The long-awaited Henley Women’s Regatta has finally arrived, drawing over 2,300 female athletes from across the UK and around the world to compete in this prestigious event. Held on the iconic stretch of the River Thames, the Henley Women’s Regatta (HWR) promises thrilling side-by-side match racing for a diverse range of competitors.
Interestingly, while overall entries have increased, the Copas Cup for Aspirational Club 8+ has seen a 46% decline in entries compared to last year, with only 14 entries this year versus 23 the previous year—the lowest in the past five years. The 8+ category is usually a favourite among club athletes nationwide, raising the question: why the drop-off? And could the answer actually be a positive sign for women’s rowing?
We’ll delve into that later. But first, let’s meet the contenders in the 2024 Henley Women’s Aspirational Club 8+ category.
Vesta Rowing Club
Vesta Rowing Club have come close to victory on a few occasions, finishing as finalists against Thames in both 2022 and 2023. This year, the Vesta A crew is a blend of veteran members and newcomers, including three athletes who progressed through their development programme just last year to earn their coveted ‘First 8’ blazers. The Vesta B crew is primarily composed of new joiners this season, with a few development athletes from last year stepping up to senior racing. Both crews are focused on qualifying for the Wargrave Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. There have been rumours about a Vesta crew participating in a crowd-pleasing, double bucket formation. Regardless of the setup, Vesta has been building momentum throughout the season, placing 50th at WEHORR, securing third in the club final at Wallingford Regatta, and narrowly missing out in a thrilling finish at the Metropolitan Regatta’s C final. In that race, Vesta placed fifth, just 0.6 seconds behind London Rowing Club (third in club) and Cantabrigian (fourth in club).
Tyne Rowing Club
The crew from Tyne Rowing Club will be well-prepared, having spent most of this season training together. Tyne recently competed at the Notts City Regatta and Metropolitan Regatta, where they recorded impressive results: second-fastest on the water on Saturday (second in the C final) and sixth-fastest club on Sunday, finishing seventh in the B-final. Despite their outstanding performance at the Henley Royal Regatta in 2023, the Henley Women’s Regatta will mark the end of this season for the crew. With this in mind, Tyne has tailored their training to peak for this event, and the squad is determined to “finish the season off with a bang” in the Copas Cup.
Royal Chester
Royal Chester is another crew that has enjoyed consistency, maintaining their combination since Wallingford Regatta. As they describe themselves, they are “true club athletes,” balancing full-time jobs in demanding professions such as architecture, physiotherapy, veterinary surgery, and chemical engineering. Recently, Royal Chester placed fifth in the club final at Wallingford. However, their favourite race so far was the Metropolitan Regatta final on Sunday, where they impressively moved up from eighth to third in one of the tightest races of the day. With this momentum, Royal Chester aims to use the Copas Cup as a springboard for their upcoming attempt to qualify for the Wargrave Challenge Cup.
Nottingham Rowing Club
Nottingham Rowing Club will be another club fielding a well-drilled crew. Their Copas Cup crew have been together since WEHORR, where they placed 38th overall. The crew then competed at Wallingford, finishing fourth in their heat. At the Metropolitan Regatta at Dorney Lake, they placed 11th overall among clubs on Saturday, coming second in the E-Final, and went on to win the D-Final on Sunday. This crew will undergo a few lineup changes before heading down the time trial for the Wargrave Challenge Cup.
London Rowing Club
London Rowing Club has made a significant step forward in women’s rowing this year, consistently presenting formidable crews throughout the season. At WEHORR, they achieved notable success with two crews placing in the top 20. Following their annual training camp in Varese, Italy, the club swiftly returned for the Metropolitan Regatta, where LRC ‘A’ secured third place and LRC ‘B’ placed eighth in the Club category on Saturday. The momentum continued on Sunday with LRC claiming third and fifth positions in the Club 8+ races. Looking ahead, LRC have entered a range of club and championship boats across various sweep categories, including a strong representation in the Copas Cup. Additionally, their entries in both championship and club categories suggest the potential for up to three entries in the Wargrave.
Lea Rowing Club
Lea Rowing Club, affectionately known as ‘The Lea’, embarked on their project with the 8+ crew in early May, followed by their annual training camp in the Netherlands. They have been diligently testing their speed and refining race strategies throughout the regatta season. This Lea crew boasts a former winner of the Henley Women’s Regatta (HWR) from a previous development coxed four. Looking ahead in the regatta season, Lea plans to enter two eights for the Wargrave. Their ‘A’ boat will comprise half of the Copas Cup crew and the other half from the coxless four competing in the Lester Trophy. The remaining members of the Copas Cup crew will join forces with rowers from their development coxed four entries for Lea’s ‘B’ Wargrave entry.
Cantabrigian Rowing Club
Cantabrigian Rowing Club, known for their strong presence in the eight categories, continues to build on their reputation this season. Winners of the senior provincial club category at WEHORR, they aim to demonstrate even greater speed and competitiveness since the winter months. At the Metropolitan Regatta, Cantabs secured second place in the Saturday time trial and achieved a fifth-placed finish in the club category on Sunday. Throughout the season, they have engaged in several close races, particularly with their top boat, promising a formidable performance worth keeping “tabs” on.
Cambridge 99 Rowing Club
Cambridge 99 Rowing Club, another club from Cambridgeshire, will be attempting to make their mark at Henley Women’s Regatta this year with ten athletes across two boats. Amongst their crew are athletes who have been part of the club for over a decade, alongside newer members who joined as recently as last summer. At WEHORR, Cambridge 99 achieved a fitting 99th place and has been actively participating in local and national races throughout the season in preparation for HWR. Although they do not plan to enter the Wargrave, their season extends beyond Henley, with the club eagerly anticipating participation in several eights at the renowned Cambridge Town Bumps.
Thames Rowing Club
Thames Rowing Club, champions of the Copas Cup in both 2022 and 2023, are aiming for a third consecutive year of dominance in the club eight category. Renowned for their unwavering consistency, Thames excels in women’s sweep rowing, consistently leading the standings in both championship and club sweep categories throughout the season. The 2023/2024 season has proven no exception, with Thames placing five crews in the top 21 at WEHORR, securing victory in the club eight at Wallingford, and triumphing on both days of the Metropolitan Regatta. Thames are undeniably the favourites for this event and, it has to be said, it is theirs to lose.
So, why might the decrease in entries for the Copas Cup actually benefit the regatta and women’s rowing overall?
The answer likely lies in the growing appeal of the Wargrave.
Athletes who previously considered retiring after winning in the ‘club’ category at Henley Women’s Regatta now find themselves attracted to the Wargrave, which offers a new competitive challenge. Many of them have opted to extend their competitive careers within their clubs. As a result, coaches are now managing more athletes who can only compete in the championship category. Often, these boats are strengthened by integrating the top eligible club athletes to race alongside them. This shift has contributed to a notable increase in entries across championship categories overall.
On the other end of the spectrum, the development coxed four category frequently exceeds capacity with over 50 entries. Perhaps we will begin to see more clubs opting to consolidate their development 4+ entries in pursuit of the Copas Cup. This approach not only improves the chances of qualification but also provides athletes aiming to transition into the senior ranks with valuable side-by-side competition.
Overall, I think this trend can only be a positive development for UK women’s club rowing. It reflects a broader diversity across the competition categories and underscores the significance of Henley Women’s Regatta for athletes at all levels of experience.
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