal Regatta qualification in their boat club’s history, The American School in London gained one of only five qualifying spots from fifty crews, which will definitely serve as a great source of motivation for this event. Bow ball to bow ball until the Quarter Mile, Great Marlow managed to take control of the race and edge away from the American School in London, ultimately taking the win by five lengths. Piers Bennett, Director of Rowing at Great Marlow School, said this crew was ‘one of the better’ crews they’ve had in recent years, and after a somewhat disappointing fourth-place finish at the National Schools Regatta, the Great Marlow boys have entered the regatta with spirit and fight to reach the later stages. Great Marlow School goes on to race Los Gatos R.C. , USA which Bennett is ‘really excited’ for, expecting it to be a ‘good but difficult’ race.

An International Clash

Race 10

A strong start from both crews kept them side-by-side for the first few metres of the race; however, a boat-stopping clash with the booms by R.C. Allemania gave Nottingham a chance to establish a lead, which they seized. As the distance between the Germans and the Brits grew, Allemannia made an admirable attempt to clinch back any possible chances of a win, but unfortunately, it came to naught.

This heat was ultimately concluded with Nottingham RC winning by a verdict of three boat lengths. Had RC Allemannia Hamburg not crashed, would Nottingham have won so clearly?

The Battle of the Thames

Race 12

Despite it only being the first day of the regatta, spectators expect thrilling performances, and The Wyfold Challenge Cup has certainly provided that this morning. With an extremely experienced crew and thirty-six previous Henley Royal Regattas between them, Upper Thames caught an early lead, stretching out to a length between the Half and Three-Quarter Mile. At this point, London Rowing Club began to surge, overrating their opposition and closing the lead Upper Thames had worked so hard for. By the Mile, both crews were level. With only five hundred and twelve metres, or roughly two minutes, left of the race, time was running out to decide who would remain in the competition and whose season would end today. Within three hundred metres of the line, London had jumped three feet up, but Upper Thames were not accepting defeat and threw all they had at the last three hundred metres, but unfortunately, they were not able to overcome London, who ultimately scraped the win by only one foot. 

A Northern vs Southern Clash

Race 16

Declared an ‘excellent race’, the fourth heat of The Temple Challenge Cup was one of the spectacles of this morning’s racing. Newcastle coxswain Edward Peacock divulged how the crew were wary of Imperial’s ability to have a fast start but managed to ‘step out pretty hard’ and control the race from the early stages. By Fawley, Newcastle had seized a three-quarter-length lead and maintained this, with a consistent stroke rate, until the mile marker, where Imperial started to push. Unphased by the quarter-length that Imperial managed to claw back, the Blue Star boys sailed through the finish line ahead and now look forward to Wednesday, when they will face Princeton ‘A’.

Hold onto your Seats!

Race 24

Bedford School suffered a significant upset in the first round of The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup after facing Eton College. Within the first three strokes of the race, Bedford’s five-man came off of his seat, giving Eton the opportunity to take a three-quarter length lead from the beginning. The Bedford boys recovered quickly and refused to allow Eton to get any further away throughout the whole race. Managing to remain calm and composed, Bedford kept a consistent stroke rate of thirty five, holding Eton until the Mile, where they closed down the gap seat-by-seat but ultimately were not able to clinch the lead, losing by ⅓ lengths.

Conditions: Overcast with sun breaking through the clouds

Bristolian Brilliance 

Race 62

A competitive and successful boat club, this year’s qualifying crew will be fully aware of what it takes to be victorious at Henley. With assured confidence, Bristol Despite facing up against an unknown entity in Njord of the Netherlands, the University of Bristol started their heat with confidence, unfazed that the Dutch kept up with them for the first few strokes. The Dutch established an early lead, but it wasn’t enough to break Bristol, who never panicked in the face of adversity and were able to change the trajectory of their heat of The Temple Challenge Cup by enacting a smooth rhythm. Despite being led to the Fawley marker, Bristol chose their moment and sprung a move to take a well-deserved win.

Sting of the Bee

Race 64 

The only school or club to qualify a crew in each of the junior events, Shiplake is a name to be feared in the junior rowing world. Rating five pips higher than their opposition, Shiplake quickly gained a ‘decisive lead’ over Belen Jesuit Prep School, USA and steadily moved further and further away throughout the piece. In the face of defeat, the American crew never allowed Shiplake to relax or reduce their rate, pushing them to the last metre which meant . By the end, Belen Jesuit had made up some time but it was Shiplake who won by two and a quarter lengths.

Grasshopping across stations

Race 66

The Wyfold Challenge Cup gave us the first disqualification of the Regatta after Grasshopper Club of Switzerland failed to correct an errant line out of the blocks and clashed with the City of Cambridge. Moving into their opponent’s water was deemed a disqualification by Umpire Fiona Dennis and the Swiss were sent home with their heads - literally - in hands.