Report from Henley Royal Regatta finals

The Rowing Service

I'm afraid this is leaving the last few off for now - I'll update the page when I have more info, but wasn't able to see them myself.

Another day of tight racing

The first two races of the final day of Henley Royal Regatta this year were reserved for the Temple Cup semi-finals. The first was won convincingly by Imperial College on the Berks station after their opposition, Durham University "A", had held a brief lead up the shelter of the island. Conditions were rougher than the day before, cross-tail, and tricky. Imperial showed a Barrier time of 1:55, Fawley 3:12, and ended in 6:35 with a solid margin of 2 lengths.
Just after that, Princeton University, USA raced University of Wales College Cardiff for the right to meet IC in the final later in the day. This was a very hard fight, the cross-wind affecting Princeton's lightweight crew on the Bucks station quite badly, but they threw in several very determined pushes and did not let Wales have an easy ride. Cardiff took 1:57 to the Barrier, 3:16 to Fawley, and finished in 6:38, one-third of a length up, in worsening conditions.

The final of the Britannia Challenge Cup saw Oxford Brookes University on the Bucks station against Neptune on Berkshire. Brookes led off well, but never quite cleared the Irish crew, and at the 3/4 Mile Neptune launched a huge challenge back and by the Mile were nearly level again. Brookes held them off, and finished three-quarters of a length through in 7:18, Barrier time 2:06, Fawley 3:32.

The Double Sculls Challenge Cup was raced off between Deslaviere and Kowal, French heavyweights, and Ruckman and Tucker, US lightweights, the former on the disfavoured Bucks station. The French scullers took hold of the race early, and appeared to have established a dominant lead, but the gritty US double kept on attacking and nipping at their lead, despite being blown badly by the cross-wind. Only near the end of the race could the French relax a little, the final verdict being 3 lengths in a time of 7:17, 2:04 to the Barrier and 3:29 to Fawley.

Swedish heroine Maria Brandin defended her Princess Royal Challenge Cup title brilliantly, despite a superb effort from Australian Gina Douglas. Brandin never got a whole length clear water, and was only 1 length total up by the Barrier, where Douglas began to chip away at the lead. She had nearly closed the gap by Remenham Club when Brandin clearly decided it was time to take back the initiative, and spurted hard to draw back away. This was her fourth successive victory in an event she has more or less put her name on, verdict 1.75 lengths in 8:41 (Barrier 2:32, Fawley 4:13). Brandin will have her Cup presented by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, first time that this recent addition to the trophy list has been presented by royalty.

I'm going to be very biased about the Thames Challenge Cup and give you my own perspective - until I get some distance from the race and can rewrite...
The two eights in contention, London (Bucks) and Bowbridge (Berks) had both had hard-fought races the day before. Conditions were gusty and unsettled, and the race was slightly delayed while the women's sculls of the race before cleared the course. The two crews got off quickly together, and at the end of the island London started to show ahead. Both rowing strongly, London perhaps a little more smooth, but Bowbridge pushed before London were able to get clear water, and started to move back. Attack and counter-attack from each from the half-mile to the Enclosures changed the position only a little, and though Bowbridge threw everything they could muster at the London eight, they were only able to inch back below a half-length down. A last-ditch storm up the Enclosures in the dead water closed the gap a little further, but London knew they had it and kept up their final sprint, finishing with 2/3 length up in a time of 6:35. (Barrier 1:53, Fawley 3:10). Bowbridge was racing for the first time ever at HRR as a new UK club, and the eight was probably the oldest crew to reach the finals this year. (ps - Bowbridge as in Cowbridge).

The Wyfold Challenge Cup after lunch saw the second Bowbridge crew of the day in action, on Bucks against Worcester RC. Bowbridge took an early lead and moved further out, looking comfortable and at one stage having 2 lengths lead. Just after Remenham however they started to pay for early speed, and the rate faltered, though they never looked in trouble. Final verdict a length up on Worcester, time 7:21 (Barrier 2:02, Fawley 3:26).

The Prince Philip Challenge Cup was another non-GB battle, between the Croatian four on Bucks and the French four on Berks. The French led off extremely quickly, but Croatia snipped away steadily at their advantage, and where the stream was more in their favour at the Milepost, forged strongly ahead. The French were unable to muster a counter-thrust, and the Croatians took the victory, by 3/4 legnth in 7:00 (Barrier 2:01, Fawley 3:25).

the Queen Mother Challenge Cup saw on paper a terribly uneven race between the Irish lightweights from Commercial on the disfavoured Bucks station, and Augusta Sculling Center's US squad quad on the Berks. Augusta took a strong lead and must have expected their heavyweight power to take the day with ease, but Commercial attacked all the way, neat and whippy. The race verdict was never in doubt, but the Irish gave a superb display of how to squeeze to the limits.

The Grand Challenge Cup was once again an all-foreign affair, with Cambridge supporters cheering the German eight holding the CUBC boys Weber and Forster at stern pair, facing the French national eight on the Berks station. The Germans had half a length at the Barrier (time 1:50), reduced by a French spurt to a canvas at the half-Mile, but pulled out again to 2/3 length by Fawley (time 3:04). This was the only real threat, and the Germans then rowed to the finish well within their limits, finishing 2.5 lengths up and in a time of 6:18.

All seats in the stands were taken for the following race, the Stewards' Challenge Cup, with Leander on Bucks racing the Danish lightweight Olympian and world champion four. The Danes have an almost perfect record in their weight class, while the "Redgrave" four has only just been able to return to serious training after Tim Foster's party-induced tendon injury to his hand. At the quarter-mile both crews were still at 40, Leander up 1/4 length, and this stretched further to 1 length by the Barrier (1:57). Through Fawley (3:15) to the Mile this was consolidated, but then the Danes struck back, as the stream advantage came back their way. As the roar of the crowd reached his ears, Pinsent at stroke in the Leander crew raised the pace through the Enclosures, and a gallant last effort by the Danes was to no avail, final verdict 3/4 length (6:41). As the Danish 2-man Poulsen remarked, "We intended to finish at least overlapping them", and they did it - a storming performance by a lightweight four against world-class heavyweight competition. The day before, Leander beat the Australian "Oarsome Foursome" by just one length - they may be back, but they will have a job to do at the World Cup finals next weekend.

And so on to the Ladies' Challenge Plate - not for women, as most seem to think, but the top clubs and lightweight internationals in eights. The final saw Cambridge/Star, who had knocked out the GB lightweight eight, take an early canvas off Harvard University heavyweights, back for a serious pot-hunt after some sparse years. Cambridge were unable to capitalise on this lead, and by the half-mile Harvard had drawn back level, which they extended to 3/4 length by Remenham, Cambridge raising the rate to no effect. Harvard scented victory and blasted down the Enclosures, finishing in 6:24 with 1.5 lengths to spare (Fawley time 3:09, didn't get Barrier).

The Diamond Challenge Sculls was another great occasion, this one a re-match between Jamie Koven, US world champion sculler, and Greg Searle, GB Olympic champion in the coxed pair, and bronze last year at the worlds behind Koven after defeating him at Henley Royal. Keen to defend his title, Searle rushed off and false-started, but after the two had been brought back, they started fast and level, Searle breaking an early lead of 2 feet at the quarter-mile by the time both had settled. He moved this out to 1/4 length at the Barrier (2:18) and 1/3 at the half-mile, but Koven took full advantage of the more equal stream trouble and more sheltered water round Fawley, by which time he'd taken a lead of a foot (3:49). By the 3/4 mile this was stretched to nearly a length, and by Remenham Club he was moving to clear water and powering away. Searle put his back into it as they reached the crowds, but Koven had the race under full control, and led to the finish line 2.25 lengths up.

The Women's Invitation Eights was an event just this year, although the standard and excitement of racing has been superb and the Stewards would be well advised to consider doing it again. Yesterday the GB eight came back from a large deficit to beat the Canadian crew, and the US eight won from a spirited and battling Australian crew. Today the US women, on Bucks, had only a quarter-length by Fawley, extended it to just half a length further up, but this was the most they could get. Despite another last-ditch battle by the Brits, they could not match their achievement of the previous day, and spurt after spurt was not quite enough. Final time 7:05, distance 1/3 length (Barrier 2:03, Fawley 3:26).

The Silver Goblets and Nickalls Challenge Cup, so long the sole property of Pinsent and Redgrave, went abroad this year, Martinov and Saraga of Croatia on Bucks against Beghin and Beghin of France. It was a solid row from both, Croatia constantly attacking, but at the three-quarter mile the Beghin brothers drove hard and pulled away, finishing with an easily verdict in 7:34 (Barrier 2:12, Fawley 3:42).

The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup for schools was won by Radley College "A" over St. Mary's Prep USA in a very tight race, by half a length.

Isis from Oxford took a strong Dark Blue win over Imperial College in the Visitors' Challenge Cup by 1.75 lengths.

Imperial got their victory a race later in the Temple Challenge Cup when they won from a very gutsy Cardiff crew by one length.

Once again the Windsor Boys lifted the Fawley Challenge Cup for junior quads (this is their fourth consecutive victory in various composites). This time their co-oarsmen were again from Claire's Court, and they dominated Wycliff College, winning by 3 lengths.