Following the long-awaited weekend in which Henley turned pink – both figuratively and quite literally – as shops and small businesses came together to change their displays to that of pink décor and the town hall was adorned with pink lights at night, the whole of Henley seemed to unite to support the Women’s Regatta in its biggest year to date, under the newly appointed Chair of the Regatta, Naomi Ashcroft.
Kicking off the Henley season with a bang, the 2024 Women’s Regatta concluded with not only attracting a record year of entries for the third year in a row with 579 crews, but also a record number of athletes attending – a whopping 2,300.
Notably, within the senior events, key clubs took home the key prizes. Leander Club retained the Avril Vellacott for Championship Coxless Fours, Thames RC the Copas Cup for Aspirational Club Eights, and Oxford Brookes University managed the double by maintaining the Colgan Foundation Cup for Aspirational Academic Eights for a third consecutive year, and the Ron Needs Cup for Championship Eights. The Bourne Cup for Open Quadruple Sculls went to an impressive GB development composite from Nottingham RC, Trentham BC and Twickenham RC, while other developing national team athletes Jenny Bates and Freya Keto took home the W Peer Cup for Double Sculls.
Dame Katherine Grainger DBE, who acts as a Henley Women’s Regatta Ambassador, alludes that perhaps the “unique nature of the amazing competition for women all over the country and internationals coming together,” may be the reason why “each year it grows and grows, with more entries and competition becoming more fierce.”
From this year’s reintroduction of para-rowing since Covid in the Grosvenor Cup for PR3 single sculls, to the reshuffling of the timetable to allow more juniors to come across to Oxfordshire for the full weekend, the Regatta has become much more slick and well-organised under Ashcroft’s direction.
For instance, previously, Friday evening time trials for juniors meant that these often clashed with GCSE or A Level exams. Northern and international clubs were also deterred from Friday racing, due to lengthy travel times, so Southern clubs with a one-to-two-hour commute were immediately at an advantage. It’s pleasing to see that the Regatta has become more egalitarian in that sense.
GB Olympic silver medalist, Dr. Polly Swann, accounts that Henley Women’s was the “biggest race” she came to as a junior in 2005, travelling down from Scotland, and compared Henley Women’s to a “shining beacon” of an event that she still holds dear to this day.
The Regatta has clearly listened to feedback, now catering to pretty much all categories of athletes. This year’s updates have highlighted that it is indeed, as Swan says, “an opportunity for all” and that the Regatta is only “going from strength to strength.”
All 579 crews competed in events designed for all calibres of crews, creating an environment that provides a chance where the best of the best and even the greenest of beginners can get into the mix and compete.
Returning to Ashcroft’s previous comment that “it’s all about the rowing” when I last spoke to her, it’s clear now that this rings true. By providing the stage for women to race on the iconic Henley stretch in what was once a traditional ‘boy’s club’ sport, Ashcroft and the wider Regatta community have created a safe space for them to continue thriving in rowing.
Three-time Olympian and Regatta Ambassador Jess Eddie puts this year’s “huge success” down to the “depth of crews choosing to prioritise the Regatta” while also noting how “there’s lots of momentum behind the event.”
All in all, the momentum and success of this year’s Regatta is testament to those who campaigned for the last 36 years and fought for this opportunity that our generation may sometimes take for granted: Margret Adams, Chris Aistrop, Pauline Churcher, Jackie Darling, Di Ellis CBE, Toby Lester, Rosie Mayglothling, Ian McNuff, Irene Saunders, Pat Sly, Anne Southey and WC ‘Tommy’ Thomson, to name a few.
Without this group and all past and present Regatta Committee members, ambassadors, and an assembly of volunteers, it would not have been possible to pull off this year’s record-breaking event, and the wider empowering environment they’ve helped to establish.
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