The Morning Session
All Mark One - Durham University Temple
All Mark One - Shiplake College PE
All Mark One - Notts Uni Island
All-Mark-One-Leander-Club-Remenham
Conditions: Overcast and Drizzling
Race 8
Keeping The Tigers At Bay
With both crews lining up at the start knowing they had the same time to the barrier yesterday, this was guaranteed to be a close battle between the Brits and the Americans in The Temple Challenge Cup. Following a strong start from Durham, they were half a length up on Princeton by the barrier. The tigers from Princeton tried to pounce on the Palatinate powerhouse at Remenham Club, but the Brits were able to match their efforts and continued to move away. Ultimately, this race ended with the Brits coming out on top by a one and a quarter lengths.
Race 11
Vikings overturn Saugatuck
A match up of two crews who hail from either side of the Atlantic, the boats were evenly matched off the start with Shiplake taking a small lead of ¾ of a length by the barrier, and just over a length by Remenham. Saugatuk responded with a vengeance, reducing Shiplake’s advantage through the 3 ⁄ 4 mile and to Remenham. Try as they might though, the local school simply would not budge and despite a late surge by the Americans, held on to win by ¾ of a length at the finish.
Race 14
Nott to be discounted
The face off between Nottingham and Durham turned out to be a Henley classic in The Island Challenge Cup. Despite an attempt from Durham to put the race to bed early with a strong start, the crew from Nottingham demonstrated their grit and resilience by staying in touch with their rivals. In what was a superb encounter throughout the 2112m, the crew from Nottingham pipped Durham to the finish and won this race by a mere canvas.
Race 16
Ivy Club’s Growth Stunted
A fantastic match up between the Brits from Leander Club and the Americans from the Ivy Club led to some exhilarating racing in The Remenham Challenge Cup. The Ivy Club had a punchy start which set them up with an early lead, however Leander held their nerve and clawed it back to walk through the Americans and claim a comfortable win.
Coxswain, Jiyaraj Saggu, explained the crew knew the Ivy Club would be ‘quite strong’, but ultimately had confidence that her Leander crew would be ‘fitter than them’. Their excellent move to cut through the Americans was ‘planned’ and she had full confidence the crew would execute that plan to perfection. Leander four-seat Tamara Tymczyszyn said that, given the small amount of time the crew has had together, “we need to trust the training and the stamina that we had together” in order to execute the race plan and eventually move through to win.
Race 28
Straight like a Star and Arrow
Meeting on day one of racing for The Prince of Wales Challenge Cup were Star and Arrow Club and Akademischer Ruderclub Würzburg and Rudergesellschaft Speyer 1883 from Germany. Despite their early lead at the barrier, steering difficulties for the crew from Germany meant that the Brits could capitalise on their shared experience to walk through them at the Stewards’ Enclosure and claim a one length victory.
The Afternoon Session
Conditions: Overcast with a firm headwind and threatening rain
Race 46
Netherlands Nous
The match up between Oxford Brookes University ‘C’ and Nereus in The Temple Challenge Cup led to a gladiatorial battle down the Henley Course. Despite a strong start from the Dutch, Brookes clung on to threaten their lead for the duration of the race. Ultimately, Nereus was able to absorb any challenges from Brookes to come out on top by two-thirds of a length.
Race 52
Terriers hold off the roar of the mustangs
The familiar foes of Boston University and Southern Methodist University had an excellent face off in The Island Challenge Cup. For much of the mustang crew, it is their last year at university and they were not prepared to give the Boston terriers an easy win. Despite their relentless gutsy efforts to get back on terms with Boston, the women from Southern Methodist University ultimately lost out by a mere half of a boat length.
Race 62
A Global Affair
The international match up between A. E Robson of New Zealand and M.K Kaleta of the United States was an exciting showcase of elite women’s sculling in The Princess Royal Challenge Cup. Robson and Kaleta were level for much of the race, however the Kiwi managed to pull away and put on a show in front of the Stewards’ Enclosure.
Race 64
Back To Basics
In what was billed to be one of the races of the day, Hamilton Boys from New Zealand took on St Edward’s School in The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup. Making the journey from New Zealand as National Champions was a bold statement, along with their unconventional rigging, however this fell flat once the defending champions from St Edward’s pulled away shortly after the race started. The Hamilton Boys will have been disappointed to have to pack their bags after being knocked out on day two of the regatta.
All Mark One - Nereus Temple
All Mark One - Boston Uni Temple
All Mark One - Hobson PRCC
All Mark One - St Edwards School
The Evening Session
All Mark One - Edinburgh Island
All Mark One - Tyne Wyfold
All Mark One - Triton P Wales
Race 71
Baby Blue Hawk Down
This was another in the rolodex of phenomenal races that have featured in The Island Challenge Cup between the crews from Iowa and Edinburgh ‘B’. Iowa were punchy off the start, however the women from Edinburgh held their nerve and pushed through the Americans after the barrier. They continued to extend their lead, eventually claiming a one and a quarter length victory.
Race 79
Tyne to Shine
In an epic clash between two veterans of the boomed course, it was Tyne Amateur Rowing Club who emerged as victors in this heat of The Wyfold Challenge Cup. Despite being led to Remenham - where Thames-based support typically kicks in - it was the boys from the north of England who found another gear to triumph.
Race 80
German Inefficiency
The contest between R.G. Hansa Hamburg & R.V. Kappeln and Triton in The Prince of Wales Challenge Cup was another nailbiter. The gutsy crew from Triton had managed to narrow the German crew’s lead to half a boat length, before their stroke seat unfortunately caught a crab, scuppering any chance they had of overturning a fierce rivalry. It was the Dutch in typically composed style who progressed.
