Henley 2024: Intermediate And Club Finals

*Henley Types are phlegmatic about the rain, they reason that there will soon be 15 minutes of summer.*

14 July 2024

By Tim Koch

Tim Koch is still on the finish line at Henley.

My photographs and captions are matched with the race summaries from the official press release (italicised).

The Britannia Challenge Cup (Club M4+)

Thames Rowing Club beat Royal Chester Rowing Club by 1 length, time 7.27

*Thames win the first race of the day by one length.*

Royal Chester Rowing Club fought a hard battle with Thames Rowing Club in the final of The Britannia Challenge Cup. Both crews raced valiantly, with Chester narrowing the gap at the Quarter Mile to a quarter of a length.

The Wargrave Challenge Cup (Club W8+)

Thames Rowing Club ‘A’ beat London Rowing Club ‘A’ by 4 1/2 lengths, time 7.17.

*London is undergoing a revival, but this was not their year.*

*Both Thames men and women seem dominant in club eights.*

Defending champions, Thames Rowing Club, returned to race London Rowing Club in the final of The Wargrave Challenge Cup. The favourites to win took an early lead and continued to pull away from London, winning the Wargrave for the third year running.

The Wyfold Challenge Cup (Club M4-)

Marlow Rowing Club beat Thames Rowing Club ‘A’ easily, time 7.06.

A historic Henley final, for more than one reason. Both crews shot off from the start, with Thames edging out to take a narrow lead at the Quarter Mile. The determined crew from Marlow never let their foot off the gas and kept pressure on Thames all the way down the course. Alongside the progress boards, Marlow moved through Thames and had a dramatic clash in neutral water. Marlow came out on top to claim their club’s first Henley Royal Regatta win in ten years.

*The last few strokes. Looking at the video replay, the Thames stroke seems to almost collapse with exhaustion before the finish and this caused the clash. Decide for yourself here.*

*Both the Thames stroke and bow stopped rowing before the finish.*

This was a difficult race throughout, not just at the finish, and there were a lot of warnings. Thames claimed a foul at the end (which was denied) and they did not row through the line, so perhaps the verdict should have been “not rowed out.” It would have been little comfort to the valiant Thames either way but Marlow were worthy winners.

The Ladies’ Challenge Plate (Intermediate M8+)

Princeton University, USA, beat Cambridge University by 2 3/4 lengths, time 6.24.

*The Princeton Tigers prove faster than the Cambridge Lions.*

Both crews rated very similarly throughout the duration of the race, but it was Princeton who worked the water more effectively and commanded the competition from the first stroke. Unsatisfied by their one-length advantage, Princeton used the last few hundred metres to create a length and two-thirds of clear water between themselves and Cambridge.

The Thames Challenge Cup (Club M8+)

Thames Rowing Club ‘A’ beat Koninklijke Amsterdamsche Roei- en Zeilvereeniging ‘De Hoop’, Netherlands, by 2/3 length, time 6.23.

*It was TRC’s fifth win in the Thames Cup in the last eight regattas.*

A comfortable race for Thames. By the time they had taken the lead, the Dutch simply couldn’t respond effectively enough to destabilise Thames’ path to victory.

The Visitors’ Challenge Cup (Intermediate M4-)

Leander Club ‘A’ beat Oxford Brookes University and Taurus Boat Club by 1 length, time 6.44.

*The Brookes bowman looks around, a dangerous move.*

*Defending champions, Brookes, lose their title.*

Firing off the blocks, this race started out tight with only two feet separating the two crews at the Quarter Mile. From here, Leander drew ahead, bolstered by the Blue Star bow seat, Bruce Turnell’s ‘beautiful steering’. Meanwhile, Oxford Brookes fought hard but received repeated warnings for their steering and couldn’t catch the boys in pink.

The Prince of Wales Challenge Cup (Intermediate M4x)

Leander Club beat Algemene Amsterdamsche Studenten Roeivereniging Skøll, Netherlands, by 1 length, time 7.01.

*Leander won for the fourth consecutive year.*

With two very evenly matched crews, this final of The Prince of Wales Challenge Cup treated spectators to an enthralling spectacle. Leander took a small lead off the start, but by the Barrier, Skoll closed the gap, and the crews drew level. Stroke for stroke, the two quads matched each other in length and power, holding each other until Fawley. Neither crew managed to pull ahead until the Three Quarter Mile when Leander made a decisive move and progressively pulled away from the Dutch. Into the enclosures, the Dutch steering proved an obstacle too big in the fight to cross the line first.

Other views along the course.