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: 54 (To be reduced to 32 by Qualifying Races)
Thames RC
Thames RC are the holders and have, in recent years, dominated the competition. Despite this, it hasn’t been what would be described as a straightforward season for Thames with a handful of challenging moments interspliced between their usual high standards. Winners of the Thames Challenge Cup in 2021 and 2023, Thames will be hopeful that something changes at Henley Royal Regatta and that normal service will soon resume. It’s their pedigree and experience that somewhat guarantees their presence at the sharp end of the competition. They do have something that other clubs don’t have, something of an aura about them. With the two fastest club entries on the Saturday at the Metropolitan Regatta, in a field lacking their closest competitors, they have a depth of squad in Putney that is unrivalled. The concern should be that, on the Sunday of the regatta when their nearest and dearest did compete, they came off worse for wear. This was a result that was replicated once more at the Marlow Regatta, with Thames more than eight seconds off the pace over the racing distance. If they’re to retain their crown, they’ll have to find something extra in their final week together before the main event.
London RC
The obstacle for Thames RC is most probably London RC. Remarkable throughout the duration of the season, it was thought that the bubble would burst at one point or another but it hasn’t. By beating their rivals at a number of key races throughout the season, they know they have what it takes to come out on top over their neighbours. London RC have led the domestic fight and are rightfully considered the favourites for the Thames Challenge Cup. Having not featured in the final of this event since 2006, London’s rise to the top has been long overdue. Even though the club has secured victories in the Wyfold Challenge Cup during this time, it’s been starved of the success that it truly craves. That’s what Stuart Heap has been working towards and, though he has secured a number of remarkable returns in this post-pandemic era, a victory here will be a trophy that secures London’s place back at the top table of British Rowing.
Molesey BC
Having been absent at the Metropolitan Regatta, it feels as though we’ve seen relatively little of Molesey BC. Though they made their return at Marlow Regatta, they’ll have hoped for a stronger display of intention than the one that they gave. Coming away as the sixth club entry on the day, there’s a lot more to come from this crew. Having won at Wallingford Regatta, this Molesey crew is a strong outfit from which a lot more is expected. With former Thames coach Ben Lewis at the helm, they know what to expect from their opposition and it’s only a matter of time until the hard work starts to bear its fruits. Having had a somewhat consistent season of improvement, this new-look Molesey crew is one that is getting better by the week. The longer they remain in the Thames Challenge Cup, the more of a threat they’ll become.
Leander Club
The Thames Challenge Cup project is one of the few areas in rowing that probably has not worked out for the pink palace so far. They have not managed to win this trophy since they were allowed to enter after a long hiatus, but that is not for lack of trying. They consistently boat a squad of development athletes and with the field – and route to a potential title – featuring a lot more optionality in 2024, Leander might arrive into Henley Royal Regatta as quiet underdogs. They win the ‘B’ final at Marlow Regatta in a time that would have placed them fifth in the ‘A’ final and ahead of both Thames boats.
Münchener Ruderclub von 1880, Germany
Last year’s quarter-finalists, Münchener Ruderclub are one of a number of international entries that’ll be hoping to upset the home favourites in this event. Beaten last year by Thames RC on their way to winning the competition, it was decided by only one and a half lengths. Racing at a number of events this season, Münchener Ruderclub claimed the overall victory at both Bled International Rowing Regatta and Laurez International Rowing Regatta before taking a national victory at the Bavarian Championships in Germany. Usefully, this group entered the Head of the River Race which allows us to compare them to the domestic opposition that they’ll face at Henley Royal Regatta. Claiming a very respectable 48th position, Münchener Ruderclub are a strong outfit, though the championship course amounted to over a minute’s difference between them and the strongest club crew that day, Thames.
Der Hamburger und Germania Ruderclub, Germany
Like Münchener Ruderclub, Der Hamburger showed their strength at a number of national and international events throughout the year. Winning the men’s eights at the Fari Cup, Senate and North German Championships, they took second place at Ratzeburg International Regatta. Der Hamburger have proven themselves nationally and, to a lesser extent, internationally, but it remains difficult to contextualise what this means for their probable performance at Henley. The fact that they prequalified suggests that the Stewards found them more than sufficient in quality relative to the domestic entries that were submitted.
Koninklijke Amsterdamsche Roei-en Zeilvereeniging ‘De Hoop’, Netherlands
‘De Hoop’ had a very successful Henley Royal Regatta last year, making the final of the Thames Challenge Cup and the semi-finals of the Wyfold Challenge Cup. Losing to Thames last year, De Hoop will be eager to avenge this defeat and fly the flag for the international entries. Despite only racing nationally this season, they have had a series of good results against the notoriously tricky Dutch field. At the Amstelbeker, De Hoop faced Thames RC multiple times and got the better of them on each occasion. Though it can’t be guaranteed that this is the same crew that they’ll face at Henley, De Hoop will have taken confidence in knowing that they can beat a club that has unseated them before. They ended up taking the overall victory here and at the Westelijke Regatta before securing a second-placed finish at the Head of the River Amstel and a third place at Hollandia Regatta. As ever, the Dutch provide strong competition and for the eventual winner, they’ll most certainly be a banana skin.
Ruderclub Erlenbach, Switzerland
Flying the flag for Switzerland, Ruderclub Erlenbach competed at Heineken Roeivierkamp where they finished in 11th place and left as the fastest Swiss crew on the day. Their status as the most competitive Swiss club is solidified by their victories at national events such as Lauerz, Cham and Sarnen. With Yannick Raschle (A Final U23 World Championships 2022) and Markus Scherer (Swiss Rowing Team as a U23), there’s a core of talent that will be looking towards the next Olympics in Los Angeles whilst in Felix Locher and Mattia Soldo, who competed at the Coupe de la Jeunesse and junior world championships, there’s a pipeline of athletes who’ll continue to grow year-on-year. Ruderclub Erlenbach should be one of the faster international crews and it’ll be exciting to see how their comparatively young talent competes against some of the more developed line-ups across the domestic club scene.
Belvoir Ruderclub Zurich, Switzerland
Having traded blows with Ruderclub Erlenbach on their home soil, it remains to be seen how Belvoir Ruderclub Zurich compare to them on the international stage. Having claimed a second-placed finish in the men’s eights at the Swiss national championships, Sarnen and Langstrecjke saw them walk away as the fastest crew on the day. Concluding their season with a third place at Charm and Laurez, they finished behind their compatriots from Erlenbach. Though it’s hard to know whether they’ll be more competitive than the latter, it’s particularly promising to see two of the best crews from Switzerland bring what seems like a season-long battle overseas. They might get to conclude this affair side-by-side over the coming weeks.
Riverside Boat Club, U.S.A.
Having left the Head of the Charles Regatta as the fastest club crew, Riverside Boat Club are, on paper, one of the fastest club crews to have come out of the United States in recent years. In replicating this result at the US summer nationals as both an eight, and a four, it could be said that they have exhausted their domestic competition. Coming to Henley in search of a higher level, they’re fighting for the reputation of club rowing in the United States. Riverside have a real opportunity to earn some respect for themselves, and USRowing more broadly, against a field of incredible domestic and international athletes. Though we don’t know how fast Riverside will be, we know that they’re not making the trip to crash out on day one and that they have a lot to prove when they lay their claim on the water of Henley Royal Regatta.
Shanghai New Rowing Boat Club, China
Hugely experienced, this crew consists of a balance of athletes who were formerly part of the Chinese national team or are part of the Chinese provincial setup. Winners of the Hong Kong Rowing International Masters Regatta, these experienced hands can still ply their trade at a club level, having won the Shanghai Open Regatta over its 4.2km course. The members of the crew that are younger came third in the coxless four at the National Fall Championships. From this, it seems as though there could be an exciting blend between experience and potential that makes Shanghai New Boat Club one of the more exciting international entries. You don’t often see many entries from China at a club level and, coming all that way, they must have a belief in what they think they can achieve. Nonetheless, it’s exciting for the direction of the event and the scale that it has grown to under the lasting influence of Sir Steve Redgrave, who himself was a fundamental influence behind the rise of Chinese Rowing.
Avon Rowing Club, New Zealand
Avon Rowing Club have to be one of the favourites for the event, arriving into Oxfordshire as something of a dark horse. Winners of the national club championships in the men’s senior eight as well as being first, second and thirdin the coxless four, Avon have somewhat dominated what is a very competitive domestic field back in New Zealand. Featuring four members of the New Zealand U19 eight that raced in 2023, this crew has a history of rowing together that clarifies the pedigree that they have. Avon should be a really exciting prospect for the Thames Challenge Cup; they’re evidently a very youthful crew and this could be to their benefit or their detriment. Henley Royal Regatta is unlike any rowing event in the world and this could get the better of them, especially when they’re facing seasoned veterans of ten campaigns or more. They shouldn’t be written off, however, and are definitely one to watch when the racing starts on Wednesday.
Mitsubishi Boat Club, Japan
With relatively little information readily available on this crew, all we can go off is the fact that, in the past, Mitsubishi have boated very competitive outfits in the Thames Challenge Cup. The last time we saw the Japanese at Henley Royal Regatta was in 2017, when they fell on day two to a crew from Germany. In their first round, they looked absolutely rapid in dispatching what was a pretty competent Vesta crew but were outsprinted by the Germans, having led for 80% of the course. Japan is a long way to come if you’re not sure about the level you can pitch at, so expect this to be a competitive crew.
Prediction
The Thames Challenge Cup has provided us with another diverse field that is full of domestic and international quality crews. The magnitude of Henley Royal Regatta never fails to unify the rowing world and provide something unique in a glittering location. Domestic crews in the form of Thames, London and Leander won’t want to let the trophy drift overseas. They’ll each think that they’ve prepared to a level that their international opponents can’t possibly match, plus the natural advantage of being able to compete at the highest level every other week from the end of March is a bonus that a lot of the overseas entrants do not possess.
Objectively, London RC should be the favourites for the event. They’ve been fiery throughout the season, picking up speed at critical moments, and have fought off Thames in quite a commendable manner that few have been able to in recent years. I can see a world where the next fastest crews come from abroad, in the shape of De Hoop, Avon and perhaps even a dark horse or two from Japan or China. With revenge on Dutch minds, alongside the fact that we’re hosting the New Zealand national champions, both could be good bets for a deep run into the competition.
Whatever happens, 2024 will be a vintage year for the Thames Challenge Cup; a wide spread of competitors, both geographically and from a talent standpoint, alongside no clear and obvious favourite. London get the nod here by virtue of their blistering performance at Marlow – putting eight seconds into Thames – but don’t write off Sander Smulders’ boys. With numerous Henley wins at their back, it would be foolish to discount them heading into the biggest week of the year.
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