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: 32 (To be reduced to 22 by Qualifying Races)
RowAmerica Rye, USA
Both crews from last year’s all-American final will notably be absent from the start-line this year, opening up the event to returning talent and a new threat – American national champions RowAmerica Rye. It’s been a season of firsts for the New York boat, with their first Henley campaign, first victory in the women’s youth eight at the USRowing National Championships, not to mention first place finishes in every women’s event they entered at the New York State Championships. Even as Henley debutants, this squad could instantly make a name for themselves in future regattas – their 1-2 in 2V eights, gold in women’s U17 eights and bronze in the U16 equivalent shows depth arguably unmatched in this field. You’d be forgiven for thinking this new name could be a one-season wonder on UK turf: they’re clearly coming to fight and, by recent results, could be a name to fear for years to come.
Winter Park Crew, USA
Winter Park are one of just two American crews to have raced Henley Royal Regatta before, both times to undeniable success. In both 2022 and 2023, they set course records before winding up as beaten finalists in 2022, and semi-finalists in 2023. Like last year, they opted out of the USRowing Youth National Championships, but were recently seen taking their third consecutive SRAA national championship by just 0.1s over 1500m – over 600m shorter than the Henley course they attack so well. Not only are they clearly a formidable outfit on home water, but also a major obstacle to British hopefuls. The three H’s of Hinksey, Headington, and Henley are dominant domestic forces in schoolgirl eights, but Winter Park has achieved what few have managed and defeated all three of them in their Henley campaigns over the past two years. Their recent three-peat at SRAAs indicates they’ll be approaching HRR with the same aggression and tenacity as they’ve always brought. Combined with their Henley experience over the fierce RowAmerica Rye, Winter Park could be positioning themselves as the crew to beat.
Headington School
Headington School have already gone down in Henley history as the winners of the inaugural Prince Phillip, and each year put up an aggressive fight in so-far fruitless bids to repeat this success. Last year, they progressed the furthest of any British boat before being rowed through in the semi-finals by Greenwich Crew. Similarly, at the recent National Schools’ Regatta, Headington (the returning champions) lost out on silver by 0.06 seconds to a St Edward’s sprint in the final 500m. Their recent Henley Women’s campaign was, however, truly something to behold: despite being left behind off the start by both Shiplake and Hinksey in the semi and final respectively, Headington’s machine-like mid-race pace served them well even over the shorter 1500m course and allowed them to row through both opponents in a manner reminiscent of the unstoppable Greenwich Crew of HRR 2023. All eyes will be on them to repeat their Henley Women’s glory, but the battle of last weekend’s racing suggests it will be anything but a breeze.
Hinksey Sculling School
In an event so often dominated by international talents, we’d be remiss not to highlight a homegrown crew who embody the spirit of rowing, and how a squad can be built from the ground up. Hinksey Sculling School have seen a meteoric rise to the top of junior rowing this past season in particular, expanding upon the success of last year’s national champion coxless four to see first class performances from their top eight. In the midst of a fiery rivalry with Headington, Hinksey took the all important National Schools’ title in this event, but not without fighting through the tightest of margins (just 0.02 seconds) in both the time trial and semi-final. Their recent swap to comp blades has taken time to get used to but will hopefully bring them that much-sought edge over Headington after a frustrating defeat in the Peabody Cup.
Henley Rowing Club
Victory at Wallingford Regatta in junior eights dispelled any rumours that Henley had peaked in head season, but these girls have struggled recently against both long-time rivals and rising stars, missing the podium at the National Schools’ Regatta for the first time since 2016. This crew will surely have the most experience between the booms – it is, after all, their home stretch – but have been left some ground to make up after a clear-water loss to Hinksey at Henley Women’s Regatta. Their run through to the Friday last year, thwarted by Headington, could be tough to repeat, but the confidence and ferocity of these girls leaves little doubt it is possible.
St Edward’s School
Following last year’s triumph in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup over St Paul’s School, St Edward’s have really made a name for themselves as a sweep force on the girls’ side as well. Known for fast starts and sprint finishes, this boat put in a massive shift at the National Schools’ Regatta to row through Headington for silver in the final stages after being first to the 500 but dropping back to fourth mid-race. Henley Royal Regatta loves a last-ditch sprint, and if Teddies can drop their opposition off the start, we can expect dominant racing from them far into the week.
St Catherine’s School, Australia
The sole Australian crew entered, this NSW contingent are a more unfamiliar contender than most crews, but match any boat’s achievement in their own right. St Catherine’s are Australian national champions in U19 women’s eights and share a namesake with the 2022 victors in the Prince Phillip, who enjoyed an undefeated domestic season that year. Having retained their national title once again, St Catherine’s arrive undefeated by any crew entered in the Prince Phillip (in 2023 they were defeated only by Deerfield Academy) and will no doubt approach the start line with the confidence they deserve.
Shiplake College
Shiplake College have not raced this event since 2022, when they were knocked out on the Wednesday by a Hinksey outfit, yet have often boated an eight to rival those of Prince Phillip mainstays Headington and Henley, finishing just behind the latter at the National Schools’ Regatta for a fifth-placed finish. For what they lack in history, Shiplake surely make up for in investment, evident above all in their brand-new Empacher and full boat of telemetry. Whether their flashy equipment and newer project will be enough to take down the tried and tested power of smaller club crews remains to be seen, but these girls will be eager to repeat the success they saw back in March.
Newport Aquatic Centre, USA, and Marin Rowing Association, USA
Newport Aquatic Centre and Marin Rowing Association both hail from sunny California and are familiar foes to one another, battling tightly all season in a rivalry akin to Britain’s Hinksey and Headington. At San Diego Crew Classic, Newport took gold with Marin their bridesmaids, but Southwest Regionals saw a role reversal to the tune of a five-second margin in Marin’s favour (although Newport were the overall points winner across the regatta). Newport took revenge on the largest stage, the US Youth Rowing National Championships, nabbing silver by the slightest of margins in spite of Marin’s efforts in the last 1k. Newport may come in a favoured crew as second-ranked nationally, but with an extra 112m to battle through in Henley, Marin’s ability to build through a race could serve them well.
Groton School, USA
Arriving from across the pond alongside the top three US crews, it would be easy – and wrong – to overlook Groton School’s offering to the Henley gods. 2024 marks this crew’s first venture across the pond and they have not hesitated to make their mark, snatching victory at Reading Amateur Regatta in women’s academic eights, and silver against Wallingford in junior eights the day before. On Henley’s unfamiliar course, they continued to astound by sending fellow pre-qualifier Latymer Upper School packing with a four length margin, then leading Headington off the start of the quarter final. This will have leant them much-needed experience between the booms, and should make them strong contenders against many British crews and their more experienced countrywomen.
Marlow Rowing Club
A commanding final at the Metropolitan Regatta saw Marlow finish as the fourth junior crew overall, but with an impressive back half of the race that brought them two seconds ahead of the rest of their final and would have placed them second in the next final up. Despite their relative youth – stroked by J16 Lauren Kennedy – Marlow excel in side-by-side racing and will surely be glad to have prequalified without need for a time trial. Last year’s regatta brought them straight to Thursday’s race in an unlucky draw against the winning Greenwich Crew, but an aggressive start saw Marlow leading the Americans and stunning the commentators, if only for a short time. Now, one year older and one year stronger with four members returning from last year’s crew, this is certainly a boat to watch out for in a direct contest.
Wallingford Rowing Club
Always an exciting entry, Wallingford are a dynamic and young boat comprising a mixture of their J16 eight and championship coxed four from the National Schools’ Regatta, both of whom came away with silver. Their racing style is powerful and unrelenting, recently seeing off the Marlow boat to make the quarter-finals of Henley Women’s, and often pushing up on older, more experienced units. As fastest non-qualifier last year, Wallingford have certainly earned their prequalifying spot and I look forward to seeing them punch above their experience.
Surbiton High School
Some might say Surbiton, for all their aggressive race starts, have been a little slower off the metaphorical mark this season. Eighth place at the National Schools’ Regatta behind Headington’s ‘B’ boat and failure to reach the final of junior eights at Wallingford Regatta will have left a sour taste in the mouths of an ambitious and well-drilled crew who took fifth place at the Schools’ Head of the River this season and reached last year’s quarter finals of the Prince Phillip Challenge Trophy. One glance at their team’s social media suggests the girls in green are well on their way back, grinding through early morning sessions and high-rate starts to generate a significant threat to any opposition, and the unshakeable speed they’re known for. GB U19 athlete Emily Shaw powers the boat from the five-seat, a returning athlete not only from last year’s boat but also the semi-finalist crew from the year before. If recent footage of the crew is anything to go by, Shaw’s talent could be spreading to the rest of a punchy boat.
Prediction
The Prince Phillip Challenge Trophy has seen all-international finals for two of its three years in competition, and this year could certainly see a repeat. RowAmerica Rye come in as hot favourites and will surely take some beating, but Winter Park’s experience on the Henley course and recent alternative national championship win sets them up as an ideal challenger. Hinksey and Headington are likely seeking to confirm their spots as top dogs both within their own rivalry and internationally, against their American counterparts. Always refreshing to see on the entries list, I’m excited to see how St Catherine’s will fare against crews they haven’t raced since last year, but have yet to lose to. Consider this the event to watch: under pressure I’d call a RowAmerica Rye/St Catherine’s final, with the former taking home red boxes, but as the week unfolds it could truly be anyone’s race.
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