Image credit: World Rowing
For the sixth time in the Regatta’s history, there will be a para-rowing event held at Henley Women’s Regatta. For much of that history, this event was for PR2 scullers (then known as TA or Trunk and Arms) but in 2019 and again this year the Grosvenor Cup will be contested between athletes in the less restrictive classification now known as PR3. This year’s event will be competed for by three athletes from across Great Britain, one from each of the countries on the mainland, in a potential preview for the Home International Regatta.
St Andrew BC: Samantha-Louise Gough
The only one of the three to be involved in the British Rowing trials process this season, Samantha-Louise Gough has had a well-documented journey into the sport. Gough has played for the Lionesses blind football team. Based in Edinburgh, the St Andrew Boat Club sculler won the British Indoor Championships in December. New to the sport, the Scottish Rowing Championship two weeks ago was her first regatta, finishing third in the Intermediate double alongside mainstream competitors. Sunday will be her first race in the single as she races between the booms, but she will back her fitness to put her in the mix with any competition.
Falcon BC: Claire Parker
Racing against her in the first round will be Claire Parker of Falcon Boat Club in Oxford. With limited racing offered on the domestic scene for adaptive rowers, most of the online information about her rowing is restricted to her role as Water Safety Officer. However, last weekend at the Marlow Town Regatta, Parker was able to prepare her single for Henley this week. She unfortunately fell to a sculler from Marlow by a margin of one length across the 900m course. Later in the day she got her revenge, winning in the mixed double and will be wanting to follow that winning ways this weekend on the Henley Stretch.
Llandaff RC: Rebekah Knight
Drawn straight into the final, the last competitor on the entry is Rebekah Knight of Llandaff Rowing Club. The experienced sculler was selected for team Wales last year at the Home International Regatta, finishing almost fifteen seconds off the pace of the English selection. This season, she has picked up a win already, winning an open adaptive category on the Saturday at Monmouth Regatta, comfortably ahead of the other competition, including male athletes. This weekend, she will be wanting to show her speed in her race down the historic course.
Prediction
Where there is little comparative racing between the athletes, the predictions are based on little more than speculation. To this end, Samantha-Louise Gough of St Andrew BC seems likely to be the quickest of the three. However, given the extra racing she has managed to get this season, I wouldn’t be surprised is Rebekah Knight of Llandaff succeeded in the final.
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