Thames Rowing Club, Men’s Club Eight
Thames have stretched the boundary of excellence so far in club rowing that it now represents a relative surprise when they don’t clean-sweep all of the available categories at Henley Royal Regatta. What this says about the state of our domestic sport is one thing but what cannot be contested is the incredible quality available to the Putney-based powerhouse. This crew blitzed the Thames Challenge Cup in 2023, seeing off crews from Australia and Holland in the final two races to pencil themselves in as the fifth victor in eight years from the club.
London Rowing Club, Men’s Club Coxless Four
And on the subject of Thames dominance, all hail any club who stands up to their might. This was London’s first win in a club event since 2011 and the signs pre-Regatta were strong. They had two very competitive crews in the Wyfold and Britannia Challenge Cups and coach Stuart Heap cultivated this boat beautifully to peak at precisely the right moment. Their Friday clash – in every sense of the word – with De Hoop of the Netherlands was one of the races of the Regatta and this victory hopefully earmarks London’s return to the big leagues.
Leander Club, Men’s Club Quad
Although technically not a ‘club’ crew, having raced in the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup for Intermediate Quads, it feels a little reductive to not give the pink palace some credit for their armada of Henley contestants. Seeing off a much-fancied Dutch outfit in the final – who went on to secure a silver medal at the World Rowing U23 Championships – this boat were technically proficient and packed a punch at both ends of the course. Leander’s pedigree on the domestic circuit is well-known but their stranglehold on this cup is something akin to obsession. This year’s cohort also won Marlow Regatta by several seconds, cementing them as the fastest quad in the country outside of the national team.
Thames Rowing Club, Women’s Club Eight
Much like Brookes, Thames’ women have stepped out of the shadow of their male counterparts to forge their own glittering, golden path. Their performances through 2023 were nothing short of exceptional. Their ‘A’ boat was sixth at the Women’s Head of the River before going on to consistently rank as the fastest club crew at the events they entered throughout the summer season (Wallingford, Met, Henley Women’s Regatta). They won the Wargrave Challenge Cup by clear water, having beaten their own ‘B’ boat in the semi-final, who in turn beat the ‘C’ boat in the quarter-final.
Worcester Rowing Club, Women’s Club Coxless Four
Not a name we normally associate with the business end of domestic racing but this crew had such an amazing Henley Women’s Regatta that they’re worth the nomination. After trailing to a boat from Upper Thames all season, they managed to beat them on the grandest stage of all at Henley Women’s Regatta in an epic contest that ebbed and flowed all the way down the 1500m course. To have overcome the deficit that Upper Thames established at Met – six seconds – in just two short weeks is quite a feat.
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