We have reached the summit. As a rowing community, there are few weeks in the calendar that we collectively look forward to more than Henley Royal Regatta. The unique match-racing style format, the frivolity and festival unfolding on the banks alongside a pomp and circumstance that transports the punter back through the pages of time itself. All of this is secondary though to the curvature of competition that angles upwards as the week unfolds. From heats on the Tuesday to finals on the Sunday, all roads lead to the red box. JRN will be with you every step of the way to provide the most comprehensive coverage of the Regatta available anywhere in the world – and we start with our exclusive set of event previews. Roll on the racing.
Total Entries: 45 (To be reduced to 24 by Qualifying Races)
University of Virginia (USA)
Fresh from a 13th-placed finish at the NCAAs, UVA showcased the depth of their program with the 1V placing 13th and the 2V ninth in their respective standings. Here we see what appears to be their 2V coming over for the Island Challenge Cup, who also placed second in the ACC Championships 2024, equaling the position of their Varsity Eight. Henley will be Kevin Sauer’s last hurrah, before new coach Wesley Ng takes over once they return stateside.
Algemene Amsterdamsche Studenten Roeivereniging Skøll (NED)
It is a well-known fact that ergs in fact do not float, but the rumoured 2k scores for AASR Skøll‘s entry is certainly intimidating. With an average nudging the sub-seven mark and boasting several athletes from the Dutch development league, this eight is certainly going to be looking to make the late stages of the competition. Heading into the Regatta, they believe themselves to potentially be the fastest Dutch entry into the Island, with an impressive fifth-placed finish in elite eights at the Heineken Roeivierkamp, and the same placing at Holland Beker ahead of both Triton and Nereus.
Boston University (USA)
Another D1 college, Boston University finished lower down the rankings at the NCAAs, with their 1V coming in 20th and the 2V 18th. ‘The Terriers’ again demonstrate the depth of their program here, able to produce an eight that should be competitive at Henley Royal Regatta. BU’s Varsity Eight came out on top at the Patriot League Championships over Georgetown, Navy, and MIT to name just a few, and had a large contingent of athletes race at Henley Women’s Regatta, as they familiarised themselves with the course and racing format. This crew could be one to keep an eye on.
Oxford Brookes University
It goes without saying that Oxford Brookes are here to defend their win in this event in 2023. An absolute domination of not only student but also senior rowing, we’ve seen them beat out the likes of Leander and other big UK names time and time again. Cool, calm, and oh-so-slick, they’ll be tough ones to beat and will feel virtually untouchable, but I really hope to see some of these crews challenge them. After Edinburgh University gave them a run for their money in the final of the aspirational academic eights at Henley Women’s Regatta, perhaps these girls are starting to sweat at the thought of other crews snapping at their heels.
Amsterdamsche Studenten Roeivereeniging Nereus (NED)
Nereus are consistent visitors to the Henley Regattas, and made the quarter-finals of this event with their last entry in 2022, only to be knocked out by the eventual winners from Brown University. Their entry this time around is backed up by an impressive roster of wins in the last few months, including at the ARB Bosbaan Wedstrijden and Head of the River Amstel, as well as a sixth-placed finish at the Dutch National Championships. I imagine that they’ll be back to better their results from two years ago, especially having had a taste of the finals at Henley Women’s Regatta via the aspirational academic coxless four.
University of Iowa (USA)
Having recently finished eighth at the Big Ten Championships, the University of Iowa‘s Varsity eight now turn their sights to Henley Royal Regatta. Stroked by GB international Emma Dabbinett, she’ll bring a wealth of experience to the crew, as well as knowledge of her home stretch of river – just downstream at Marlow Rowing Club. The Hawkeyes have also consistently beat Boston University – who’ve also made the trip across the pond – including at Lake Wheeler International, so I’m looking forward to seeing what they can bring to UK waters. Their performance at the Henley Women’s Regatta will have been disappointing but having only landed in the UK 12 hours before their opening race, there in no doubt they will improve dramatically by the time day one of the Island rolls around.
Durham University
With just six seconds separating them from Brookes at BUCS Regatta to secure their silver medal, DUBC have had a storming few weeks since, including topping the time trial in the championship eight at the Metropolitan Regatta earlier this month. Following this up with a somewhat underwhelming fourth-placed finish in the ‘A’ final, I hope to see Durham come in all guns blazing and step on through an early defeat to the IC/Leander composite at Henley Women’s to make their mark on the Royal Regatta and paint the Thames palatinate.
University of London
After having to withdraw from Henley Women’s Regatta due to an exam clash, UL’s top eight will certainly be looking to arrive and make their mark on the Henley stretch in the Island. Another crew who had a strong time trial at the Metropolitan Regatta before perhaps taking their foot off the gas in the final, I hope that they can gain some confidence from additional multi-lane racing at Marlow before turning all attention to Henley Royal. Stacked full of international experience and coxed by a previous HRR winner, the side-by-side format of this racing should be a walk in the park for this crew.
Cambridge University
This crew is pretty close to the Blue Boat that claimed a shock win in the 2024 Women’s Boat Race. With President Jenna Armstrong locked in the five-seat and enigmatic cox Hannah Murphy pulling the strings, this Cambridge crew could be a dark horse to watch out for. They were fourth in championship eights at BUCS Regatta and finished ninth overall in championship eights at the Metropolitan Regatta.
Newcastle University
After a really strong Henley Women’s Regatta performance – where a bulk of this crew made the semi-finals of championship eights and got within a length of the Leander/IC/Oxford composite, Newcastle will be emboldened by that performance. Their focus should now be on seeing if they can continue their most recent trend of unseating Durham and UL as domestic bridesmaids to Brookes, after the former two beat the Blue Star at BUCS in May.
Notable Mentions
There’s a wide range of entries in this event, from the likes of Brookes and US programs, through to Cambridge colleges looking for a punt at the big ones. Among the US contingent are the Universities of Rhode Island and Southern Methodist College, who we’ve already seen perform at Henley Women’s Regatta, and who, along with BU, all placed within seven seconds of one another in the ‘D’ Final at the NCAAs – perhaps time for a rematch on the Henley reach?
A strong European entry this year could see both GSR Aegir and University College Dublin look to knock UK crews off their pedestals, but I think still unlikely to unseat some of the big names in this event. With Brookes aside, and from a UK-based point of view, Oxford presents a predominantly Osiris crew as well as two development boats. Similarly, Edinburgh have been consistent top performers in the eights at various UK events including BUCS and HWR just last weekend, while Bristol have stepped onto the scene lately too.
Predictions
Depending on the draw, I’m predicting either a Brookes-Durham final or potentially Brookes-UVA, although Edinburgh could definitely also be in with a shot given their recent Henley Women’s Regatta performance. Either way, I think it’s safe to say that Brookes will likely retain the title unless a big shake-up comes their way. Both AASR Skøll and ASR Nereus could definitely also pose a threat from the Dutch contingent, and I’d like to see UL line up against Newcastle or Durham after their recent defeats, as this could make for some thrilling competition in the later stages of the Regatta.
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