Live from Henley-On-Thames, Day 3 Live of Henley Royal Regatta 2025.
Don’t miss a moment of Henley Royal Regatta 2025. Watch every race live and on-demand on our YouTube.
#HRR25 #HenleyRoyalRegatta
Subscribe to Henley Royal Regatta: http://bit.ly/HRRSubscribe
——————————————————-
Henley Royal Regatta is the pre-eminent, river-based international rowing regatta. It has an unparalleled tradition and place in the hearts of top rowers around the world.
Connect with Henley Royal Regatta:
Website: https://www.hrr.co.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/henleyroyalregatta
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HenleyRegatta
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/henleyroyalregatta
All content © Henley Royal Regatta 2025 and is freely available for private non-commercial viewing worldwide. Reproduction of any content requires the prior express consent of Henley Royal Regatta. For terms of use, click here: https://www.hrr.co.uk/terms-of-use/
00:00 Stream Start
00:14:00 Grant v Maistrenko, UKR
00:23:39 Marlow v Reading U. ‘B’
00:28:10 St. Edward’s Sch. v A.L.S.R.V. Asopos de Vliet, NED
00:32:40 Allemannia, Hamburg, GER v Grange Sch.
00:36:55 Newcastle U. v Univ. San Diego, USA
00:41:58 Oxford U. ‘B’ v Elizabethan B.C. & Cambridge ’99 R.C.
00:46:32 A.S.R. Nereus, NED v Oxford Brookes Univ. ‘B’
00:52:43 Marlow v Tideway Scullers’ Sch.
00:56:50 Lomas & Clack v McGuinness & Reinhard, AUS
01:02:01 Thames ‘B’ v Leander Club & Tideway Sc. Sch.
01:06:45 Arakawa, JPN v Wilkinson
01:12:41 Tyne A.R.C. v Sydney R.C., AUS
01:16:05 Harvard U. ‘B’, USA v A.S.R. Nereus ‘A’, NED
01:21:06 Edinburgh U. v Nottingham
01:26:05 Royal Chester v Thames ‘A’
01:31:52 Molesey & Holstebro Roklub, DEN v Tideway Sc. & Ever Green B.C., U.S.A.
01:36:39 Molesey v St. Paul’s Sch.
01:41:16 Webster v Kennedy, CAN
01:47:41 Oxford Brookes U. ‘A’ v Edinburgh U. ‘A’
01:52:14 Harlow, AUS & Austin-Baker v Blom, NED & Palsma, FRA
01:56:50 Belen Jesuit Prep. Sch., USA v The Windsor Boys’ Sch. ‘A’
02:03:10 Molesey B.C. v Thames R.C. ‘B’
02:06:44 U.S.R. Triton, NED v Edinburgh Univ.
02:11:28 The Windsorian R.C. & Leander Club v Elizabethan B.C. & Shiplake Coll.
02:16:13 Shiplake Coll. v Kinross Wolaroi Sch., AUS
02:21:36 Ivy Club, Princeton, USA v R.v. Münster & Marbacher R.V., GER
02:25:46 G.S.R. Aegir, NED v Harvard Univ. ‘A’, USA
02:31:00 Nottingham v Molesey
02:36:28 Windsor Boys’ Sch. ‘B’ v Hinksey Sc. Sch.
02:41:27 Twellaar, NED v Putnam, USA
02:47:23 Jones & Ellery v Jones & Been, CAN
02:51:23 Marlow v Leander
02:56:14 Marist Coll. Canberra, AUS v Hartpury Coll.
03:01:50 L.C.N. Ullrich, NZL v K. Burutaran Olaizola, ESP
03:07:25 Newcastle Univ. ‘A’ v Univ. of St. Andrews
03:12:08 Leander Club & Mercantile R.C. v E.S.R. Thêta & k.S.R.V. Njord, NED
03:15:41 University of Virginia, USA v Newcastle Univ.
03:21:04 Clifford & Swiss v Mohr & Wolter, GER
03:26:35 G.S.R. Aegir, NED v Oxford Univ. ‘A’
03:32:06 Ntouskos, GRE v Wolf, AUS
03:37:05 Maidenhead R.C. v Claires Court Sch.
03:41:40 Luncheon v Luncheon
05:13:30 Bonner & Erster Kieler, GER v A.S.R. Nereus & R.S.V.U. Okeanos, NED
05:21:04 Meijssen & Ruiken, NED v Bonhage-Koen & Baxter, RSA
05:26:40 Durham U. ‘A’ v Cambridge U.
05:30:33 London R.C. ‘A’ v St. Andrew B.C.
05:36:00 Mercantile R.C., AUS v Kew House Sch.
05:43:23 Rutgers U. ‘A’, USA v U. of London ‘A’
05:51:23 Thames R.C. ‘A’ v C.A. Vichy, FRA
05:56:32 Marlow R.C. A’ v Shrewsbury Sch.
06:02:42 Univ. of London ‘A’ v Harvard Univ., USA
06:06:29 De Kok, NED v Maxwell
06:13:53 Brahms & Breuer, GER v Chute & Bell, USA
06:21:37 Henley R.C. v Hartpury Coll.
06:26:43 Univ. of Bristol v D.S.R. Laga, NED
06:31:36 Tijssen & Holland v Titterington & Connolly, IRL
06:37:48 Parsonage v Van Dorp, NED
06:42:50 Bath Univ. v Aix-les-Bains & Grenoblois, FRA
06:50:50 Maidenhead R.C. ‘A’ v Marlow R.C. ‘B’
06:56:57 Univ. of London ‘B’ v D.S.R. Laga, NED
07:01:43 A.U.S.R. Orca, NED v Univ. of Bristol
07:06:11 Wake v Badenhorst, RSA
07:13:45 Brittain & Weeks v Van Opzeeland & Keijser, NED
07:22:45 Oxford Brookes Univ. ‘A’ v Oxford Brookes Univ. ‘B’
07:25:30 London R.C. v Thames R.C. ‘B’
07:31:29 Oundle Sch. v Wycliffe Coll. ‘A’
07:37:13 Austin-Baker v Hamill, NZL
07:42:39 Tea
08:43:50 Univ. of Bristol v Princeton Univ., USA
08:52:20 Claires Court Sch. v Canberra Girls G.S., AUS
08:57:05 Gardiner v Zeidler, GER
09:03:03 Kingston R.C. & Nonesuch B.C. v K.S.R.V. Njord & A.A.S.R. Skøll, NED
09:06:17 Thames Rowing Club & Molesey B.C. v Thames R.C. & Henley R.C.
09:13:09 Wycliffe Coll. ‘B’ v Tideway Scullers’ Sch.
09:21:35 Cid & Jarama, ESP v Whiting & Matthams
09:27:44 Rutgers Univ. ‘B’, USA v Durham Univ. ‘A’
09:31:54 Marlow R.C. v Agecroft R.C.
09:36:58 Edinburgh Univ. v Oxford Brookes Univ. ‘D’
09:43:07 Reading Univ. ‘C’ v Reading Univ. ‘A’
09:51:10 Thompson v Barras
09:56:56 Sypher, AUS & Twigg, NZL v Gutfleisch, GER & Meakin, SUI
10:02:36 Maidenhead R.C. ‘B’ v Sir William Perkins’s Sch.
10:07:20 Oxford Brookes Univ. ‘B’ v Cambridge Univ.
Come on. Come on. Anyway, just turn you on. Oh yeah. Nothing. [Music] Goat. [Music] Not a cloud in the sky. A beautiful morning in Henley on Tempames. We welcome viewers around the world to our coverage today. It is day three of Henley Royal Regata and our live coverage will take you right through to 700 p.m. this evening. We’ve got 81 races to bring you. And today sees the start of the premier and intermediate events including a brand new one for women intermediate eights. That’s the bridge challenge plate. Beautiful day today. Sunny day all day. A slight headwind down the course. Yesterday we had a bit of everything weatherwise. It was a chilly start. We had a bit of rain at lunchtime, but it then did turn into the most magical afternoon. And the big crowd here were treated to some memorable races down the course. [Music] Yeah. [Music] Down. [Music] Well, a fantastic day yesterday and to reflect on that and look ahead to what we’ve got coming up today. I’m delighted to be joined by Jess Eddie, Olympic silver medalist. Um Jess, what stood out for you yesterday racing wise? Oh,
we had some great races, but I think the real standout was in the Prince Albert, the men’s student Cox for San Diego versus Oxford Brooks. It was an absolute corker. Uh you know, Brooks were leading the entire race. The one stroke that San Diego win was winning was on the finish line and that’s just what we want to see here every single day. Brilliant race and such a shock in a way because uh Brooks are the reigning champion. San Diego I mean obviously a good crew coming all that this way but um definitely a surprise.
Yeah, it’s one of those things you stand on the start line and you probably look across and think there’s Ox Brooks absolute powerhouse of this regata from they almost didn’t leave it at the finish line and I hope they’ve still got a few beans cuz they’ve got to go out there and race today. I was going to say that pontoon right behind you Jess that’s they’ve just literally left from there about well three minutes ago because they’re in action this morning the University of San Diego they’re taking on uh Newcastle University at 920 so that’s one to look forward to um that’s coming up in the next half an hour. What other races are you looking forward to today? Well we’re really excited to introduce a new race of the regata the bridge. It’s there for intermediate women’s aid. So we’re giving this platform really bridging the gap we like to say between the club level university level and the elite level. So we’re giving a chance for these rowers who probably in the past might have gone and not been able to race the regata might have retired and we’re seeing the first of those boats today. Really excited to see them. Going to be some course records because it’s a brand new event.
And that’s quite a nice tasty matchup this morning with Marlo up against Leander in the bridge.
Yeah, Marlo, Leander, you know, Marlo’s just one lock away. So kind of local rivalry, but also some really really high level rowers. A lot of that Marlo crew have been out in the States at university at college there versus Leander. I mean, goes without saying they’re one of the strongest clubs in England, if not the world. So, a real real homeer there.
And a little bit later on, we’re going to be seeing some Olympic champions in action. Yeah, I think we called it um going to be a blood bath in the men’s single school, the diamonds, cuz there absolutely wallto-wall huge names. Olympic champion Zidler and Sucus is here. We’ve got a lot of the Dutchia twars racing today who’s got Olympic silver medal. You know, you’re just you cannot look from side to side without seeing a huge huge star in the men’s single school.
There is an amazing buzz down here. All the crews getting their clap outs heading down to the pontoons, getting on the water and heading down to the start. It’s going to be some fast racing today. Not such a strong current this year. We’ve got a bit of a a tailwind as well and beautiful clear conditions. Plenty to look forward to. And taking us through this morning’s session. Then let’s head over to our commentators and join Tim Dela. Good morning. Day three, Henior Reagata. Beautiful day as Ali says. Perfect blue skies. Azour blue, bright sunshine early into the deck chairs. And quite right to get here early because you do not want to miss the very first race on the water. Imaging Grant, Olympic gold medalist, is on the water in the Princess Royal at 9:00. She’s also, by the way, racing in the very last race of the day at 6:50. So, Imagin Grant kicking things off at 9:00 in the Princess Royal and through towards the 12:30 lunch we go. What an international lineup we’ve got. Ukraine, Netherlands, Germany, USA, Australia, Japan, Denmark, Canada, France, Spain, and Greece all represented in this morning’s action. Then this afternoon after lunch after 12:30 you got New Zealand, Switzerland, South Africa and Ireland joining in the party. So that’s the timet through until lunch the morning schedule. So, the first race on the card underway at 9:00 then couple of minutes away. Delighted to say that in the commentary box alongside me, Julia Maha Plot Koviaak is here. Julia, good morning.
Good morning.
It’s
good morning everyone. It’s great to be here and join join team
and this uh first race. You’ve picked the right time to be in the commentary box. I think Julie, you’re going to enjoy this first one.
I definitely will. The memories are here. I did this uh event 11 years ago.
Yes. Does it seem like 11 years ago? see more recent.
No, I I don’t feel those 11 years, but it’s uh great to see this lineup with Emojen uh in amazing race to open today.
And even for you with your amazing career, you only came to Hendi once, but it must have been a massive career highlight for you, wasn’t it? You must look back on it and think, wow, that was a a great time for me.
There was amazing decision for me to make uh to come to Henley. uh as I was an international rower from Poland but we I never had opportunity to go. So when during um my um Polish career with the all the world cups and champion world championships so I was very happy to make that decision. I knew I need to do it and it was just amazing memory.
No regrets doing it. It’s so different, isn’t it, from all the other racing you were used to doing week after week and month after month, winning your medals around the world, but this is just so different, isn’t it?
It’s different. It’s amazing to have all the age groups involved, all the young um rowers who can follow the elite rowers and and all the fellows from universities. The mix is just amazing. and also everyone who supports from the bank uh all the stewards like Olympians, Olympic medalists like is it’s just amazing um celebration of our sport. nerve-wracking on the start. Even for experienced athletes like those sitting on the start line at the moment, these moments, the countdown, we’re only a minute away now from this first race. But even for them, surely the nerves, they’ll be they’ll be feeling them, won’t they?
Yes, definitely. Also for international roars is something new. Imagin knows the course very well, but you don’t have you don’t have the lines at the beginning. So that’s also the first couple of strokes to make sure you can have a clear view on the start to stay straight in lane. Uh because you don’t have the boys on both sides. That’s that’s that little thing that can make the difference.
It’s a real skill.
Yeah, it’s a real skill between those who did practice Henley in their early early years and those who are coming here for the first time even they can be really good international rowers. So we’re just about ready to go. Grant Maestro in our opening race like this in the Princess Royal.
Go. Get ready please. [Music] Attention. Go.
The first of 81 races on day three of Henry Royal Regata. The Princess Royal. We’ve got Image and Grant on the Barkshire station to the left of your picture and Katarina Maestro from Ukraine on the right hand side. She’s had a fiery start to this and Image and Grant will be to keep contact with her. There’s the lightweight double Olympic gold medalist from Paris last summer trying to get some rhythm into the boat, some speed into the boat. And she’s made terrific start in terms of the steering, in terms of the route she goes down. And she’s just nudged ahead. You can see that it’s pretty tight though. It could be a absolute cracker in the opener. Image and Grant moving the boat really well. A very level start to this race. And Julia, you came with a similar pedigree. If you come into a regata like this with a a big international name and you’re suddenly under pressure, aren’t you? Suddenly in a single where you’re all on your own and there’s no one else to rely on. It’s all about you. It’s a that is pressure, isn’t it?
It is a pressure, but I need to say that single was my favorite boat. spending it uh nine years um in I’m from Pol is complete different and here like I was the single um the only girl in my club and then in the national team so I need to spend loads of time before we develop the the team the the group of the girls uh so single was very familiar for me uh but yes it’s completely different than what we see most of the days here with the crews and in the single it’s only you and you need to have all the tactic by yourself and to motivate yourself Um it’s it’s a very special but not everyone are a fan of this of this boat.
Yeah. Cuz it’s quite lonely at times.
It is lonely. It’s very lonely. But um what is amazing here is that you are next to the back. So you can hear clearly at least the supporters and your coach at the beginning of of the of the course. So that’s uh that’s good to hear to have that coach really close to you especially Henley. Um because in the international regata sometimes the coaches are very far so you cannot hear them.
Yeah. You’re a long way away in six lane racing, but here you’re within earshot. Mestrno finding it hard to keep pace with Grant. Temple Island fading into the background and the Ukrainian has work to do already. Imagine Grant setting a good pace. Now, I spoke to her at the boat tent about an hour ago and this is her schedule today. Image and Grant. Okay, so she got here at 7:00 this morning. At 8:00, she got her boat out the tent and onto the water. At 9:00 right now, she’s on the water. First heat of today, Henry Roora Gata. She’s in the Princess Royal Challenge Cup as we can see here. After this, she jumps into a shower. Then she jumps into her car, drives to Slow Wex Park Hospital, which is look, it’s only 10 or 15 miles up the road, but congestion and all that. She gets to the hospital, does a day shift, a full day shift as a doctor at Wexon Park Hospital. She then jumps back into her car, gets back here for the last race on the card today at 650 in an 8 in the new competition, the new event bridge. She’s racing Cambridge University against Oxford Brooks University. So that is Imagin Grant’s schedule for today. So if you think you got a busy day, spare a thought for Imagin.
Busy day. And also please remember that the traffic I hope will be not this hard for her. She should have like a special
that’s where it can go wrong.
Yes, that’s where it can go wrong. So maybe it will be easy for her to walk or run or warm up that last bit of to get here on time. So fingers crossed for her busy schedule today.
This is the bit she can enjoy. I don’t know, Julia, if you ever felt this maybe as an elite athlete actually this is your happy place, isn’t it? This is your good time when no one can get at you. Whereas when you’re on the bank and you got coaches and and people like me wanting to do interviews with you and family and friends here and there’s a huge number of distractions. Whereas actually uh for these athletes now it’s where they can just get on with what they do, isn’t it? It’s their safe place.
This is a safe place and again we can uh see clearly um the other boat like we see the back of uh of the Ukrainian crew. So imagine have a clear view where she is, how she can pace it, especially if she have another race today. She wants to save her energy.
So she wants to make sure that um that now she just can go on a easier pace and just enjoying. And we had a chat about Katrina Mrno who’s 25 years old now and you can see her there operating trying to keep pace with the Olympic gold medalist and she’s got really good pedigree international rower. Fantastic to see her here and one of many nations represented today but Julia you’ve uh come across her in the past. You know all about her.
Yes. So I know that in 2016 and 2017 she was competing in the junior world championships uh being fourth uh first in the single and then in the Ukrainian quad. Um later we can see that uh she took um part in the Olympic Ukrainian eight. Um so they were taking part in the head of the Charles regata. So definitely she’s a part of the Ukrainian team and going around the world and and promoting also Ukraine and and making
it’s great
representing her country.
Yeah, it is great to see her here obviously in the current circumstances representing Ukraine quite a versatile athlete so has got lots of experience at different sorts of regatas which is probably what you want isn’t it? Coming into Hendley you need to have had experience across a range of formats. If you come here having just done six lane racing, you might find it a bit of a shock.
Yes. And I I think maybe she was also inspired uh to come here by Ola Bur of Buryak that came here in uh 2022 in a double uh with a Kakov was Zaviska. That was a Polish Ukrainian double and then loads of Ukrainian uh girls came over to Henley and loads of cruise. Um, so it’s great for Ukraine to stay strong and keep coming and representing the their country, especially Henley where they have an amazing support from the stewards and closure and from everyone who’s coming here and support
and so important for future international rowers particularly from Ukraine if they’re to come in the future then seeing her here. So great that we’ve got my streno on the water. There is a lot of clear water though between her and Imagining Grant who we can see now who is making it look like a fairly leisurely and controlled performance this just going to get through these last few hundred meters of the race in front of Stewarts and then uh get onto the M4 where she might not find it going so easy but it’s a terrific site that isn’t it one of the world’s best
yes it’s amazing to line up with the Olympic champion in your first race and Hen Royal Reetta
as the draw happens and you get that as a draw. Is that are you jumping for joy that you’ve got the big name against you or you
I definitely will because you can learn you can I definitely will like jump over the rope if I could go against the Olympic champion first will be oh it will be hard but then how much can I learn uh from this race? You see, that’s what makes you a champion. Whereas a lot of people would try and hide away from having to go up against the best this early in the week. They’d rather wait till Saturday or Sunday, get through to the semi-finals or the finals.
Yeah, I was I was very lucky to go against Kandri Hotic. Um I was obviously losing with them by 40 seconds, but at least I was at the start line at the beginning when I was under 23 and it was always amazing to learn from them and also receiving loads of support. So that’s what is amazing with the single color that they always support you no matter or lose with you. Especially the Olympic champions, they’re always going to come and and thank you for the race. Um what are you going to see in a second?
Yeah. So Image and Grant now drops the rate right down in front of Stewarts and uh she can cross off task one on her Thursday to-do list. Win Henley. Next off to the hospital back for 650. So Image and Grant over the line wins her race pretty comfortably. But great to see my streno of Ukraine here and as Julia says she’ll have learned from that experience. So
you can see how Imagine is clubbing now for my strenu thank you to each other for the race. So, the Princess Royal Challenge Cup. Imaging Grant through to the next round. This is the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup. Marlo Rowan Club on the Barkshire Station. Reading University B are on the Bucks station and watching Reading University B carefully. That’s a good start from them. Feisty, powerful, really dynamic off those start pontoons. Umpire’s launch just behind and they are getting off Temple Island now. This is a tricky stage of the race, but they look like they’ve done that really well. Both boats and it’s going to be another tight one based on that start. Both boats started that one really well, Julia.
Yes, they did. And it’s a big jump from a single straight to the quickest sculling boats to to quad. And you can see that difference. Um moving really well just on that Barkshire station. You can see there nudging ahead. This is open quad skulls. The event has been around since 2007 just below the Queen Mothers. We’ve had some uh big clubs winning this in years gone by. Julia, the Marlo rowing boat. You’re just having a look in the in the Marlo boat. Yeah, it’s interesting to see um who we have a bow seat and a middle pair and then a stroke who in this boat have a steering. Um very often what was new for me and the tadway you have a steering and a bow and international cruise you normally the stroke have a steering system and here also the Milo the stroke have um the steering system maybe because again it’s like two lanes and it’s easier to look in front where you are rather than looking around. So it’s interesting how sometimes you can even have the steering in in the middle of the boat. So, if you’re steering in the stroke seat, as Alfred Heath is in the Marlo boat, you can see the Marlo boat there to the right of our picture. And uh you’ve got the the steering going on by Ben Snoxel in the Reading University Bat. Now, he’s in the bow seat, but presumably they try and take markers, do they? And how do you go about steering the boat? Because this is a difficult boat, isn’t it? a quad is without obviously without a Yeah, it is difficult and also you don’t see so clearly uh the marker from the front. So it’s how good you are of recognizing the distance with the corner of your eye because we also don’t want the athletes the athletes don’t want to look around because that uh can be difficult to hold the balance of the boat. If you are turning your body or even your head and then during the race you are getting more and more tired and also the steering system uh the athletes have have it in the shoe and the foot uh the wires are going through all the way to the stern to the rudder. So, uh it’s um it’s a really good skill to have and some at least going to find it difficult. So, the coaches need to choose who’s the best uh to cover rowing and steering from the whole crew and giving him the steering system.
Well, Marlo, we can see there. Look at the blade work synchronicity make it look so effortless and easy, don’t they? Which is always a hallmark of elite sporting performance. And they are just purring along beautifully there. on the Barkshire station. Marlo, they’ll be very pleased with their performance. This is a bit of a local derby if you know your local geography. We’ve got Marlo and Reading on the Water. Reading University coming into shop now. And you can see in the stroke seat there, Harrison Green and the Reading University boat through the boat we go. Robbie Colton in the three seat. Jack Bates in two seat. And Ben Snox, we mentioned in charge of the steering. Another bow there. Ready university giving it some welli in front of Stewart, but it won’t be enough because Marlo Rowing Club, we saw earlier on just what a classy boat they are. And over the line they come. Marlo Rowing Club in the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup. A good win for them against local rivals Reading University B. attention. So the temple challenge cup of the Netherlands against St Edward School from Oxford. It’s a local school against an international boat here. They’re just getting quite close together, aren’t they? We need to watch those blades down the middle of the water. Tucking in perilously close, but they’ve sorted their steering out. Of course, the eights have the benefit of a Cox. So, should make steering a little bit more straightforward. And they are really trying to fly out the traps here. Both of these boats trying to seize an early initiative. It’s brilliant, isn’t it, Julia? When you watch a race and clearly the game plan is to try and eat a chunk of lead early, try and break the opposition down early. And look at these two boats. They’re both going absolutely dead level early, but they both tried to break each other in those first 100 meters or so, and neither have given an inch. It’s a good uh tight race in the early stages here. Yeah, we hope to have it all the way down here. It will be very exciting. But but obviously the race plan is to go as far as possible from the beginning, making sure there are no mistakes happening because um at the beginning we are getting the boat from standing position all the way in the first couple of strokes to the full speed and then trying to pace the b the best possible uh to settle down and go through the middle distance. in terms of pacing of the race. So, we talked a lot about singles obviously with your background as well a moment ago, but you know all about eights as well. The tactics of a race here. So, we we just said they try and get as much energy into the boat early. I mean, that’s what every eight does, isn’t it? And is it a bit more straightforward in an eight, emptying the tank and just seeing seeing what you’ve got or because of the nature of a longer race, it takes longer, doesn’t it? A single obviously. Is it a bit more tactical sometimes? So I don’t know how you how you think in terms of tactics whether an eight is more or less tactical than a single.
I think both of both events can be very tactical. Depends who are you going against what is your level um with the aid. Again you always um go through the race especially here when it’s one to one and uh seeing what are the strong sides of your opponent what are your strong sides. So I think in both cases and in every even the tactic is very important and knowing the good and the strongest and the weakest sides of your of your opponent. Yeah. Well, this is a good race. We’ve got overlaps and then score on the Barkshire station to the left of your picture are leading by half a length. But whilst Julia was talking there, that’s a boss delel have put in a charge. Have St. Deadwood School responded. The Temple Challenge Cup. This is a good race. Not much in it. Can they turn this round? The Dutch have half a length to make up and they’re just in front of the enclosures now heading in front of Stewwards. But St. Edward School have reacted well to that charge from the Dutch and they’ve held their 3/4 length lead. It’s a Dutch boat’s first rigata. So for them, what an experience. St. Edward school just putting down everything they’ve got in this last couple of hundred meters to stretch to a length lead and we can see coming into the finish line now into the sight of Henry Town Center. There we are. That’s where the finish line is and Edward School as things stand will be first there. Alexander Brown at the Cox driving the boat on Oek in the stroke seat. We’ll be very pleased to see just over a length lead now. That was a good race. They’re not home yet. St Edward School, but in a couple of strokes time they will be. St. Edward School thrown the Temple Challenge Cup and the celebrations in their boat. They know that was a tough one. Asaposit of the Netherlands exit that first regata. They’ll be better for that experience. A great race though. Really good eighth racing. Attention. This is the Fley Challenge Cup. Hamburg up against the Graange School. More quad racing. Junior open quads and the rate is high as you’d expect early junior. This is one of the features. I’m just watching on the Bucks station what the Graange School are up to cuz they’re going very central. I think the umpire might be looking at that very carefully. And I think they’ve got away with it, haven’t they? They’ve corrected that quad without any umpiring interventions required. But if you’re in that boat, Julia, you’re going to be nervous now, aren’t you? Oh, that was a bit of a a meander down the stream. A bit of a wobble with my steering, but they’re back on course now. And presumably now, they need to get themselves mentally back to uh race plan rather than be distracted by that early wobble.
I think it’s really important, and you learn through the trainings to trust each other. And there’s always one person responsible for steering, but the whole crew needs to have trust. And even if if there was a little mistake that uh it will be solved very quickly and the orders the stern three or bar three or whoever doesn’t have steering just need to do everyone have their responsibilities in the boat and those who doesn’t have steering they just need to make sure they keep pushing very very hard because it’s easier when the boat have a speed to steer it.
Well they are making a move here the grain school and you can see them trying to get past Hamburg. This is the seriously big moment in their race, the 40 challenge cup and they’re obviously pushing and trying to make an impact here on the Germans and they have done a good job on the buck station. They got up level now. We’ll see on the Ber station whether we get a response. What is really good and in favor for the locals, let’s say, is that they know um that everyone knows that the the course is longer than the traditional 2K. And sometimes if you try to approach the distance like a 2k distance, it’s it can be difficult um to put the energy in because the tank can be empty uh by the time of the finish. So all the local crews knows about it and they can in the final stage they can have the advantage of that knowledge.
Henry Ravens in the bow seat for the Germans. Magnus Wells in the stroke seat in charge of the steering and there you can see the Graange school, the local school, Angus in the bow seat, Abdul Rahman Farage in charge of the steering in three seats. So that just proves exactly what you were telling me a moment ago about it can vary who does the steering. Three seat for the Graange score here. Mixing it up. [Music] It’s a good race. Not much in it.
It’s a really good race. It’s good to see there’s definitely four spectators. It’s very exciting to see close races, especially if there’s just the winners go through
Hamburg to the right of your picture in the red and white striped shirts in the uh boat on the right. And then we got the green school. They’ve managed to hold on and go past. And having dominated early, they’ve turned it right round, which is a great effort from the Graange School cuz they were down a length halfway. But now they’re upper length and more.
It shows you that even at the beginning they had little issues with steering. They came back, they executed the race very well and they are just a couple of strokes away of winning the race.
Yeah, the Grange School going through in the Fley Challenge Cup and it was an interesting way they did that having gone down a length early in the race at halfway point. They were a length down but they kept their cool, didn’t they? They kept relaxed. They kept their nerve and they made it tell at the end. in the green school beating Hamburg of Germany. [Applause] Attention. Go. [Music] Here’s one. We’ve been looking forward to the Prince Albert, Newcastle University against University of San Diego. Now, this I was on commentary duty yesterday morning for San Diego’s win officially by two feet. Uh, incredible race, my race, the riata so far and San Diego won’t want to run it that close this time. But we’ve seen Newcastle University already in this regata and they look like a class act as well. The Prince Albert Challenge Cup here. So, they’ve taken an early lead, Newcastle University. I wonder how much it took out of San Diego yesterday. When you had a very narrow margin win, as they did yesterday, it’s going to presumably take a lot more. Not just physically, but emotionally it’s going to take more out of you. So coming into the net today and being early on the card, less recovery time than they might have done, it’s a big ask, isn’t that?
Yes, especially University of San Diego at the finish line. They they were not sure. Both uh crews were waiting for the official results. So that was definitely an emotional roller coaster for them and they probably need to pinch themselves that they won the race. and definitely emotionally and physically the race could stay in them even till now. So I’m really interesting how how there is going to go right now.
Newcastle University dominating getting out early and San Diego or if there is any fatigue then they might be excused for it. The race yesterday was incredible because it was the last stroke from San Diego was the first time that they led in the whole race. So you got 2,112 m of water and it was the very last stroke and as you say they won by two feet. Ridiculous margin for such a long race.
Yes, it is. I took part of couple of uh races like this when I was waiting for the results that you go through to um 2K and then the last 500 last 100 meters everything is just good from the beginning and it’s just that finish that you are waiting for like looking at the results and and looking forward to order
say say a few prayers and hope for the best I didn’t have strength to say any prayers you just wait so Newcastle University leading against San Diego. If you’ve got up early to watch this in the United States, well done. Be blurry eyed, but after watching yesterday’s race, you probably thought, “Yeah, I’ll have a bit more of that. What entertainment is also the first time the University of San Diego is here.” So I think it’s a great day but yesterday of um meeting bricks and and today just trying to repeat that and being in the race. You can see the there McDonald San Diego boat. I love the position of the cockes in these boats. You’re right down close to the water and a bit like being a Formula 1 driver, isn’t it? In a in a in a fast boat.
Yes, it’s amazing. It can also during the uh training can cause um pretty challenging condition for those coxes. Uh if they are on the tetherway and there’s loads of wash or not very good weather, they can be washed over splashed.
They can be very splashed. There was one once cocking a crew when I was coaching in samples girls school and we miss a a So I got into bow and there was a big wash and I I was completely soaked after. So yeah, those winters can be very tricky for for those.
I imagine your athlete saw that was hilariously funny.
It was they Yeah, they they laughed a lot that the coach was completely soaked in the bud. Newcastle University, good performance from them. San Diego, well, if they turn this one round, it really will be miraculous. Incredible performance from them yesterday. We’ll look back on Henry Reagata very fondly after what they achieved yesterday. But Newcastle University lots of experience in that boat. Edward Peacock Cox back for his sixth penora gata. Benjamin Brockway in the stroke seat. Same thing. Sixth penora gata and Newcastle University will progress through in the Prince Albert Challenge Cup. Very solid performance from them. Over the line comes San Diego who can hold their heads high. They’ve had a brilliant regata cuz they’ll just play back that race yesterday and uh no they’ve been in a in a fabulous contest. So that’s the Prince Albert Newcastle University through this is the visitors challenge cup Oxford University Bat Elizabeth and Boat Club and Cambridge. So, we’re going to stay very much. Look at the boats here, Julia. It’s an early start, which is causing a few problems because we’ve got the boats swerving around on the course. They’re in a good position right now. Elizabethan and Cambridge. Yeah, Cambridge Club.
They’re just drifting out a little bit central here, aren’t they? They need to keep an eye on this. Elizabeth and Cambridge. There’s a flag up from the umpire being sent back to their side of the water. So again, a early problem with their steering, but they’ve got their composure back now and we’ll see how we can see in the picture there. The response from Oxford University be
what will they get? They’re moving it well now. Those early steering problems must just be a bit unnerving. [Music] This is a high quality race. You got some good athletes in these boats here. Let’s having a look at in the stroke seat. James Young, 19 years old, first Henora Gata. And here’s the Oxford University Bboat. It’s great depth, isn’t it? have a Bboat that can boss a race at Henry Roorati. You got to have a as Oxford University of course do a big deep squad to be able to produce this level in your Bboat, Temple Island and Hamilton Valley. Very lush green looking Hamilton Valley considering lack of rain recently. And here come the Oxford University boat. [Music] between the new [Music] 993 this evening extended to four minutes. Oxford University B finding it hard to keep pace with Elizabeth and Boat and Cambridge [Music] on the buck station. That’s a mammoth lead that they’ve carved out. Now the Visitors Challenge Cup, Elizabeth and Boat Club and Cambridge to the right of your picture. Good performance from them. Yeah, a solid win. Why is it being boat club and Cambridge 99 Club? So it’s Elizabeth and Boat Club and Cambridge who progress through in the visitors Oxford University Bow Out. in the island student women’s 8 nearest from the Netherlands Oxford Brooks University B and they’re getting close early. We’re up at Temple Island here off the start and those blades close together. The umpire has recognized that and has asked the Dutch to get back to their side of the water which they’ve done. In fact, you can see Oxford Brooks University B also heading out to the right of your picture back towards the Buck Station. But it’s the Dutch who have got the early lead here. Very fluent away from the start and now they’ve settled down into race mode, race pace, race rhythm. The umpires just having to get involved briefly there. [Music] So away we go. And through this Oxford Brooks University Boot, you can see Gwenny Hunter and Daisy Jones, Molly Ripen and Millie Hurl, Maria Cowing and Abby Newman, Isabella Wolf Graham and in the stroke seat there, Lucy Green with the Cox, Elizabeth Johnson. That’s through the Oxford Brooks University B. got some work to do because you can see appearing now the lead that the Dutch have already carved out.
There’s a second uh great woman’s race of the day after the singles going from singles to all the way to the eight.
Yeah, big contrast. [Music] Doesn’t mean those girls cannot cannot skull very often. The selection is based on uh seat racing or racing in the singles. Uh depends the club. So um even though now swimming and probably they spend loads of time in can and spend also loads of time in single depends the program.
For those who don’t spend enough time in rowing boats, how different is it? Because it looks to the eye that boat rowing in in a boat like this in an eight must be so different from sculling in in a single perhaps. It must be a very different skill. Yeah, scaling we have two or swiming we have one like here. Um there’s it depends the program I think especially I have learned um being here in UK and looking all those different programs that the uh clubs or universities universities are running um that very often some of the swimmers haven’t been loads of time in the single but I think it’s it’s very useful in terms of training to to have that skill and and sometimes if you don’t have a whole crew that whole crew didn’t turn up because of illnesses or exams It’s good to have that skill to go in the single, but it’s completely different.
Here are the Dutch. Eva Gorser in the bow seat there. 20 years old. First Henry Warata for her and almost everybody else in this boat as well. There a couple of the rowers in the egg camp. You can see there I’ve got uh a couple of others who have had a previous Henny Gata, but the Dutch looking in good shape here. It’s great to see the representation from um from Netherlands uh to see the other countries coming over. We hope to have more and more Europeans and universities uh from all around the world. We have Australia. We have USA, Netherlands, France.
And here’s a boat all the way from Oxford.
All the way from Oxford. Really far.
Just up the road. Yeah. Yeah. Toiling away trying to get back into the race. And the finish line looming. The Dutch will be very pleased with that.
It’s a great shot. It’s a great shot from from
draw. You get a good view of uh exactly how the race is panning out. There’s the finish just towards the church in the background there. Brooks need to do something spectacular here to turn it around. And the Ducks look like they’ve had complete control for most of the race. This is the Oxford Brooks University B. Superb setup, aren’t they? Oxford Brooks dominating Henley Gats of years gone by. [Music] Island Challenge Cup Women’s Eights and a good performance from the Dutch. How tired will the Dutch be after this studio? Is it going to be uh enough in the tank to get through the next couple of days? They’ve been pushed reasonably hard here, haven’t they, by Brooks? But we’ll see if they’ve uh expended lots of energy in the next couple of days. What do you think? I think I think they are they show that they are really well prepared and they’re going to try to last horror regata but also with winning there’s extra adrenaline extra confidence kicking in for for the next for the next races they are you can see in the battle seat Eva Gorta they still stay very clean and composed all the way through to the finish. You just want to make sure that those little mistakes will not
Yeah, you don’t
happen so you really focused on the technique. Nothing to go wrong now. Surely over the line. Eva Gorge will be first over in the bow seat for the Dutch. Job done for them. Oxbrook University B exit the island Challenge Cup.
From our position, we can have a close look how tired the athletes are. [Applause] [Music] Marlo Rowan Club against Tideway Scullars School. This is the Forly Challenge Cup and away they go. Another challenging race ahead. Junior Open quads. So difficult with the steering and they’ve both just about uh managed that early very early stage of the race watching on the Buck Station Tideway Scullars School. It’s pretty impressive for such young athletes. We’ve got 17year-olds entirely in the Marlo rowing club boat. And there you can see nearest the camera, Tideway Scullars School, three 17 year olds and an 18y old. So youngsters on the big stage.
Yeah, the skills those both have is is amazing. um like seeing how quickly how amazing both clubs are developing their program and then the skills um those boys are having at the age of 17 and 18 like very often international level very often um the boys and all the juniors are trying to get also to the teams to represent the country for a world rowing championship so it’s it’s amazing to see the level
I’m just watching uh Tideway way who are getting a bit close on the uh left hand side of the picture there with their blades towards that boom. I think they’ll be trying to inch away from that. They were getting mighty close to colliding with the boom. There they are.
Still going close to the boom. Yeah. Would you say that’s a bit too close, Julia? Would you uh be playing it safer? Because look how tight that is. I mean, in a way, it’s perfect, isn’t it? But you’re a whisker away from disaster by going that close. and they are in the lead. So, you’d have thought they’d perhaps want to inch out and play it a bit safer.
Yeah, it will move a little bit away to be honest with you. But, um, we need to remember the angle of the athletes. They are they see they know the steering person knows the boat the best like it’s but I will move a little bit to to be a little bit safer.
So, there’s Marlo. They’re in a lovely spot on the river, aren’t they? Nice bit of gap between them and the boom. And how are we getting on over here? Tideway Scullars School.
And now we can see that they are a bit far away. And it’s hooded up this way.
I think they heard you, Julia. I think they said, “Let’s get away from this boom.” And uh now they’re in a great spot, aren’t they? Leading. And on a good path there. The Tideway Scullars School moving nicely at the moment. In the bow seat, you can see Joseph McCarthy his back on the left of your picture. He’s had one previous Henley Roar regata, the only one in his boat who has. There he is. He’ll be drawing in on that experience. Little glance over his right shoulder to see how far away the finish line is. He doesn’t need to glance over his shoulder to try and see Marlo cuz they’re some way back. You can see he’s got them in their sight. That must be a great feeling when you can see the opposition boat in your wake in front of stewards at Henley. Good job from Tideway Scullars School beating Marlo Rowan club over the line they come. Both polite ripples of applause from the stewards enclosure. Both of these boats will have got lots of support on the bank early on this day three of Henry Roorata. Over the line come Marlo now. So victory for Tideway Sculla score in the Fley Challenge Cup. Time for something different. The double skulls challenge cup. Lomass and Clack and Leander Club on the Barkshire station and McInness and Reinhard from Australia on the Buck station.
So, we are saying good evening to Australia.
We are. Yes, it’s what uh where they’re from. Uh 20-7 in the evening. And there’s the umpire immediately uh waking the Australians up, getting them back across their side of the water cuz they went into too central a region there and now they’re in a good position and now they’re leading. This is McInness and Reinhard from Australia who they are jumping away.
Yeah, they are. Even though their steering wasn’t quite what you were after, but uh they’ve shown good speed, haven’t they? Good boat speed despite the steering. And now they’re into a nice rhythm. seen these guys out. They’ve been out early on the water when I arrive at 6:00 in the morning. They go through their practice paddles and got good discipline and will be very pleased to be in competition mode now having uh waited a few days for this.
You’re seeing really nice and strong acceleration all the way to the body holding the finishers really strong around the bodies. waiting till Thursday to start your competition. So, you and I had a discussion earlier on this morning about what day you started. I was sure it was a Thursday and you were sure it was a Wednesday. I’m still not sure right now.
You’re still not sure? I’m going to go and check my records later. But the point stands that you have some athletes. I think you and definitely these have to wait till late in the week. You have a couple of days of watching it all happen. You probably itching to get on the water by now, aren’t you? If you’ve been kicking around in accommodation in Henley, watching everybody else have the fun competing, by the time you get to Thursday, some have to wait till Friday, some have to wait till Saturday for a first hour.
And some and some are done. Yes. Yeah. Well, more actually, aren’t they in truth? Yeah. Quite a lot of people have gone home already.
Yeah, exactly. You will not see them anymore on the course. Um, it is a long wait, but once you win the competition, you’re already happy.
Yes. and you go out and paddle and get used to the conditions each morning early, but it’s not the same as this, is it? Now you’re on the water
and sometimes in H you can have every day different different conditions and it’s really important also for at least and for the coaches especially to you know what the conditions are how to set up the
the OS to make sure that the row will be very efficient
and get the feel of the water to get the feel of the water. So that’s why we have very often at least going for the morning row to just wake up and and feeling have that last feeling before the race.
That’s all well and good. But what will for instance McInness and Reinhard what on earth they’ve been up to in terms of it’s a long day, isn’t it? If you go out on a paddle at 6:00 in the morning, you’re done by 9:00. You’ve got to be off the water by 9:00 because that’s when the competition starts. Then you’ve got hours and hours to wh away, try and keep focus. Plenty of distractions in Henley during the regata week. You get led astray. Sure. They’re very focused and professional. But
yeah, I had that conversation with uh with my boss um CD David Riches from Westminster how different my experience was as athlete uh compared to the junior’s experience. Um and he said it’s very important to stay focused along the regata because there’s loads of distraction especially for the juniors. I think with the elite athlete and international athlete coming for the world rowing competition is that you know how to not get those distra distraction on on your way with juniors they need to learn through the competition especially coming to big henley. Uh we we told our crew I’m coaching in Westminster to make sure they stay focused. So I think it’s very it’s also a learning curve if you see all those juniors coming for the first second or third time how different experience it is.
Yeah. How you can constructively use your time to recover and reset for your next outing between races. And that often is the difference between the really top quality athletes and and the lesser athletes who are busy and always want to be on their feet and doing things between races. So it’s a different sort of discipline, isn’t it? Definitely McInness and Reinhardt who have had these couple of days waiting in their first outing. They’ve clearly got it absolutely right because they’re over the line in the next few minutes. Oscar McInness, Mitchell Reinhardt, both in their mid20s. There we see Leander on the home water trying to keep coming. Joshua Lomass and Alex Clack. Two 23 year olds from Leander Club. Over the line go the Australians and through to the next round of the double skulls Challenge Cup. Here come Leander now. [Music] And their confirmation. This is the visitors challenge cup. Tame’s rowing club B against Leander and Tideway Scullars School [Music] open fours. Good skills off the start pontoon especially from the Ander Club and Tideway Scullars. They’ll be very familiar with this stretch of water. They’re getting close to the boom as well. Just watching those uh blades. They’re inching away a bit. We’ve seen a couple of boats on the buck station get perilously close without actually colliding into the booms this morning. Good running on the uh on the tow path there. He’s not going to keep that up for 2,112 m, is he? The jogger. [Music] He’s beating temp club B at the moment, but I don’t think they’ll be for long. Little bit of a breeze in terms of conditions. Judy, you mentioned a few minutes ago that they change here at Henley daily and we have had everything thrown at these athletes, haven’t we? The searing heat of day one. Yesterday is more overcast. Today it’s really bright and glary, lovely sunshine, but not nearly as hot. So, so we’re getting a bit of everything so far. I suppose the wind is the key factor that as a rower you look out for most of all. Definitely the the conditions I think rowers don’t like is a side wind. That’s definitely if if straight headwind or tailwind it’s so far for everyone but once it comes to side wind that’s what I think most of the don’t like to go against.
Yeah. Cuz that distorts the race a little bit that you can’t be excited when you turn up at Henry and get a headwind. I mean, it doesn’t often happen, but we haven’t had that this week. But it’s a long enough course as it is, isn’t it? Without a headwind, that’s for sure. Little bit of assistance from a tailwind is always good, I think. So, we have Tam’s Ryan Club against Leander Club and Tadis. So, the composite have the locals in.
Yes.
And then the TS Roers from London. So the locals Tristan Wenger, Cameron Becky, Harry Geffen, and Calini. That’s the lineup for the Leandandy Club and Tideway Scullars School Taming Club from a bit further a field. That’s the local boat moving nicely. Great situation for them mid race into the latter stages where they can drop the rate conserve their energy looking very smooth done their work nicely there the club in the first half of the race now have got control over temps rowing club B on the barker station Here’s the margin at the moment. Significant margin. Leander Club and Tideway Scullars School making light work of this visitors challenge cup. There’s Temp’s rowing club B. [Applause] Good performances, Julia, isn’t it? Impressed with the Leandandy Club and Tideway Scullars.
Definitely in the lead. The lead is amazing. And also, it’s great to have that shot from the drone that we can see clearly what is the distance. And you can also see that the um the leaders are just trying to keep the energy for the rest of the regata.
Cruising now, aren’t they? Yeah. Not overdoing it. They know they’ve got this under. Let’s just keep a close eye. And there’s a big charge, isn’t there, from temp’s rowing club. It’ll be too late for that. The Andy Club and Tideway Scullars over the line. Couple of lengths clear in the end. Good burst from T’s rowing club in front of Stewarts, but was never going to be enough to catch Leander Club and Tideway Scullars. They’re throw in the visitors challenge cup. Nice attention. Go the diamond challenge skulls. We’ve got the uh Japan boat on the Barkshire station, Arakawa. And then Wilkinson in the boat on the Buck station. [Music] Julia Mahowska and Pop of Yak is here and she’s going to stay here as well. I’m not letting you go, Julia. We’ve got Mark Hunter in the commentary box in a few minutes time, but Julia will see us through this race. Diamond challenge skulls. You know all about it. You know about rowing a single, so you’re the person to have here. And it’s a good start in the Japanese boat, isn’t it? You can see working very nicely there. Arakawa, good early lead and great to see uh Japan here and and Julia, you know a little bit about Arakawa’s CV. Yeah, he was n uh ninth in single and par Olympic games. I think it’s great to see um Japan coming strong in a single and I think um having him also around the world cups and world championships uh what the names they call idler and and really he’s trying his best to get to the top elite of the single scholars. Yeah, a regular on the international circuit. Arakawa 12th in the men’s singles. So uh last in the B finals. another way to look at it but nonetheless that shows the the pedigree of Arakawa. This was last year in World Cup three but uh got national team selection does very well regular in a Japan rowing championship. It’s great to see representation from all around the world though we’ve got so many different countries on the water in this morning’s session
and it it is uh his second Henley. Yeah. Age 30 now. Is the rowa who finished 11th at the Tokyo games, ninth in the Paris games. So an Olympic veteran. Now
he also knows that the next races will be very challenging. So we can again see that the pacing he just stays in front strong focus but just saving some probably saving some energy for the next races.
Yeah, Tim Wilkinson 30 years old as well. Lots more Henry Gata experience. This is his seventh. You can see him there. seventh Henior Gata and looks like he’s enjoying himself although he’s got a lot of work to do to keep pace with the Japanese boat builder and occasional farmer helping out his brother on the farm. So Tim Wilkinson gets fit enough to do Henry Reagata tough manual labor on the farm with his brother. I love these little biogs of what people get up to away from rowing. Racing for his home club, Greenbank Falmer, where he learned to row 13 years ago. This is uh from down in Cornwall, Southwest, beautiful parts of the world down in Cornwall. It’s where Tim Wilkinson’s based. You ever been to Cornwall, Julia?
I did.
Good.
I loved it. Excellent.
It’s amazing. It’s really beautiful. Beautiful part.
That’s where Tim Wilkinson’s from. And you’ve been to Japan? I didn’t yet.
Not yet. Okay. Well, this is where Ara car was from. And he’s put together a good race here, leading very comfortably in front of Stewarts, helping with the international representation. and super calm. It’s very still, isn’t it? The conditions conditions here ideal, aren’t they, Julia, for for rowing now. It’s beautiful sunshine. Still,
it’s not too hot. Still
not too hot. It’s a great Yeah, it’s great conditions to to race right now in front of Stewarts in the lead in the sunshine from Japan. [Applause] road to Arakawa. [Applause] Not too far to go. As you say, we’ll be fully aware that there’ll be some tough tests coming up in the next couple of days.
And we also see see the Milkinson going all the way to the finish. It’s great to see that even if you are second, you keep trying to to fight till the finish line. I think it’s very important that we are not giving up giving back the race, we just continue pushing till the end. So, a couple more. So, it’s gone quite central here, but uh we’re far enough into the race for that not to be of any concern. Well done to the Japanese orman. Ray to Arakawa. Safely through to the second round. The diamond challenge skulls [Music] beating Tim Wilkinson. [Music] Thank you for the morning.
Thank you, J. It’s been a joy to have you along. Hope you enjoyed it.
I did. It was a huge pleasure. Thank you so much. Tom will be jumping into that seat and we’ll watch Wfold Tyne against Sydney in Australia. Evening to you if you’re enjoying this over your tea down under. And we’ve got a good rate on our hands here at the Diamond Challenge Skulls. has been and gone and now the Wfold Challenge Cup. So, this is the race we’ve been looking forward to. And it’s pretty even so far, isn’t it? Not too much in it in the early stages. And Tom is here. Good morning, Tom. Morning, Tim. Great to be here. Another beautiful day in the Tempame’s Valley. It is, isn’t it? This is absolute perfection. Lovely sunshine, bright glistening water. And this is a good start to this one. Some good racing already, Tom. I’m sure you’ve been keeping half an eye on it. We’ve had a few highlights, more than half a night. Tim had a lovely ice coffee in the stewers this morning and ted over to the grand stands. Some excellent racing. I think as the week picks up, so does the racing. It all intensifies as we move towards the weekend’s semi-finals and finals. And I’ve had one eye on this Sydney Rowing Club crew in the Wifold all week. They came through the qualifiers to make the main draw and they’re one of the only Sydney Rowing Club crew left in the competition. So all the Australian hopes riding on this boat in shot here,
which puts a little bit of pressure on them, but they’re moving very nicely at this stage on the back station. Sydney Rowing Club in the Wfold Challenge Cup against Tine Amateur Rowing Club who are struggling to keep pace in the first half of the race. Sydney already look very controlled, very poised, very calm in there. Long way to go in this race, but it’s a good start for them. Can see in the stroke seat there, Ambrose Hennessy, 19 years old, second Henry Gata. is remarkable actually when you look in that Sydney rowing club boat how much experience there is come all around the world and Thomas Patrick in the bow seat this is his fifth Henry Roar regata he’s only 19 just watching in the closing stages of the race and it’s very tight in front of Stewarts so Sydney trying to hold on they have had a lead for most of this race but Tine amateur rowing club have got it down to quarter of a length now Sydney’s lead and they’re going to have to hold on to try and get into the finish line. Sydney will hold on, will they? Yeah, I think they’ve got just enough in the tank to get over the line there. In fact, they’ve extended their lead, but Sydney Rowan Club had a bit of a scare there. Ty Amateur Rowan Club fought back just over a length down in the end, but that last 100 meters or so, Tom, that was a terrific finish. Yeah, Tyne often find a bit of gas in front of Stewward. It’s not a like them to turn on the afterburners. Didn’t quite have enough to overturn Sydney. I think Tim just did enough hard work in the first half to make sure that result carried through. Attention.
This is the Temple Challenge Cup. Harvard University B. And we got Nerus the Dutch boat on the back station. Student open eight. All right, the Dutch are just moving a little bit away from their side of the water into the middle, but I think they’ll be okay. And they’ve nudged ahead early, not by much. Tight start to this race. America against the Dutch. So that’s the start. That’s how it worked out early. Very even at this point. And now here we are a bit further down the water and it’s still really tight. Perhaps Harvard University just edging it. But Tom, this has got the hallmarks of being a a really good race. Both of these eights will think, “Yeah, we’re we’re right in it here.” Yeah. Nothing makes me happier than an early riser in the Temple Challenge Cup. Student men’s eights near left Harvard right. And it’s another characterization of how popular this regata is right across the world with crews from the Netherlands and the USA. this this Harvard crew have had a phenomenal season. They’re the sort of second varsity boat in the lightweight uh category for the Crimson and they’ve gone undefeated all year up against this near house boat who come back in 2025 with revenge on their mind. They went out to Harvard A last year and that’s who likely they will face on Saturday if they make it through the successive rounds of this competition. But they’re going to have to see off the Bibbo and doing pretty good job so It’s quite a big if, isn’t it, at this stage cuz have got a lot of work to do here at the moment. It is them. But Harvard University Ber length down and you wonder what they’ve got left. They look like uh a wellorganized boat, don’t they? Then we’ll see in the next couple of hundred meters whether they try and make a move and whether we get the response from us. But yeah, actually that was in fact a move from the Dutch, isn’t it? who have just moved up a little bit more comfortably and moving away now. Important stretch of the race.
Yeah, I was I was chatting to one of the lads in the near house boat just before the regata started and he fancied they were 3 to 5 seconds quicker about that sort of margin quicker than their a boat last year. So I think they’re expecting to go deep into this competition, but Harvard clinging on and Tim that could be critical in the final junctions of the race because they haven’t quite snapped that sort of intangible elastic band that connects the cruise. And if Harvard decide to mount a bit of a lighty sprint here, we could be in for a blockbuster finish.
We could if they’ve got that in them. We’ll see. They’re a length down at the moment. Harvard, have they got the snap? Have they got the energy? They’ve definitely got the time in the race. There’s still plenty of water left to navigate. So, but in fact, if you look at it now, Tom, it looks like it’s Neals who are moving away. If anything, Harvard, you said they’re trying to hang on. The lead seems to be increasing.
Yeah, it’s a critical juncture. NAS have two options here. They either try and sit on that lead, which is risky, but conserves more energy for a potential final sprint, or they put their foot on the throat of the race, and they try and end this now. And I think that’s exactly what the Dutch are doing. You can see there the back of Bowman and Yapworm just trying to move that crew on. Stay technical in the bow sea. It requires a lot of tenacity and skill to keep that boat moving as the bow surge up and down. And there Tim, I think you’ve caught it spot on. You can see there the length just striding out from near and they’re starting to increase that lead. on the Dutch Cox. Now, Paratoss will be very satisfied with that last couple of minutes of performance because they’ve now got significant clear water between themselves and the Americans. And that wasn’t always so obviously going to pan out like that. But they’ve put in a good shift to see off this Harvard boat. The Harvard boat still going at it, aren’t they? You can see there used van Aspirin the Harvard bowman grew up in Amsterdam actually. So uh is Dutch and he’s against the Dutch here and uh may not be enjoying the result because of that. He would have been very up for this one because of that Dutch connection you van Aspirin but unfortunately for him it looks like he’s going to end up on the wrong end of the result. is compatriots in the opposition boat have put together an excellent race. [Applause] So, it’s near house versus St. Edwards in the next round of the Temple Challenge Cup. The school boys versus the students potentially. Over the line they go. Well done on the buck station to near the Dutch boat and Harvard University B with the Dutchman in the bow seat coming second. Attention. Go.
This is the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup. Edinburgh University against Nottingham Rowing Club. And a spritly start from Prince of Wales boat on the left. Edinburgh University. This is a event that’s very challenging, isn’t it? with all those uh all those blades going into the water and relative lack of Henley experience in both boats. Little bit of a swerve down the course from Nottingham, but they’ve got it sorted out. First couple of hundred meters done and it’s Edinburgh University who have pinched an early lead there. The interesting they’ve gone quite predictably maybe with Freddy Fox to be in charge of steer steering in three seat. He’s had four previous Henora gats. So in the stroke seat mind you there’s a bit of experience there. Robert Humphre who’s been twice before here in the stroke seat. But uh there’s the steering in that Edinburgh University boat in three seat. The most experienced of them and you can see them there closest to the camera moving well. Edinburgh University with a good squad at this rigata.
Absolutely. Yeah, they’ve qualified every boat that they entered into the rigata. I think a few have now been knocked out. We’re on the Thursday morning, so day three. But this Edinburgh University quad much fancied plank in the bow seat straight out of uh the Scottish school system. Really talented athlete moving that boat well. And the bow seat in the quad is a critical one because it sets up the crew for success and he’s doing a fabulous job. And as you said Tim earlier, these quad skulls not easy to steer and navigate down this stretch. Most people watch this race and probably think, “Well, it’s a straight line. How hard can this be?” But I tell you now, there are it’s fraugh with challenges.
And that’s the thing about these elite performers, isn’t it? In the same in any sport, you watch someone who’s really good and you think, well, how hard can that be? And the answer is almost impossible. Well, they make it look easy. Isn’t that the hallmark of a fantastic crew when they make things like rowing look easy?
Yeah. The skill levels are phenomenal. Edinburgh University there carving out a good lead on the oldest boat clubs in Scotland. Way back in 1867 they were established. Not surprising to me to see Edinburgh doing well. Coached by Dale Flock, former senior GB lightweight international, so he’ll know what it takes to skull a quad skull uh in this manner. And Edinburgh now in a situation where they can probably just ease off the gas ever so slightly. conserve a bit of energy because if they want a deep run into the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup, they’re going to have at least another three races ahead of them. Yes. Which is a lot to have on your plate between now and Sunday potentially have uh racing Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. But that’s providing nothing goes catastrophically wrong in the next couple of minutes. Nottingham Rowan Club. well behind here, but we’ll be hoping something goes wrong. Doesn’t look like anything could uh possibly go wrong now, does it? Because look how Edinburgh University have dropped the rate, as Tom says. Conserving energy for the heavy workload that’s ahead of them. Very smooth. Not much wrong with that, Tom.
No, I was remarking in the uh in the commentary tent earlier just how beautiful these drone shots are. is so illustrative of what we’re uh what we’re experiencing both off and on the water and riding with that Edinburgh crew. The feeling of of elation they must be going through right now just enjoying their skull. What is it 10 on the Thursday morning of Henry Roorata? The sun is shining at Edinburgh having everything their own way. Nottingham fighting trying to up the pace. So you can see there the bowman in the Nottingham boat, Ollie Owen, who’s in charge of the steering as well, fighting to the finish. And they’ve definitely narrowed the gap in the last 100 yards or so, but it’s all about Edinburgh University here. Prince of Wales Challenge Cup, their progress. Very highly rated boat and they will be enjoying that. Not too far to go. last couple of strokes and it’s Edinburgh University who go through in the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup beating Nottingham Rowan Club by a decent margin. Another high quality performance from them. Lots ahead.
They get it right. Three more consecutive days of racing for them. Paddling on. Yeah. This is the Bratannia Challenge Cup. Royal Chester Rowing Club on the Barkshire Station. Off they go up against Temp’s Rowing Club A and trying to get as much pace in the boat as possible. Both boats look like they’ve done a good job of that. Perhaps T’s own club a little bit sharper. We’ll wait and see as they come out of Temple Island. Yes, they’re just in the lead at only what 3/4 of a length, maybe a length. There’s the same jogger again going down the toe path. He I don’t know if he’s doing shuttles, but he keeps on taking on these boats. He’s not having much joy. He can’t keep up with the boats. Same red t-shirted jogger. One way to get on the telly, it so rain club on the buck station. You can see there James Woodford, Richard Hume, Luke Putter, and Callum Young in the stroke seat moving very nicely. Trying to get the job done early here, aren’t they?
Yeah, that’s exactly it. Tim Henley, this one.
Sorry. There’s the red t-shirt. Yeah,
I would describe that as a a jog. That looks much more like a sprinter.
Well, this is it. Up and down flying at that pace. Phenomenal.
If that’s your jogging speed, then I think you’re
It’s not
You’re not a casual runner, are you? But yeah, Royal Chester, a great story from those guys from the northwest of England. They were the finalist in this event last year, and it’s exactly the same crew. Cox by Sarah Armstrong, 54 years young. She’s one of the most experienced Coxes on the Henley Regata course, but they’re going to have to find a little bit more to stay on terms with this temp’s crew who for me are the dark horses in this competition. Yes, Sarah Armstrong has her work cut out. Royal Chester Rowing Club Cox there. You can see rowing club boat second at Wallingford Regata. and moving it well. See, it’s still very much race on, isn’t it? Royal Chester, just as you said. Look at that. Really close now. Royal Chester have got themselves right back into this. Great toughness from them, isn’t it? Mental toughness, physical toughness to stay there. They’re coming quite central in the water, but
yeah, they need to make sure they stay on their side of the water, but down to half a length now. It’s just being stretched out again. Good response from T’s rowing club who have been aware. They thought they’d thrown off Chester, we said, trying to get the job done early. They they didn’t get the job done early, did they? They’ve had a fight further down
and they’ve had to respond there and they have done getting it back up to a length. the role of the Coxes now and the bow seat or the bow loaded Coxes is going to be critical because like you said Tim’s clearly were trying to move on early. They haven’t managed that. There’s still overlap and Royal Chester will take a lot of heart from that and we know how hard this Royal Chester crew can fight and will fight. They’ll be desperate to progress through the rounds here and set up a repeat showdown on Sunday. And it looks to me like they’re just winding up the gears here.
Yeah, they’re going at it again, aren’t they? trying to eat into that lead that Tame’s own club have enjoyed for the whole race so far, but the margin has fluctuated between quite comfortable to very tight. And I think we’re at the very tight stage again, aren’t we? Cuz they’re really going for it here. Royal Chester Rowing Club. You can see on the right hand side of your picture there, trying to muster enough to get back level. They’re certainly giving Temp’s Rowing Club a fright. Whether they’ve got enough in the boat to overcome that lead, we’ll have to wait and see. But it’s now or never for them, isn’t it? Royal Chester Rowing Club, they’ve got to throw everything at it. Yeah, I think now it’s a psychological question more than it is physiological, particularly for Tempame’s who have just sat at around a length lead all the way down. They’ll know that Rochester are right there and they know they won’t have an easy last 500 meters. So it’s up to temps and and their uh Rahul Ram Krishnan to ensure that they’ve got enough to see themselves over the line. Actually watching temps they look really smooth, really efficient. They don’t look like they’re wasting a lot of energy. I think they’re probably going to be okay. But Royal Chester there again finding another gear.
Yeah, you just saw the Cox. You can see there had a little glance to the left. It was quite a nervous glance I suspect to the left. But look how close this is. The umpire is saying to them to temps rowing, you’ve got to get back onto your side of the water. And that’s going to take pace out of their boat and it’ll ask a few more questions and it might open a door for Royal Chester to launch a last counterattack in front of Stewarts Rain Club despite the umpire waving the flag and sending them back onto their side of the water will have enough. That was their moment, wasn’t it, for Royal Chester. If they were going to do anything, it was going to be then. But well done to Tam’s Rang Club who regained their composure after that and less than a length separating the two boats. Royal Chester, good effort from them. We thought that would be a good one and it was in the Bratannia Temp’s rowing club through The Danish against the Americans. The visitors challenge Cup. Away they go. Very high rate from the Danish. Just watching the blades on the right hand side of your picture and the American boat getting quite close to the boys. It is boys rather than boom at this stage. Don’t want to get much closer than that, Tom. No, this camera on the on the side riding with these crews gives you a very clear illustration of how close Tideway Scars and Evergreen are to the booms that I was going to say they they had a beautiful line at the start straight as an arrow, but pretty close there. They don’t want to sort of move on the rudder any further than that. And I’m just watching on in the background that Danish crew, Mosy uh and um and Hols Rock Club from Denmark just moving on. There’s the international flavor across this event, but anchored by a lot of British presence and this Moldy boat on the far side are one of my dark horses for this competition. Well, you might have called that right because it’s a good lead they’ve got so far. Moldy boat with a bit of Danish influence in there as well. have got a good lead. We’re just looking through the tideway scullar scoring evergreen boat club the Americans in that boat. You can see there in the bow seat there of Tamasi who’s in his fifth Henora gata only 22 and they’ve actually got themselves you could say that was perfection in terms of the steering but it was a whisker away from big trouble wasn’t it? H yeah, the visitors challenge Cup always brings us exciting competition, not just between the crews, but between the crews and the booms, but both of these boats managing to navigate the 2,112 m course safely at the moment. And I think just looking at this Mosy Danish crew, the athletes sort of hail from all over the place. Plenty of pedigree on board, including Sam Ford in the three seat, who actually won the Temp’s Challenge Cup with Mosy in 2022. So he has direct experience of winning on this piece of water and I’m sure he’s imbuing that to the boat at the moment because they are in complete control.
Yeah. In that three seat Sam Ford you mentioned now 23 years old mentioned he’s had five previous Honeyura gatas and he’ll know that they’re in a good spot on the Parker station. This is the tideway scatter score evergreen boat and then up all across that clear water to the lead boat. They’ve providing nothing terrible happens. They’ve got the job well and truly under control here and they can just chill a little bit. Got to keep their concentration. But if you’re going to enjoy Henry Moragata, it’s in a position like that, isn’t it? In the sunshine, just coming into in front of Stewart’s big lead. Visitors challenge Cup Thursday morning. Should be enjoying that.
Well, I think Sam Ford in the 3C is enjoying it. That drone just closing in on their position and he gave us a big smile. So I think he is certainly enjoying his Thursday morning showdown against Tideway Scholars and Evergreen who who like Mosy and the Danish hail from some of the US universities. So three guys from Dartmouth and one from Nor Eastern. They come together in these sort of composite crews under the the convenient flag of of of a UK club plus maybe a couple of others from abroad and they ruin the visitors challenge cup because it’s one of these events that that enables and empowers crews and athletes from all over the world to come together. But at the moment, this Mosy uh Danish crew just looking like a class above.
Yeah, Highway Scullars there fighting away trying to keep in contention in front of the Stewart. They’re getting a round of applause for their endeavors. Over the line they go. Multiboat club and the Danish as well. Holster bro and rock club. They are over the line now and safely into the next round of the visitors challenge cup. Finishing flourish from Tideway Scollet School. Evergreen boat over the line now. Sure there’ll be plenty of respect between the two boats. put on to the winners there in the visitors. Mosy boat cover back and St. Paul’s school in the 40 challenge cup. Away they go in the for 2,112 m of water opening up. Winds a boys won 140 12 months ago. Watching very carefully where St. Paul’s are heading here. So is the umpire. There’s the white flag. Get back on your side of the water is the instruction. They’ve come a long way across. No danger of a collision, but the umpire definitely keen to get them back over onto the buck’s side of the water and they’re doing that. Quite a steep angle they’re rowing at though, isn’t that? Yeah, that won’t help them at all. Every movement on that rudder just slows the boat down. And we can see there Moy have moved out to 3/4 of a length lead already. And I think that’s partly due to the steering there from PS who just couldn’t get it right at the start. This pool’s crew coming together from the second day. They’re a sweep all club predominantly. Of course, they are one of the favorites for the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup for junior men’s eights, but these boys from the second eight moving into the quad and having a tilt at the foley like we saw Shiplate do last year and clean a little bit left to learn about how to sort of skull that course with a foot rudder cuz Moy looking just a little more accomplished at this stage. Junior Open Quad Skull. So, they’re all under 18 and definitely the Moldy Boat Club, you can see moving very well. Here we are a bit further down the water and the action live. They’re looking really good, aren’t they? Moy Boat Club on the Barkshire Station pushing out a a good lead against St. Paul’s. And they’ll just want to sit on that, won’t they, for the next couple of minutes.
Yeah, Moy will want no drama in this race. They’re a selected crew, which means the stewards view them as one of the faster entries into this category for junior men’s quads, and they’ll just want to ensure they keep that distance between themselves and the St. Paul’s bow. As I said, Julian Egan Shuttler, who’s the head of junior rowing at Moles, he stepped into that post September 2024. So, this is his first year and he has done wonderful things for that program and supplanting this boat into the sort of the top seedings for the Fley Challenge Cup. And and Tim, just a personal note for me, this is the only event I ever competed in at Henley Roata. And I can tell you that having done it 12 years ago, the standard of junior sculling in this country has accelerated beyond all rational measure. These quads just exceptionally gifted and and it’s fantastic to see the the standard go up and up and up as we continue to win medals on the major stage. Yes, that’s why I pointed out the fact they’re under 18 all of them which uh is a great effort, isn’t it, to be competing and you can see here the Mosy Boat Club, Charlie Thomas in the bow seat. He’s doing the steering here. Daniel Broaddy, Ralph Harwick Skittle, and Dylan Morris, 17y olds, 18y olds. Three of them have got previous H anymore experience and they’re going nicely into the second half of this race and in front of the enclosures they’ll get a good reception. Sure they’ve got lots of support on the bank about plenty of time now their supporters to get down to the Barkshire bank cheer them on. Actually worth mentioning that St. Paul’s school have battled on gamely here, haven’t they? They’ve not let the lead extend in the second half of the race and they’re giving a a good fighting challenge at the end of the race. Rape high and pushing on pretty effectively, but it won’t be enough to overturn the order of things. Moy boat club in front of the crowds there to keep on working to the line because of the spirited effort from St. Paul’s school. Last couple of hundred meters was good from them, wasn’t it? Even though they were on the the wrong end of the result. Absolutely. Yeah, they found an extra gear. Couldn’t close down the distance like you said, Tim. Just too much of a margin in the end, but never gave up. Credit to St. Paul’s.
So, Multibboat Club threw in the Fley Challenge Cup. Webster against Kennedy in the Princess Royal Challenge Cup. Lizzie Webster of Leicester Rowing Club. You can see to the left of your picture the steering there. She’s getting an early warning as well from the umpire. That was great umpiring really, wasn’t it? To flag that up early and try and help her out. That’s what they’re trying to do. And had uh the umpire left it any later than Lizzy Webster might have been facing more of a problem, but that was uh very well dealt with there. Proactive, not reactive is what we like to say.
Exactly. Yeah, nicely put. And we’ve got Shannon Kennedy who’s uh sitting in the middle of the water there with more than a length lead in the early stages. Very experienced 32 years old. We’ve seen that Shannon Kennedy on the circuit many times. Very successful athlete looking to try and make good progress in the Princess Royal Challenge Cup. definitely wants to be uh here come the weekend, don’t she Canadian and there the lead exactly what you want at this stage of the race. Shannon Kennedy knows all about how to deal with Henley. A lovely Hamilton Valley stretching away in the background. You see all the gazeos and the tents and the entertainment, hospitality on that bank. I mean, Tim, I’m I’m biased company, but I think that is the single most beautiful thing I can see on a TV screen, the Oxfordshire countryside just stretching way into the distance as Shannon Kennedy, who has prior experience of winning here at Henley Roat, as you hinted at. And you can’t underestimate the importance of that, how crucial that can be to a successful run down Henley track, knowing what it takes to win on this stretch of water. So important. And she’s doing all the right things here in her heat of the Princess Royal Challenge Cup.
Yeah. And reassuring and uh confidence building as well, isn’t it? You have that sense of belonging on this stage having previously won here. So a good performance. Lizzy Webster, well hopefully enjoying it. definitely in touch. Here she is on the Barkshire station. Plenty of the race to go still. Well, word for Lizzie Webster. She hails from Leicester Rowing Club, who are also the home club of Lauren Henry, European Olympic and world champion. And I’m sure Lauren who’ll be racing this event, Lizzie will be taking a lot of inspiration from Lauren. So looking at the draw, you’ve got a chance of a clash after this morning’s opening race of on Saturday, Imagin Grant against Lauren Henry and then uh could Shannon Kennedy sneak through and uh meet one of those two.
Look, Lauren versus Imagigen would be an incredible showdown. And let’s see if Shannon Kennedy can continue to navigate. That’ll take prime billing on Saturday afternoon should it come to pass. Obviously, we’ve got uh lots of water to pass under the bridge before then, but it would be nice, wouldn’t it, to see that lineup, see that battle. Shannon Kennedy moving the boat. Well, good balance, good posture, nice rhythm, making it look like a very leisurely and enjoyable pursuit. We talked about it earlier, didn’t we, Tim? But making rowing look easy is one of the hardest things to do and Shannon Kennedy super efficient, super dynamic. Of course, she’s in a position where she can make it look easy by virtue of the fact that she’s built up an unassalable lead. But it’s all about sort of how you are positioned in the upper body, how well you utilize that leg drive, and she’s making it all look very straightforward
on the Henley course. And look for Lizzie Webster, she’s obviously come up against an athlete here who is just her superior at this stage, but at 21 years of age, what an experience to race a senior international on this world famous stretch of water. And she’ll take a lot of lessons from this, I’m sure.
Yeah, Lizzy Webster there, you can see, no doubt valuing the experience of being up against the very best. says she’s uh still volunteering, still learning, still enjoying a challenge and trying to help people make boats go faster, does a lot of coaching and a lot of work around the circuit. Student paramedic at De Mo University, Lizzie Webster, her coach, Howard Marsh, who volunteering and helping others. And here we’ve got the leader, the Canadian Shannon Kennedy, 32 years old and very nearingly into the next round of the Princess Royal Challenge Cup. It’s a busy schedule for them. Plenty of time on the water between now and Sunday if that’s how far you last. Yeah, it’s a congested schedule for sure and so competitive here, particularly in the small boats for the 2025 edition of this riata. Shannon Kennedy, we’ve talked about it already with a couple of crews this morning, Tim, just going to be able now to ease off the gas. She can enjoy her skull past the enclosures and crucially contain herself and reserve a bit of energy for future endeavors. Yeah, and she’s just about there. So, well done to Shannon Kennedy. The Canadian is through on the buck station there. You can see going over the finish line in the Princess Royal Challenge Cup. Lizzy Webster. Great experience for her. Only a youngster coming over the finish line in the next few strokes. There’s Lizzy Webster. Little glance to see where the line is. Over the line she goes. But through to the next round in the Princess Royal Challenge Cup, Shannon Kennedy. Attention. Go.
This is the Island Challenge Cup. Oxford Brooks University there. Aboat against another Aboat from Edinburgh University. All the power, all the grunt, all the clout at the start. Edinburgh University to the right of your picture. Trying to make sure the steering is good. You get an idea though if you look beyond the boats just how gun barrel straight this uh more than 2 km course is as they head down towards Henry Town Center and Henry Bridge and the early lead picked up by Oxford Brooks University. But I don’t think that’s the last we’ll hear of Edinburgh University in this one.
No, I love watching these eights at the start like two great steam locomotives, pistons firing. Takes a little while to get up to speed, but when they’re moving it’s just symphony of synchronicity. It really is beautiful. Oxford Brooks the holders in this event. They’ve won the Ireland Challenge Cup I think four of the five years it’s been in in play or maybe three of the four years it’s been in play. This will be their fifth tilt of the title. Edinburgh looking to cling on here. They’re fierce racers. Colin Williamson’s built a remarkable program up there in Scotland. But at the moment Brooks just dictating the narrative and able given the margin they built up able to just lay down the terms of what we’re going to see in sort of the middle third of this contest. Brooks, as Tom says, traditionally very strong here and they’ve had a strong start to this one eased out to a length clear. It’s taken a little bit of time to get there, but they now have a decent lead. And here we are further down the course and Oxford Brooks nudging a bit further away. Abigail Baky the Cox. This will have been the plan to try and burn off Edinburgh University in the early stages in the first half of the race. And the fact that uh the Cox have to look over the shoulder to see where the opposition are will be reassuring as there’s the gap. Well, we we talked about it or we’ve talked about it a lot in previous years, but Brooks have built just something remarkable in Oxford Shere. They’ve got probably poundforound the premier boat club on the planet, particularly for student rowing. And the depth is remarkable. All of these women in this Brooks boat were top 15 at the women’s head of the river back in March. And they’ve got so much talent to pick from and like you said, Tim, they’ve just extended their lead. It hasn’t been explosive. It’s been attritional in this context. and and Abigail Baky the Cox just driving her crew on ensuring that nothing dramatic happens in the closing stages.
And it’s been so lacking in drama and that’s a compliment to their boat, isn’t it? There’s been nothing spectacular or out of the ordinary. They’ve just ground down Edinburgh University moved away. They got up to a length clear halfway down the track and then just nudging a little bit more for comfort. and many of those in the Oxford Brooks University a boat I’m sure will see their names on uh the biggest stages over the next few years cuz this is an absolute production line isn’t it? They’ve set up Oxford Brooks University and you look at what we are watching a few years ago coming through and Edinburgh University themselves a really successful setup. You can see there in the stroke seat Freya Houston the Edinburgh University stroke James Dearen the Cox there’ll be trying to get as much out the boat as possible in these final couple of hundred meters in front of Stuart’s Edinburgh University putting up a decent fight definitely but Oxen Brooks University stretching away to make it comfortable qualified three boats into this competition. Remarkable effort from that club and that program. And credit to Colin and all of his coaching staff for doing that. And I think Edinburgh A will hold their hands up here and say they just came up against a faster crew on the day. And I’m interested to see how this Brooks crew transition through.
You they might well on Sunday night be able to say, “Well, we came up against the best crew in the Island Challenge Cup.” So certainly not disgrace there.
Drawing them on the Thursday. Edinburgh University over the line now. Definitely uh lots of respect between the two boats. Tox approaching going through the lights. Back to the double skulls challenge cup on the boat from Australia/GB and the Netherlands/France. the Double Skulls Challenge Cup. Nice work from both boats early. Some uh familiar names on the water here. We’ve seen Harlow and Austin Baker, Sydney Rowing Club, and uh Hinxy. seen them at previous regatas three times each. Actually, they’re going to need to draw on that experience because powering away on the buck station. Blom and Palmer in very good shape. There they are. Now we’re up the water and live with the action. And it’s still a tight race, isn’t it? Yeah. Deceptively difficult boats to row the Double Skull. You have to be almost one with your crew mate. Total unison between the four blades entering the water and the two athletes powering the shell on. And like you say, Tim, James Harlow, and Herby Austin Baker. Plenty of Henley experience between them. Six campaigns in total. And they’re just trying to hang on here. They’ve about a length of clear water between themselves and the crew from Okanos and Fontan Blau, France. And I think it’s going to take something pretty special for this sort of Hinxy and Sydney Rowan Club composite to come back. But they’re not out of it. These small boats change speed at at a at a fast rate. So, we could be in for a blockbuster finish if they can find a bit of gas here.
And things do go wrong, don’t they? Unscripted moments of drama in the second half of these races with these small boats. We’ve seen that time and again over the years. So, it’s uh well worth Harlow and Austin Baker keeping that lead boat honest. Apply as much pressure as they can and then the error is more likely to be forced, isn’t it? If you can just keep them having to go a bit quicker than they want to. Well, we’ve got a shot there of Blowman Palmer on the left hand side of the screen. Britted teeth. So, there’s no doubt that they’re working hard to stave off the attention of Harlow and Austin Baker. And of course, this duo we can see in shot here in the yellow empacker. They raced at the World Cup Lucern at the weekend. So, they’ve got senior international experience. You would expect them to come out on top here, but being made to work for it.
Yes, I was out in Lucern in Switzerland for the World Cup at the weekend. It seems remarkable. It was less than a week ago. It seems like a lifetime ago that three days of Henry Gata since then already in the dim and distant past. But not so much for these uh athletes of course. So they’ve had quite a tight turnaround and Blom and Palma need to have energized ahead of this one. They seem to have done that. The French double in good shape now. So there your leaders. You see the back of Blom. in the bow seat. You can’t underestimate the importance for these athletes of having some time together in the boat. So this crew from the Netherlands, you can see there big look over the shoulder from Cornelius Palmer just making sure that the line is within reach. He knows how hard he’s has to push to stave off the Sydney and Hinxy Skulling School composite. But I think this is going to be progression for this Dutch crew. Yeah, the Dutch French they’ve uh definitely got this sorted out, haven’t they? Last few strokes. Well done to them. Obviously had uh got their recovery right from Lucern at the World Cup. And here they are at the Henley Double Skulls Challenge Cup first round. Through they go. Plan Palmer beating Harlow and Austin Baker Australia Hinxy double. Attention the 40 challenge cup Belling Jesuit Preparatory School. This is the American boat to the left of your picture and we’re watching a very local boat, the Windsor Boys School A on the right hand side. And you can see there in that Windsor boys school a Joe Wellington in the stroke seat having a good look across to check on the progress of the Americans early and as they come off Temple Island. Half a length lead for the Americans on the Barker station. One Tom for another. Tom Clark host of Last Stroke Counts podcast is now alongside me here in the commentary box. Tom, good morning to you. This will be a good one. Absolutely. Thanks for for having me here. It’s fantastic to be back. Slightly nicer conditions and I think this is fantastic start from the Bellow and Judic Prep School crew here. This Windsor Boys uh school crew has won just about everything they’ve entered. Um they’re really uh up for it here. They’re certainly one of the hot favorites for this event. So to be led out the start is is fantastic. uh Bellerin obviously uh based in Miami. So just before 6:00 in the morning there if you’re joined in uh to to uh come and cheer these boys along. Yeah, bright and early for those in Miami watching the boat move. Well, this is Club or School Junior Open Quad Skull. So again, youngsters under the age of 18 on the water. Bell & Jesuit preparatory schools. Tom says really highly rated outfit. They’ll be uh the ones to watch. Winds of boys school have got a good record in this competition as well though, so there should be a good clash, shouldn’t it? Yeah, fantastic record. Uh plenty of wins in this and they had a massive win at at Nat School’s Reata. Um and even entered the championship quads at Mara Reata a couple weeks ago, coming fifth against senior crew. So that shows the kind of standard you can see as these guys just scull past us here. Lovely camera angle there. Yeah, Windsor Boy School actually won this for the event last year at Henry Ora beating Marlo in the final. And with that comes a little bit of pressure, doesn’t it, on their prime A boat here, the winter boy school. They’ll know the the record and they’ll perhaps be ruining the fact they’ve seen Bellingers at Proprietary School as early in the week as as they have, but it’ll be a fantastic marker for the rowers from Miami. If they do beat Windsor Boy School, they’ll be going into the weekend full of confidence.
Yeah, absolutely. This would be the crew to beat and and certainly uh a win here would would do exactly that. Um I caught up just just earlier with Mark Wilson, the head coach at Windsor Boys and and exactly what you said, Tim. Um having a great season like this does also put a target on your back. So they’re very aware that crews are going to come after them. They’re going to try and shake them as uh as Jose as Bell and Jose did come out really really hard. But it just looks now as you can see on the picture that um just calm and collected. They’ve weathered the storm in that that first five 600 meters and now just pulling out to maybe half a length clear water.
Bell & Jesuit crew there. Good lead midpoint of the race. Settled it down. This could be a final, couldn’t it? In truth, the quality of both of these boats, it could easily have panned out that this were the final on Sunday. Yeah, the the quality of the Foley event has just been going up and up and up and it’s overs subscribed every year and and the the speeds just keep getting there and like you said, we’re getting crews that are coming back year after year. So, um Stroke Seat in here, uh Joe Wellington uh was in the winning quad last year. So experience from start to finish through this rigata and and that’s something that can’t be can’t be looked down upon. It’s it’s really you can only gain that race experience by racing. So Ben and Jesuit Preparatory School from Florida to the left of your picture there are the Windsor boys station. Wonder how aware they’ll be of the position of the race. How aware they’ll be that Bell and Jesuit have taken a a good chunky healthy lead here. You see Bell and Jesuit coming into the in front of the enclosures on the bow seat and steering. Benjamin Ramos, Felix Garez, Marco Alurnie, and Marcus Manticon in the stroke seat. And they’ve all got previous Henny Royal experience times two. They’ve all been here twice previously, even though they’re still uh all teenagers, obviously. Yeah, this shot from the back, it’s uh it’s a rare one to see. Fantastic camera angle here, just to see that synchronicity and the arms moving together, seeing those backs coming back. And another great thing, just that loose upper body, loose shoulders. It doesn’t look like they’re working hard. Trust us, they are. They definitely are still working hard, but that looseness and relaxation is is the key really to moving the boat and and not wasting any energy. There’s the Windsor Boy School on the Barkshire Station trying to keep the Florida rowers moving well. But you can see there winter boy school the current holders of the forley looks like they’ll be bowing out on the Thursday waiting to see the Windsor boys not too far off the finish now. [Applause] Yeah, fantastic work there. And you can see maybe they feel like they’ve got this race now just nice and calm in here by a couple of lengths, but it’s a it’s a great valiant effort by Bellow and Jet Prep School. That was a fantastic uh uh competition to to have there and and they should be really proud of that performance that they put in as well to to hold that crew just to a couple of lengths.
So word on to winter boy school through on the Buck Station against Ben & Jes. There’s the three cheers and through they go in the for the holders are safely through. Attention. This is the Wfold Challenge Cup. Mosy Boat Club on the Barkshire station to the left your picture and T’s row club B on the Buck station. This could be another really exciting one. I know um for Moy they did uh prioritize the Brit for so this is is sort of the second Mosyboat so it is a Mosy B versus a Tsby in in a sense um and again uh speaking to some of the coaches down there uh I know that uh they both got high hopes for for this boat these guys are both really going to be wanting to get through this round so we could see a race go all the way so half a length clear early goss rowing Club B. And conditions wise, you’ve been out there more recently than me, Tom. It seems in the commentary box at the finish line to be pretty much perfect, but what’s your take? Have we got much of a tailwind? It’s still bright and sunny. How warm is it?
Oh, it’s lovely. It’s perfect conditions for racing out here today. It’s not too hot. They’ve got the early morning this time of the day as well. There’s less pleasure cruisers. There’s less bounce on the water. You can just see on this shot here, really flat calm or as flat calm as you get Henley. There’s always a little bit of a bubble on the water. So, these athletes will be absolutely loving these conditions for racing right now. Well, especially T’s rowing club B who have got just over a length lead. Cameron Murphy in the bow seat. You can see there to the left of your picture. T’s wearing club B. [Music] Yeah. On paper, this Temp’s B crew, fantastic results. Uh uh they’ve got uh a couple of uh ex goldie blue boat winners. Uh lightweight boat race winner in there as well. And uh like you said, Cameron Murphy there, seven times Irish national champion. Obviously, these guys now rowing in a club crew. So on paper, fantastic results. The the reality is, have they capped up their fitness? Have they got as much training together as they would back in their in their prime? Not that that may be over yet, but uh as we can see here um Moy not letting them go. It looks like Moy have closed the gap a little bit back now. Just just under clear water.
Well, there’s some of the most experienced Henley competitors in that Mosy boat. Thomas Rimmer 11. Uh Samuel Knight 12 previous Henry Gatas. So you can see to the left of your picture there, the Mosy boat is uh closing. They’ve left it late, but they may have timed it well. We’ll wait and see what temps have got in in response. Temps at the moment leading on the buck station to the right and they’ll need all that experience. Mosy if they’re to turn this round. Samuel Knight, Philip Nessum, Thomas Rimmer and Philip Sterling in the Mosy boat trying to compete to the end here.
Not too far off.
Coming past those crew boards normally 10 or 12 strokes to go. This is the benefit about getting ahead in this match fix racing is that you can just watch that crew behind you and just respond as much as you need to. There’s such a benefit from getting that lead because you you just know that you can control the race. Over the line they go. The winners in the Wfold Challenge Cup Temps. Exactly as Tom says, getting the early initiative and making no mistake. And there they go through in the W. Attention. Go.
This is the Prince Albert Challenge Cup.
We got the Dutch against Edinburgh University. [Music] Good solid start. Those nerve-wracking first few strokes safely executed. It’s a lovely shot down the course and then we jump on here with the uh on the catarang boat which is another fantastic shot. Uh rowing solutions Cam Johnson’s going to be leading that. Um and we’re lovely to see this shot here and just watch this rowing like we said about those conditions. Just really nice, really flat, not having to do extra, just being able to focus on the rowing.
So this is the early stage of the race and the ducks just edging it at this stage. But now we go down the track and live and it’s still bang on, isn’t it? Triton on the Dutch boat shading it, but no more than that.
Yeah, I think potentially Edinburgh I mean there’s nothing in it really, is there? Edinburgh slightly ahead. Again, I was speaking with their performance director Colin Williamson last night just about this crew and um they’ve got really high hopes for it. Uh three of these guys learned to row in Scotland. The stroke seat as well, Henry Blackwell’s actually an Australian from Sydney. So again, if you’re tuning in to to watch him, it’s the evening over there. Um, but they’re they’re really keen. They they really feel like they’ve got a good shot here. And uh it’s Colin said he thought sort of the best crew they’ve had in this event since they won it back in 2016.
Yeah, just coming up to 8:00 in the evening in Sydney, Australia. Good evening to you from Henry Warata. Day three, Tom. Yeah, you’re right. Edinburgh University have uh turned around. If there was a lead for the Dutch, there definitely isn’t anymore cuz 3/4 of a length up Edinburgh University. We talked about the strength in depth of their squad and and what a big squad, powerful squad they’ve got here at this Riata and Edinburgh University. Here’s another example. Yeah, but they’re being held really well by this Dutch crew. Again, I love this shot from overhead now. These new these new images we’ve got this year. Fantastic to see. And even though it looks like, you know, a bit of a distance there, absolutely that’s not safe in any way. So, both of these crews are still going to be full race plan, uh, full power. Um, no one’s letting off yet. And, uh, and if anything, I mean, it’s not changing. It’s certainly not changing. They’re not getting away. No. Will that potentially see a move from the Dutch in the next minute or so? They’re going to need to produce something special here. Yeah, potentially race experience again might count for something here. this Dutch cruise, all four of them first first row out here yesterday at Henley. Um, but they have been picking up national championship medals uh back home all season. So, I should expect a good finish on but uh again with this early lead as we see coming into the enclosures, you just get that opportunity to just watch and control and watch and control the race. Yeah, the boat’s flashing by there into the enclosures towards the back end of the course. And in that Edinburgh University boat, stroke seat, Henry Blackwell, Murray Bone, Joshua Matthews, and Alexander Dixon in the bow seat. Nothing dramatic, just getting on with the work. Patrick Moody in that Edinburgh University seat. There he is. Yeah, another lovely shot from the back there. Now looking at the forwards, you can see there’s a little bit of bubble on the water. You just see that bow rising and falling slightly, but generally a nice flat movement through the water, which shows that they’re being efficient in the way that they’re applying power. So Edinburgh University, very solid race from them. got to a length up before the halfway mark. Held that lead. Slightly extended the lead actually just beyond the length. This is the Dutch boat that you can see there. The Cox and Gilllet. But it’s all about Edinburgh University. Couple of links to clear water there. They’ve done a very good job. Just over the finish line. They will ease now and into the next round of the Prince Albert Challenge Cup they go. Edinburgh University beating the Dutch boat there. [Applause] Attention Prince of Wales Challenge Cup. Then Windsor and Rowan Club and Leander to the left of your picture on the Barkshire station. And we’ve got Elizabeth and Boat Club and Shiplate College on the Buck Station. Intermediate open quads here.
Yeah, this is an really impressive crew from the Windsorian Ring Club and Leander Club. I was just talking to Jibby star performance coach Ben Welburn before uh he gave me a bit of insight in this crew. It is an under 23 development crew. So these are four athletes that have been studying overseas come back later into the system. So normally uh what GB wearing do is have a little bit internal testing with those foreign crews with those foreign guys or whether you where they’ve been studying they come back they do a crew for Henley and then they’ll get put into final testing for the under 23 team. So, um, some stats here that Elliot Davis at 19 years old, just pulled a 547 2K urgist now rowing at Brown Uni. And then you’ve got two guys in from Cal, Dan, Badbury, and uh, Nat Galden. Um, so this is this is going to be a really really impressive and I expect them to go far in this competition
at the moment. Uh, no commentators curse yet. You are loading a lot of pressure on them with that early in the race. You’re calling it, but at the moment that’s all ringing true. The Windsorian Rowan Club and Leander Club there. I mean, Ben Ben Wellbin is a is a real man in the know and his description of this crew was rapid. So, uh I I felt like uh yeah, that’s uh that’s what it’s going to be. So wins Orian and Leander. Leander Club just behind us behind the finish line where we are in the commentary box down by Henley Bridge. You can make it out just about to the left of your picture down at the end of the course there. And you can see the lead on the Barkshire station and Leander. Here’s uh Nat Galden in the stroke seat in the lead boat. Fifth Henry Roaragata. Yeah, fantastic pedigree in this crew. But again, you know, these guys have all been rowing in different programs all around the world. So, the difficulty for them will be coming together um and getting a boat moving really well together. The quad super important uh to make sure not just the blades moving together, but the back movement together. And uh just from that shot we can see working really nicely together. Rider Apertu in the stroke seat for Elizabeth and Shiplake there. Steady as they go with Callum Wells, Archie White and Guy Hutchkins in that boat. Yeah, another composite crew. Um again, you know, a tough tool order to come up against these guys uh today, but um you know, they’ve earned the right to be here and race here through qualification. So, again, another hotly contested event every year. So, um real opportunity for them to to take a run down the course and it’s it’s a rare it’s a rare thing to do. One of the more recent events. It’s been around since 2007, this one. So recently introduced compared to some anyway it’s compared to some events. Here’s Leander on the bow seat there. Dian Daniel Daniel Bradbury 22 years old and’ll be enjoying the situation he’s in right now in front of Stewarts. Can hear the applause for that boat. will have lots of local support no doubt on the Barkshire bank there and they can drop the rate right down and cruise over the finish line with a significant lead on the Barkshire station there. The Windsor and Rowan Club and Neander Club just a few more strokes to go and they’re safely through to the next round. Yeah, all of these boys are really going to have their their sights set on under 23 selection. Um, which final testing will take place at the end of uh or at the start of next week. So, that’s uh that’s really where they’re going to be aiming for for the end of their season. Good way to warm up for that. Successfully through in the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup. The Windsorian Rowing Club and Leander Club beating Elizabeth and Boat Club and Shiplate College. a tank shot. [Applause] And we’re away in the four lead. The junior open quad Chip Lake College versus Kin Ross Waloro School from Orange in New South Wales. I’m Sarah Cook and I’m delighted to be joining you in the commentary box up until the long lunch break along with Tom here. Yeah, fantastic to have you here Sarah and again we cut down to this fantastic shot. Um uh this Fley crew I know for Ship Lake College um it’s uh newly formed from their second eight who won silver at that schools. Um certainly a couple of the boys in this crew, Robert Evans in the stroke seat, narrowly missed out on the first eight, so they’ll be gunning for for a performance here in this event as well. And uh always difficult to swap boat types uh late on in the season, but so far it looks like they put a good performance in here against this uh Kin Ross school from uh Australia.
Yeah, Kin Ross Walaroy School out in Orange. They row on Spring Creek. They’ve essentially got their own private piece of water that they get to train on. Uh, which is incredible and incredible actually to have a program in the central west of New South Wales. So about three 3 and 1/2 hours drive pretty much due west of Sydney. Um, so very strong program. They’ve got a women’s eight here in the Prince Phillip as well who went through fairly handily yesterday. Um, but great to see uh the boys starting their campaign in the Foley Challenge Cup. Yeah, looks uh Ship Lake just getting a little ahead here, but not clear water now. Maybe two/3 of a stroke uh 2/3 of a length, sorry. Um but yeah, it’s uh it’s anyone’s game still now. Just coming through the halfway and we cut forward now to show you fantastic shot again from Ship Lake on the front here.
Yeah, we see Rifford Evans in the stroke seat. 17 years of age. He’s competed at Henley Royal Reetta once before. Sort of lifting his chin through the front there, but it doesn’t seem to be really impacting his his handles. Still reasonably flat all through the boat, but they certainly have the look on the boys from Kin Ross. There’s now a clear water lead to Ship Lake. Do the boys from Orange have a response to this commanding lead that Shiplake has at this stage about halfway through the race? Yeah, it’s interesting what he said. You can just see the head lift there, but still the shoulders seem low and flat. Um, and they do seem to be all wicked together. So, maybe just a slight little technical difference for him. Um, but yeah, this Ken Ross uh crew I I saw um not uncommon for them to make an 8h hour round trip to train at Sydney as well. So, some serious commitment uh from the athletes in that boat. So, I would not expect them to be throwing the towel in early here, but a little bit of work to do to get back to Ship Lake. As we see the crew there, Oliver Smith in the stroke seat, Nicholas Tank in three, Toby Buckland in two, and Harry Dimmick in the bow seat. Kin Ross has been such a dominant program in recent years. I coached the first crew to come here to Henley back in 2019, the women in the Diamond Jubilee, so it’s great to see them back after six years.
And a warning there, a warning there from the umpire with the steering to Shiplake. Even when you’re leading, you still can’t move out into the middle of the stream, can you, Tom?
Yeah. No, you don’t want to impede the crew behind you. Certainly, if you have a lead like this, you don’t want any uh anything to to get in the way of you taking that win there. So, um you know, again, can be a little bit more difficult to keep to your side when they’re when they’re free free and a little bit further out, but uh important to make sure that you do stay to your side of the river for sure. as they’re coming down towards the enclosures now. It’ll take a huge effort for Kin Ross to get themselves back into this race with time running out. Yeah. And it just speaks to the the depth of the squad at uh at Ship Lake and everything they’re doing. Obviously, these guys just missed out on their first eight, which which is uh they won at Natas Scoretta. They’re a hot favorite, one of the hot favorites for the PE. Um interesting. Again I saw from the ship late boat the 2C Aston Phillips um started rowing at Cole Porter’s coastal rowing club. So again starting to see a little bit more crossover between coastal and river rowing um as that becomes a bigger thing. Obviously now we’ll be in the Olympics uh in LA. The crews are coming down towards us in the commentary position now. We look back on Ship Lake there coached by Jasper Elliot. This crew raced the quad at the Met and they won the C final and they were silver medal in the second eight at the national schools regata. So as you said just missing out on their first eight but still meddling in the second eight. So a strong young crew from Ship Lake College is going to take it across the line in the Fley Challenge Cup. All right. And we’re at the start now in the visitors challenge cup. In the buck station, the Ivy Club of Princeton, USA. And in the Buck Station, it’s Rudy Müster and Marvaka Rudy 1920 EV Germany. Yeah, this is an intermediate uh coxless force, but uh the the pedigree in both these crews is is very high. Uh the RV Club Princeton uh bow one in the ladies plate last year. Um and again, if you’re joining us from Princeton, uh well done for getting up early, 6:00 in the morning or just passed over there. Um so you haven’t had to wait too long to uh to get to this race. [Music] And we move to the live shots and we can see it is the Bark Station, the Ivy Club of Princeton, USA that has moved out to a commanding lead here. Yeah, that’s really impressive them because uh this German crew is really stacked uh with international uh experience. You can see the color of their boat, that green boat um is uh a color that actually the German national team use. So, probably using a national team boat here and and uh some of these guys taking a year out. So, they’ve been rowing at club level, maybe not keeping up the fitness. Although, as I speak, it looks like a lovely push there to get back in contention as they come past or just into Reminan now. Oh, look at that shot down from the drone. Isn’t that incredible? You can see just how close this race is. There’s really only probably a canvas in it. I think the Germans starting to work back through uh the American crew now. They’ve got their bow ball just on the canvas. So, this race is really going to start to open up here, I think.
Yeah, really big move from the Germans then. And I think that’s answered my question, which is have they stayed fit? And I think they have. That third 500 of often being such a important pivotal part of the race, it’s going to set you up for the finish. And and even though being in front coming in to the last 500 can be a psychological advantage, coming through a crew from behind also can give you a great psychological advantage. So the crew from the US on the top of your screen in the yellow bow to the Ivy Club of Princeton, USA. stroked by Nicholas McAdam, 23 years of age. Oh, and look at the German crew just chipping away one stroke at a time. And you get a great shot of the rig of the two boats, don’t you? On in the yellow boat, uh, from the US, it’s what we call a conventional rig with stroke seat rowing stroke side and then alternating blades down the boat, whereas in the German boat, it’s what we would colloally call a bucket rig. So you can see the two rowers in the middle of the boat with their oes on the same side. Yeah, slightly different format. Normally just uh little tweaks in order to try and get the boat going straighter, but it looks like as we see here, the Germans now have taken it into the lead. And we’re coming through Stewart’s enclosures here. So we’re probably looking at maximum 20 strokes left to go. It’s going to be really interesting to see if I club Princeton can respond here. Um, it could be a really close finish. And they’re coming down to the line. The Germans are sprinting. They’re pushing through the Americans. Do they have a response? This race is going to come all the way down to the wire. The Americans trying to respond, but the Germans have the momentum. They’re coming down to the finish line. It’s a sprint to the line. And it will be the crew from Germany crossing the line with their green boat just ahead of the Americans. Wow, what a race that turned out to be. Fantastically well paced from the Germans. They didn’t panic when they were down. They let the crew do their thing. They stuck on their race plan and they came through here for the finish for a great win there. And we’re away here at the start of the Temple Challenge Cup, the student open eight. And we’ve seen some cracking entries in this event. In the Bach station on the left hand side of your screen it’s Groinger Student Roaining AIA and on the right hand side of your screen in Bucks it is Harvard University from the USA A
yeah two crews that we commonly see in this event. Uh again Temple uh University 8 always overs subscribed always hotly contested. Looking at this Harvard crew close to your shot here that is their lightweight crew. um essentially uh for the last two years uh unbeaten. Uh they won this year at IRA and eastern sprints very confident uh in themselves and their ability. You can see maybe a slightly smaller crew here with the lightweight rowers. Uh but power to weight is always an important thing in rowing. So if you can produce a lot of power but not carry too much weight in the boat, then that’s the efficiency increased and and more boat speed. We’ve seen two Harvard crews here and as you say both the lightweight eights and but the program at Harvard University extremely strong this crew uh in the fall they were first in the lightweight eight at the head of the Charles so certainly the top boat here from Harvard racing in the student 8s at this year’s rietta but they’re locked together with a gear from the Netherlands and the Dutch crew such pedigree in student rowing and in this event. Yeah, absolutely. They just uh they keep coming back for more. They’re always strong. Never underestimate a Dutch crew at Henley. And uh like you said here, just almost stroke for stroke. No one’s really had any huge advantage. We could see Harvard slightly out, but in an in an eight event, that distance is is could disappear very very quickly. But yeah, lovely to see this shot. Again, the shot from the back so rare to see if you you don’t have a high up drone camera. Um, you can see the blade work here on a Harvard. Looks punchy. They’re working definitely working themselves past the puddles. So, the last puddle that comes out from the bow is then already gone when the strokeman puts his blade back in the water. And it looks like a bit of a push there. That squeeze through the legs has just opened out to about a length here over the Dutch. Um and as you can see just on the back here we’re coming through coming through Reminum Club here. Yeah, what a push from Harvard through this middle section of the race urged on by the Cox and Anna Chang 22 years of age. Two previous Henley appearances. Benjamin Land uh Lundy sorry in the stroke seat um only 20 years of age but five previous Henley Royal regatas under his belt. So, a very experienced crew here from Harvard with all of the uh crew members having raced here at the Riata before.
Yeah, really impressive work that third 500. Again, if you have that opportunity to shut the race down early, if you can come into the final quarter of the race, we can just see the the Empire flag now. So, just warning Harvard to go back over to their station. It’s a great shot there all the way down from the top of the course. um potentially just trying to get slightly nicer water. Uh the there just trying to find the best line and walking the tight rope with still staying in their station or not. Uh that’s a that’s a skill of a Cox to to get the best bit of water. Obviously slight differences in in uh windshade and in stream and and the can navigate that. They can find those extra tiny little uh split seconds that they might need at the end. There we get a shot there looking straight on the bow ball of the eight. You can see that little bow wave either side of the bow as it cuts through the water. Of course, in the boats you’re aiming to maintain velocity. You want to keep the bow up out of the water and keep it moving, keep it surging each stroke. And you want as little dip down into the possible uh into the water as possible because of course the deeper the boat goes and the more that it stops or checks at the finish, the more friction that there is and the slower the boat will go.
Yeah, just seeing another another warning there from the Empire. So um I think yeah, that’s Harbor just looking for that best bit of water. Um but uh certainly I think they’ve got enough advantage that they would be comfortable, but they’re not slowing down. They’re not going to be lowering the rate here. Um but yeah, again sir, I agree with you completely. It’s all about efficiency now. We see very rarely see massive pushes for 10 and it’s just an inch per stroke, an inch per stroke. Just that efficiency across the whole length of the course. [Applause] Powerful rhythm. They’ve maintained it all the way down the course. We see a sprint coming from the Dutch, but they’re not going to get there. It will be the ladies from Harvard University USA a crew in the Temple Challenge Cup over a gear from the Netherlands. Attention and a strong start there from Mosy Boat Club on the right hand side of your screen. Nottingham Rowan Club on the left in this round of the Bratana Challenge Cup. That is the club open coxed 4.
Yeah, it’s a really exciting race for me. I’m good friends with both the coaches of these boats. Um I was talking to a few of them or Sam Tuck coaching the the Moy boat, but I was talking to to Mosy’s performance director Ben Lewis and also Dez Atinson from Nottingham. Um both of them feel they’ve got good crews, but uh absolute uh really really showing that they uh you know haven’t underestimated their competition here. Um Ben said to me if they’re they’re 1% off what they can do, they think they’ll get beaten by Nottingham. And Dez turned around and said the exact same thing. So So both of these crews feeling like they need a top performance to win this race and it could go down to the line. Lovely shot of Temple Island in the background there. One of the iconic views of Henley. And it’s still tight as they come through the barrier. And we go to the live shots. And these two boats still locked together. Yeah, I love a race when you both crews truly feel like they can win. Then there’s no letting up. You know, it’s you can’t break that crew psychologically. They think they’ve got a chance of winning here and they’re just going to keep in the race as long as they possibly can. It looks potentially Mosi have just eaked out a little bit there, but they certainly haven’t got away. Um, they maybe had a slightly easier win yesterday with three lengths over City. I don’t know if that will come into play later on in the line, but uh, another interesting fact from this Nottingham crew, they actually swapped out of a newer Empera after Mara Reagata into an older boat, an older shell, uh, with an older style. Um, Dez said it took the a bit of convincing to get that crew in the older shell, but they’ve definitely been moving faster. Um, so that’s uh interesting. Sometimes it’s not always the newest equipment that suits you the best.
That’s interesting. Did they give a reason as to why they preferred the older style?
Uh, they like the older hole shape uh and they with a bit of testing, they feel like it’s faster for them. So, they’ve stuck in that older boat.
It’s really interesting, isn’t it? the different boat builders and then the models within each boat class as well and finding that equipment that works for you. But as they come past the camera there, we can see that Moy now with a length. They’re stern just on the bow ball of the Nottingham Rowing Club crew. Can Nottingham stay connected? Because that’s really the important thing, isn’t it? To not break contact so that you’re still within striking distance. But to me, Moy looking like they’re really up on it here and like they have some momentum, but Nottingham certainly not letting them go.
Yeah, they’ve worked really hard in that third 500 for exactly what we were saying to just try and get a bit of control over this race. Um the the fear obviously is that you work too hard and you don’t leave yourself enough into the into the finish and obviously Nottingham are going to respond either way. So when you do put a push in and get a bit of distance, expect that crew to come back at you again because no one wants to let you get away. And if you can stay in contact, if you can keep it in less than a length, then you you stop that crew, even though they’re ahead of you, from having any ability to relax or calm down, they’re still going to be panicking that you’re you’re there. And their journey through to Thursday, Nottingham Row Club defeated Commercial by one length and Mosy beat City of Oxford by three lengths. They went into an early lead to take that race on. So this is the big one though to get through to Friday through to the quarterfinals. Yeah, it’s uh it’s already what we’re talking about, you know, winning a race now to get into the quarterfinals at Hane Riata. Um we’re we’re getting towards the sharp end as they say, but uh fantastic shot of this moldy boat now who who does look to be starting to dominate this event. Um with maybe 200 m to go. Uh we get to have a look at this crew here. Fantastic rowing again. Conditions as we said before, really, really nice. This is as good as I’ve seen Henley for all for quite a long time, I think. And these guys are going to be enjoying it as painful as it is. Um, here we go with a shot. You can see the head of the there just popping out over the front. Um, staying lower and aerodynamic as she can, but just enough just enough there to see what’s going on still. Yeah, just the eyes peeking over the back of the coxin seat there. But Mosy looking pretty comfortable here as they come down past the steward’s enclosure, past the grand stand, sorry, Nottingham rather, racing it all the way down to the line. Yeah, it’s a great effort, a great test for both these boats. They stuck together for a really long part of the course and and Moy then just uh managed to to eek away over the second half. Confirmation there in the Bratannia Challenge Cup. It was Moyboat Club over Nottingham Rowing Club. Attention. And we’re away in the Foley Challenge Cup. the Windsor boy school B crew in the Barkshire station and Hinxy Skulling School on the right hand side of your screen in the Buck station. Yeah, a bit of another local derby here. Winds are just down the road from Henley and Hinxy School based in Oxford and only 30 40 minutes up the road. So both these crews will have raced and met each other multiple times this year already. Um depth from the Windsor boys school. Uh, interestingly, uh, a young crew as well in that Windsor B crew. Two J16s, one J17 and one J18. So, this, uh, this could be the start of more to come from these boys. As we see here, the crew from Hincky Scalling School [Music] focusing in on the two seat there, I think, Ban Nurmal. Yeah, you can see them working hard for this first first couple minutes coming up off the start getting the boat to pace. You are really working uh at a rate that you can’t keep with. So, um it’s unsustainable. You manage that unsustainable effort for a minute to 2 minutes and then you try and get into this sustainable rhythm that’s going to cover you um take you down the rest of the course. You can see from that shot just a little bit lower rate now. Little bit more relaxed. Still working hard. Still sending the legs there together. A look across from the stroke seat in the Windsor boy school. Caster shoot 16 years of age. [Music] Great maturity from this young crew from the Windsor boys school. We’ll expect to see them in the next couple of years at the junior scaling regata. They took gold in the J18 double and the Wallingford Riata gold in the J18 quad. But just at this stage, Hincky sculling school with the better of them. Yeah, Winds are not letting them go and like you said from the from how Hinxy have been doing as well and Hinxy beat Blay’s another well-renowned Fley Fley school uh yesterday. So I think really impressive from the Windsor boys B crew here to be to be staying here with Hley. Beautiful shot down into the sculling boat. Yeah, I love this shot. It did it did initially look there like Windsor was coming back but I think Hincky uh with the response there just to hold them just not quite got the length there but just holding their advantage. Um but just as we see both crews now are going to be looking to make a change. If you’re in the lead you want to consolidate this and if you’re not where you want to be time now maybe to make a change to the race plan and see if you can affect the outcome.
Well they’re certainly still connected aren’t they? It looks potentially I know you said that you thought that the Windsor Boy School had made a move, but I think that they might have. It looks like they’re just ekking along the stern of Hincky, but perhaps there Hincky just responding and keeping them at bay, but still very much these crews just locked together. Bell on Stern perhaps here a decisive move from Hincky to try and break that contact.
Yeah, certainly this kind of margin. If I was in the lead crew hy here, I still would be panicking and thinking I haven’t got enough margin. You know, this is not over yet. But similarly, if I was in that Windsor boys crew at the back, I’d be thinking this is on. You know, they haven’t left us for dead. We’ve got to finish now. Let’s make something happen and and see what we can do. Couple of heads looking over there. So, you can see that they can see them out the corner of their eye, but maybe not quite. Maybe a little bit too much looking over there. If you do it too much, it does going to affect, you know, your synchronicity and and how hard you can work in the boat if you’re focusing on what the other boat’s doing too much. This has been a very tight race all the way down the track. Windsor boys just maintaining contact, but it’s not going to be enough to reel in the Hy Sculling School who do have the leaders are coming just down to the line now. A few strokes to go. And big cheers there from Hinxy Skulling School who take this round of the Fley Challenge Cup over the Windsor Boy School B Crew.
Can you sit up please? Attention. And fantastic to see the diamond challenge skulls off and away. In the Buck station on the left, it’s a name well known in international rowing. Melvin Tella from Hollandia Roy Club Netherlands. And in the buck station on the right hand side, ET Putnham, New York Athletic Club, USA. Yeah, fantastic to see these diamonds uh starting up today. This is the first day of of uh this competition here. obviously international singles. Um yeah, Twilla there from Hollandia. Uh a club that is formed of current and former members of the Dutch rowing team. So if you don’t know anything else about them, uh knowing that will show you the quality of this color here. Look at the speed of the hands there. Really rating high. Absolutely shooting out the blocks here. Uh that’s really really difficult to to do both scullars making it look easy but um always a little bit of wash here with the camera slightly more washy section of the cruise of the course. So just fantastic blade work just to to have a look at what’s going on there now. Yeah, they’re really handling these bubbly conditions. We see some geese coming into the shot. The geese have really been um running the gauntlet this regata. But Melvin Twilla there coming towards us on screen. He’s a Dutch roar of course, an Olympian and 2023 world champion. He and Steph Bernink won the silver medal at the 2020 summer Olympics in the double skulls. Yeah, some really good class. We see this boat coming. The single see the most unstable boat just a single athlete. So does often feel a little bit wobblier than those bigger crews but dealing with these conditions so well. Just seeing uh Elliot Putnham as well um been involved in the USA national team coaching um from 2017 and uh just looking at some of his results this season. It looks like he has spent the season in his single. So maybe had an aim on on getting in and qualifying and racing here in the diamonds. Um he was in single head of the Charles and uh also in some of the USA rowing speed orders earlier in the year. So fantastic for him to to get out here and and perform um whilst also coaching at the same time. Yeah. Shot down into the boat of Melbourne Tella, twotime Olympic silver medalist from Tokyo and Paris in the double skulls. He’s been quite sensational in the single skulls as well. took silver at the World Championships in Rich back in 2022. Yeah, it’s great to see from this shot, you can just see how important the legs are, how the legs move first. So, he comes out to the front, he leaves his arms long, and it’s just those legs push first, then the back, then the arms swing through together. Those legs being so much bigger than your arms. A lot of people think rowing is all about heaving it with your arms, but it’s those leg muscles that really produce most of the power for you.
Yeah. And you can see that compressed position with his shins vertical. He gets the blades fully covered, doesn’t he? Which allows him to keep those arms nice and long as you were describing, Tom.
Yeah. Not trying to grab too much at the front. Not trying to do everything in the first inch. Just allowing the spoon to fill up and then just work through the full distance of the stroke. Really efficient. Really lovely to watch. And there’s Elliot here. Elliot here again looking chunky. Maybe the boat moving, wobbling a little bit more um than the Dutch color there. Got a lovely shot as well. You can see these carbon blades and the carbon rigger on the boat. Much of the parts of the boat made by carbon as well now for strength and uh It’s really a bit of an arms race now. Um, these boats have uh the technology has improved so much in recent years. Um, fantastic to see these two guys going at it. Yeah, Twella looking pretty comfortable now. He’s just looking down at something either in the water or on his boat there. Great shot of the bow of the boat. We were talking about that little bow wave before. You can see how far it comes up out of the water on each stroke.
It’s out the water, isn’t it? It’s really sitting up nice. He’s obviously applying lots of power there to jump that hole out the water. Obviously, less of the hole on the water, less resistance, more speed. And we hear the applause of the crowd. Pretty relaxed skull here for Melvin Twilla, but it’s only going to get tougher through the week. Some huge names in this event, the Diamond Challenge Skulls. Solid race here from Elliot Putnham, 29 years of age. Two previous Henley Royal Riata appearances. In the diamond challenge skulls, it was Melvin Twilla of Helandia Roy Club Netherlands over Elliot Putnham from New York Athletic Club USA. And thanks very much to Tom for joining me on the commentary this morning. I’m Sarah Cook and I’m delighted to be joined by Adrien Cassidy on the mic. Morning Sarah. Good to see you.
You too. Well, we’re looking forward to these races. The Double Skulls Challenge Cup away now. It is Jones and Ellery of Leander Club in the Bark Station and Jones and Bean of Rowing Canada and Shaigan Lake School from Canada.
Yeah, this should be quite an interesting race this year actually. The Leander Pet Double Scout that’s been coached by Ali Brown and Morris Hayes has been winning the domestic circuit and these are quite young athletes who are developing quite quickly and you got some experienced athletes from Canada. Um they tried to qualify this double for the Paris Olympics. So they haven’t racing this combination since then. We can see here Canada is coming back on terms after Nando had a good start. Yeah. So the performance director of Rowan Canada, Adam Parett going out in the umpire’s launch. So he’ll be following this race, seeing how this crew goes. Trevor Jones and TK Bean, 27 and 26 years of age, respectively. Both with one previous Henley Royal appearance.
Yeah, they they haven’t got much experience of this at Riata, but they do have experience in double skulling. And you see it seems to be paying off at the moment. really quite I mean the angles of the blades are sometimes a little bit different but actually the way they’re pressing the power is really uniform and they’re handies handling these bumpy conditions quite nicely. [Music] Yeah, I noticed the water is a little bouncier today. We can see a wash just across the course there. More pleasure craft and boats out on the water. Just a little bit of roll in it today. Just making it a little trickier, especially for these smaller scaling boats, the singles and the doubles.
Yeah, it’s pretty lively. It’s also quite inconsistent, isn’t it? It’s not just like straight down the course with the wind. It’s it’s twisting across the course and it does make it tricky, especially as your hands get wider and you’re really extended. You’re quite vulnerable and if you get caught by a weird wave, it can throw you off. But these crews handling it very well. And the Canadian crew actually doing a very dispatching this very fast Leander double really quite well. Here we’re getting a great view from above this double. I think one of the strengths of this double is if you look when they put the blades in the water, how slowly the hands move towards each other. They stay quite wide apart for quite a long time. That’s when you were talking about the leg press. A lot of power gets put into the boat when the handles are moving slowly and that gives them the ability to generate a lot of boat speed. The crew, same sort of approach as well. They’ve got nice long hands at the front. So, the crowd seeming busier today. More people in the stewards.
Yeah, it is. And it’s supposed to be a nice day, I believe. Hopefully. Looks like a top of 23°. We’re almost there at 20° now, but really not much wind to speak of. Pretty great conditions for rowers and spectators alike.
Yeah.
But the Canadians looking really pretty comfortable at this stage as they’re coming down past the grand stand. Adrian,
it’s kind of the ideal race for them, isn’t it? A good competition, good opposition. It tests you, put you under pressure at the start, but then if you get things right, you can actually enjoy the last part of the race and not have to exhaust yourself totally. And as they’re coming down, the Leander crew really still attacking, but Shaigan really have this within their grasp. Love this view of they come through the through the finish from behind. It’s great. As the Leander crew crosses the line, confirmation it is the Double Skull Challenge Cup. Jones and Bean from Rowan Canada defeating Jones and Ellery from Leander Club and we’re incredibly excited about the introduction of the bridge challenge plate that is the intermediate women’s 8 and the first intermediate women’s event on the program here at Henley Royal Riata Marlo rowing club in the Barkshire station on the left hand side and Leander Club on the right hand side of your green in the back station.
Yeah. And this is a local derby. Two club crews racing each other full of these female athletes who’ve come back from American universities to come and ro these clubs. And here we’re seeing the kind of quality. They’re both the first ever race in this event. Both crews almost level. This is going to go all the way to the end, I think. Sarah. Yeah. Making history in this new event. Entirely British lineup in the entries for the bridge. and we’ve been talking about it as being the bridge between club and school rowing into the premier events. So fantastic to have the intermediate eights and it’s just like when the other three women’s eight events were introduced the quality of the racing instantly was superb and here we have the first race again for these sort of almost international athletes 28 and there’s nothing in it. Marlo seem to be edging out a little bit here as they go down the middle of the course. Both crews running really nice and long considering they haven’t been together very long. I mean they only finished racing in the US at the end of May and here they are racing in a club crew in the UK. Marlo Rowan Club just with the edge. Yeah to almost the length haven’t they haven’t quite broken contact. I think it’s quite key now that Leander are brave enough to do whatever it takes not to lose contact because then that gets difficult. It’s a long way to row back if you lose touch. It is. And I think it’s really deflating when you’re in and out, especially knowing how long the boat is when you look across and can’t see anyone next to you. You know that there’s a lot of work to do to get back on terms.
Yeah. And the boat is heavy, you know, with all the athletes in the boat. It’s it’s it’s very hard to change the momentum in the boat speed. And the pairs and stuff, you can generate speed and gain a length in a relatively quick space of time, but in eight, it takes a lot of energy to move it. They do seem to be gathering some momentum though, don’t they? Seem to be coming back to almost half a length down. Yeah.
So, we’ll see whether Marlo just absorbing it or whether it is a move.
Yeah. It looks to me as though this is a push coming from Leander. They’ve taken a couple of seats just as we’ve been talking. The Marlo Rowan Club crew, we’re looking straight down into their boat now. Isabelle Marci, 18 years of age, in the Coxin seat. Mia Lawrence, 18. Two previous Henley Royal Regata appearances for her in the stroke seat. And they could see the Leander Club crew starting to wind up and come towards them. It looks like a step to me. A move from Leander. Are they going to start to eat into this early race lead from Marlo?
This does seem like a sustained effort from Leander. Maybe the the very loud voice of the Italian Cox is edging them onwards, but they really are gaining gaining and gaining. Question is, can they get in touch and get ahead before the finish line get a great view now how far they have to go, but now like only 30 40 strokes ago they were going to lose contact and here they are less than half a length behind. Well, they’re coming up to the enclosures now. We’re going to hear a lot of noise for these two local clubs, Marlo and Leander, in the bridge challenge plate.
This is great, isn’t it?
And Marlo seems to be holding them a bit, but now Leander going to have to push again, try and finish off what they started.
Just was there cuz you could hear the coxins as they came past the cameras. It’s so cool when you hear the coxins giving the instructions to their crew, especially in these dying stages of the race. This is getting closer and closer as we come down towards the grand stand. I think this still I mean Marlo have got the advantage, but I wouldn’t count out Leander now, but they’re going to have to do something extraordinary and really put the stroke rate up, shorten up a little bit and just generate some speed. Even if it’s inefficient, you got to generate boat speed now. It doesn’t matter about the efficiency. But Marlo keeping the length in even under pressure. Yeah, it looks like Marlo, it looks like Marlo may have had something left in the back there and they just seem to be inching away. That big effort, Lyanna did the right thing to try and get in turns early instead of waiting for the end, but it looks like it may just have cost them too much.
Yeah, they made a brave move through through the middle section there. I thought they might be able to draw themselves level. They got awfully close, but look at this response from Marlo. The crowd urging them on as they’re coming down towards the line. They will make history in the bridge. First winning crew, record holders in the first day of the bridge.
Great row from Marlo. Really, really well done to absorb the pressure and finish it off [Applause] in the bridge. Confirmation. Marlo Rowing Club beating Leander Club in the new intermediate women’s 8. Well, I’ve been excited to see this one get underway. The Foley Challenge Club and we have Marist College, CRA, Australia on the left hand side of your screen. Hardpri College on the right hand side of your screen.
It’s a bit of battle of the foreign titans, isn’t it? Camber have done very well this year, haven’t they? Setting the record in their quad, but like we talked the other day, they’ve been racing in squads, not Cox squads. So, this is quite a change for them.
Yeah, that’s right. In the uh certainly in the school quads, they race with a coxin at the national championships. If they race in the under 19 events, then it’s the coxless quad. But Mars making history, winning the first national championship for the school at the nationals in Tasmania this year. And here Maris really actually setting into quite kind of amazing rhythm actually. We got great handle acceleration and just starting to edge away from Hartbury and Hartbury were fourth the school’s head of the river race and had a race yesterday. So they kind of they’ve like beded into the riata already where was Maris were probably a bit more nervous the first race riata. They’ve never raced here before either have any of them. Yeah that’s right it’s the first time at Henley for Mars College after their first ever national championship win for the school this year. In the bow seat, Mitchell Wadey 16 years of age, Roland Carter 16. Garvin Hayes, 17 years of age, and Harrison Braithweight also 17 years of age. So, a young crew.
Yeah. Here, as they clear the barrier marker, you can see behind the launch. Maris looked to be about length ahead. Harper’s an experienced crew, so I wouldn’t expect them to let them go too far at this point, but Maris a very well drilled crew actually. Scing really nicely. sort of shows why they were national champions. And for those of you joining us from Australia and specifically from Canberra, you’ll be delighted to see the Mars boys with the lead.
Have you come hyper, huh?
Yeah, there’s still a I was going to say there’s still a long way of track to run and anything can happen. We often see these crews switch lead, but they’ve got a handy lead. Can they hold on to it?
Yeah, Glouester have a bit more experience here. There’s 117, 116, two 18 year olds. They’ve got seven times they’ve been to Henley between them and they know length isn’t enough. And here they’re back on terms. I wouldn’t say they’ve done anything decisive, but they’ve definitely kept themselves overlapping. And in this situation rowing, the person in the lead tends to be under pressure now, not the person behind. And they’ve done a good job of switching the pressure. Whereas earlier they were losing contact, the pressure was on them. Now they’ve switched that and they’re gaining some good momentum here.
Yeah, still half a length in it. Utri really holding on to the boys from Mars. They tried to clear out on them, but Hartrey have been able to claw them back. Are we going to see these two boats come level as their Glouester looks strong, don’t they?
They do. They do.
It looks like Looks like Maris might have done everything they could and Glouester just kept their composure and their patience and actually have paced it for the full 2,100 meters. [Music] You can see the the Glouester Heartbreak crew the back finish when they release the blades how compact their hands are. Makes it very free moving at the finish. Yeah. And they’re they’re up and they’re up and on, aren’t they? Yeah. As you say, Hard Bree, they just look like they’re rowing the quad in a really dynamic way. Sitting up on a getting their shoulders over their hips. Really tidy blade work as we get a great shot there.
That’s one of the things about quads, isn’t it? that too long a finish isn’t necessarily a good thing. You have to generate a lot of momentum, handle speed early in the stroke and then release it without getting in your way. I think because they’re quite good at that. It’s quite light and they’re canvas ahead, maybe almost half a length ahead and Maris starting to look a little bit more labored, maybe paying the price a bit for their efforts in the first bit. Still very horizontal, aren’t they? They’re keeping their form. Oh, a bit of a wobble there in the bouncy water. Just shows how tricky it is out there.
It is tricky. These young athletes, first time at Henley, they’re just they’re they’re not losing their composure, are they? They’re doing a really good job with this.
They are. And you get a real sense when you’re down that water level shot, how tricky the water actually is. But these young athletes handling the difficult conditions with such maturity. Yeah, Glster also just just looks lighter and easier at the finish and I think that giving them a little bit more free easy speed as they get tired. Both crews converging to the middle of the course. See if the umpire has any anything to say about that. And Maris coming back, aren’t they? They’re really attacking it still. They have not rolling over. [Applause] That was a pretty mature performance, wasn’t it, from lost the heart rate length down and still managing to row their way through.
Just stayed really composed. Weren’t worried about a crew getting the jump on them, kept it together, understanding that it is a long race, but a great effort from Mars College CRA who’ve come a long way, national champions. Fantastic to see them in their first Henley appearance. The confirmation of the four league challenge cup. It was Hartry College over Mars College, CRA, Australia. [Applause] Attention go. And another round of the diamond challenge skulls. And we’re up for an international race here. Logan Olri. What a sensational race he had in Lucern to take the gold medal in the single.
He certainly is.
He might mess things up this week for some people. He’s gonna He could be dangerous this week.
Yes. So, we have Olri on the left hand side from New Zealand. He used to row at University of Washington and is Olympic silver medalist in their Coxus 4 in the Olympics in Paris. And then we have the Spanish scholar um Cox Buran Oola 24 years old. his first time at Henley and Or I understand born in Australia, Australian, rode on the Australian underage team before then heading off to college and then joining the New Zealand rowing team from there. But as you say, racing over for Washington Udub. And here the Spanish single scholar was 20th to the European Championships this year. Um but Logan Olri just came back over to Europe coached by um Mike Rogers who’s got great experience coaching Emma Twig there Olympics scholar and has just made the transition very quickly. I think he surprised himself, didn’t he? Cuz he didn’t think he was going to win the World Cup last weekend in a really tight race. Showed great determination to come back in a very tight race and win that. Just amazing when that happens, isn’t it? New people pop up.
It was such an incredible race to watch. and the the lead chopping and changing. We I don’t know that we expected or to take the gold medal until he literally crossed the line with it, but it was such um a brave and strong performance. And you know, we’re looking at a new superstar here. I think
we are. Yeah. And we got the Olympic silver gold and bronze medalist racing this weekend as well. Um so, it’s going to see where he puts himself cuz he hasn’t raced those two guys yet. And this has to be one of the events of the regata in terms of depth. You’re you’re going to see international rowers. You’re going to see Olympic medalists knocked out along the way to the final on Sunday.
Yeah, you are. You are. And there’s going to be no respect given. Well, there’s been respect given, but there’ll be no nobody’s going to let anybody get away with anything. The conditions look a little bit better. You can hear the band playing in the background as the skulls come down. It’s a real contrast to the X, isn’t it? solitary. There’s no He’s just quiet. Here’s a good picture of Logan Olri coming down.
See how physically strong he is, can’t you?
He is. I was talking to Emma Twig and she said he’s just so impressive physically. And it’s a bit of a contrast to the Dutch we saw earlier how he was very good at leaving his hands quite quiet and wide when he pushed at the beginning was Logan here. He’s more aggressive at the front end. His hands come together quite quickly, but and his blades go a bit deeper, but he just generates so much force. It’s obviously very efficient. It’s a great these drone views from in front. Normally, you’d have to be in a wash washing them down to give that kind of video, but having these drones really get to see and you can see what he’s viewing, his view of the the crews behind him and the the launch and all the and you can see the whole course. And he’ll actually be in a position now, well maybe not to enjoy it quite so much because it’s quite bouncy, but you get to enjoy the course. His first time down the course in in a single skull.
And we asked Emma and some of the Kiwis how Logan ended up being in the single skull. Of course, he was wearing eights over at college. He won a silver medal um at the Olympic Games in the men’s four. um apparently came home from college to race at the Christmas riata at Lake Carapiro with the summer squad and he won the men’s premier single skull and that was essentially the start of the journey.
Wow, that’s amazing. Huh? Not much prep, just good talent, good engine. So, here as we come down last bit of the race, probably a minute and a half to go, 2 minutes to go in these single skulls. The It’s a long way in these singles, isn’t it?
2,100 m into a stream. And we get a replay here of the two Scullars out of the start. And we’re going to see a big digger there from Logan. All went off really powerfully. It’s such tricky conditions, isn’t it, out there. We’re really getting a sense as they go down the course of just how bobbly that water is. But I’m sure he I’m sure he got a shot of adrenaline after that one.
I think he probably did. I think he was thinking he might fall in. But it just shows the potential he has. He’s going this quickly and he’s still quite he’s still quite rough and ready, isn’t he? It’s just very instinctive of what he’s doing. And the more mileage he does in this over the next couple of years, he’s only going to get quicker and quicker. And now he’s in total control of this race, soaking up the atmosphere as they come down towards the finish. The diamond challenge girls [Applause] crossing the line. Commanding performance from Logan Orick of New Zealand. Wiki Rowing Club in the Diamond Skulls over Burran from Spain. Attention. Go. [Music] And we hear the Coxinss take their crews away here in the Island Challenge Cup. Newcastle University A up against University of St. Andrews. And
this is University of St. Andrews first women’s eight of the riata ever. And they’ve already won around like yesterday beating Edinburgh at two lengths. That was a bit of a local Scottish derby. Um Newcastle A have won Bucks Riata Championship which is the university competition in the UK. um and University of St. Andrews were 10th in the intermediate age, the second category of eight. So this should be foregone conclusion for Newcastle. But it’s one of these things, isn’t it? It’s always dangerous when you think you should win a race and you haven’t raced in the riata and you’re nervous and you don’t want to mess it up and it’s almost like fear of failure instead of just going out and do your thing. So they’ll have attacked as hard as possible really to try and do get rid of get it over and done with as soon as possible. Yeah. You mentioned we saw a great Scottish battle yesterday between Edinburgh University and the University of St. Andrews who came out on top but they’ve got a tough one today. Newcastle University A we can see with a commanding lead through the barrier.
And this is a very seasoned crew as well. I mean they won the university championships early in the year. They raced at women’s handling and this crew, but also Newcastle were in the final of this event last year and they had a really close races on the Friday and Saturday to get themselves into the final. Um, yeah. And here, Angela Savino, who’s coach who’s in charge of the program up in Newcastle and this crew really really well drilled and making quite easy work of the St. Andrews crew. But how cool to get St. Andrews racing here, huh? It’s amazing to think a university like that, it’s taken so long to get a women’s eight at this event. Yeah, some lovely rowing here on screen. Newcastle University A stroked by Harriet Taylor, 22 years of age. She’s had four previous Henley appearances. She’s a medical student starting fourth year in September. They’re being steered by Elon Thomas, just 21 years of age. [Music] Yep. You can hear the crowd playing, people cheering Newcastle as they come down the course. They have a great following, don’t they? [Music] [Applause] You have a great view of St. Andrews still aggressive with their rowing. really I mean you you got to keep going to the end, haven’t you? Like we saw slight crowd from Logan and eight if a crab happens it could be catastrophic. So give yourself a chance by staying in the race. So how would you how would you have approached it as a coach psychologically when you were St. Andrews knowing that you the chances are you’re not going to beat Newcastle but you obviously want to have the best row you can have. Yeah, it’s a hard one. I think in an eight especially you go out to execute your race plan. and you get a bit of knowledge about who it is that you’re racing and where you think you might be able to get an advantage. But I typically if I knew that I was up against a really top crew, I’d be getting my crew to give it everything in the first half of the race and see how long they can hang in there for. Um it’s really the only way you can do it is leave it out on the course there.
Yeah, I mean the key thing is when they come off the water that they feel they had the best row and and done everything they could possibly they were in control of and and if you’re not quick enough, you’re not quick enough. Newcastle here really have it in hands. The stewards enclosure nice and full. People sitting there on the deck chairs applauding as graciously as the crew is rowing. This is a fabulous view of the course. You can see as you come into the finish, the the river bank gets closer to the cruise again and the noise builds, the crescendo builds as you get towards final 300 meters of the race. [Applause] A comfortable row in the end there for Newcastle University A. No doubt it will only get hotter through the weekend. The competition that is not the temperature. In the Island Challenge Cup, it was Newcastle University A over University of St. Andrews. Go. So off we go in the quads. Prince of Wales Challenge Cup, the men’s quadruple skulls with Leander on the enclosure side on the left hand side on Bark Show and we have the Dutch crew of Rudafer Teta and Kiska Ura Nordican Neland. Sorry if I butchered that. So we call them Teta and KSRN from now on. And here you can see the Dutch crew moving out to probably a canvas lead in the first minute or so. And in the fast side it is Leander Club Merkantile Rowing Club. John Keating, Oliver Costley, James Hindel Daniels from Leanda and Dominic Fred Rico in the stroke seat. His sister Emmy Fred Rico racing in the Australian Women’s 8 on Saturday. So here after that early lead from the Dutch crew, the Leander crew seem to have transitioned into a higher pace rhythm moved out to half a length lead or so as you can see from the barrier marker behind and seem to be still moving away. They just seem a bit livelier. The rates a bit higher, a bit tidier. Yeah. And they’re just now moving away making this easy work to be honest. So there’s quite a lot more representation. The Dutch crew, we only have one person who’s raced here before. Yellow Tikans, the stroke man who’s also steering the boat. And the other crew, the the Oliver Costley, the the two man, has been here eight times. How much information what events he’s done, but he’s been here eight times before. And you can see how composed this Leander crew is. The Dutch crew here still really having to drive, keep the stroke rate up to try and keep themselves on turn. In the end, the crew just my guess, more powerful, more efficient, spending more time with their blades in the water when they’re pushing. That’s just giving them better greater better boat speed and better acceleration. Here we go. And it looks like this Dutch crew struggling a little bit with the condition, steering left to right a bit, boats wobbling around a little bit. That’s where some of the experience comes in if you’ve been to this course before, doesn’t it? [Music] Yeah, you can see the Dutch crew. There we go. Back from Leander here on the left hand side. You can see the little pink computer basically on the on the boat and that’s telling them the stroke rates, the number of strokes per minute they’re taking. And also if they got what boat speed, there’s a GPS chip in it. It’ll tell them what the boat speed is and they know what the sort of speed they’re rowing at. [Applause] Leander still having to work physically but composed and the stroke rate well within their well within their abilities. [Music] So so [Applause] that was a win there for Leander over the Dutch crew coming in from TA and KSRN. attention go.
And the Temple Challenge Cup Student Open 8s, University of Virginia, USA up against Newcastle University. Can this Newcastle University crew do what their women did just a couple of races ago or are they going to have a tough ask here up against the American crew?
So, the Virginia crew, they won the American Collegiate Rowing Association competition. Um, and they haven’t been here before and this they haven’t been here for a long time actually. It’s one of the fastest crews I think the club has ever had. um and showing here moving out to a bit of length lead, probably a bit of a lead there against Newcastle, but nothing in it really still. We’ll see from the barrier marker in a minute when those numbers go up. You can see what the margin is as they went through that timing point. Newcastle looking very tidy as well with their blade work. And then we can see there, I mean, it’s a third of a quarter of a length. There’s nothing in it between these two crews. It’s all going to be down to who has the most efficient rhythm. So Virginia raced yesterday against Purdue winning by one and a half lengths and Newcastle beat MIT another American crew by 3/4 of a length. So they’ve already raced this regata so they’re all beded in and ready to go. So Purdue eeking out to half a length a great view there with the blue star of Newcastle really the guys you can see the legs as they all move down together just shows how sort of uniform the pressure is and the speed of the leg pressure and how well they’re pushing as a unit that could pay dividends later on in the race and the universe University Virginia USA with a lead. Are they going to be able to break clear of this crew from Newcastle? We’ve seen a few races today where crews have been locked together and then they’ve been able to work back through. So, it’s really critical in the eights especially to be able to break contact here as we see the coxin there from University of V Virginia Silly Chang 21 years of age. She’s been here twice before so she knows what she’s doing. looking across at the Newcastle crew. No doubt urging the crew on to say now is the time to break contact.
Yeah, the the Newcastle have kept the pressure on Virginia really very well in the first half of the course. Virginia seems to have improved their blade work. They just the way they finishing the stroke off seems to improved in the last 30 40 seconds or so. Maybe they put a push or an effort in to try and move away from Newcastle. Does seem to be making an effort. Does seem to be working for them. But we’ll just see how expensive that’s been is what Newcastle can do in return. It’s crucial. It’s all about momentum in eight, isn’t it? If you can get some momentum and sustain it long enough, it puts D in the opposition.
Yeah, it looks to me as though Newcastle University just taking the rate up a pit or two. Now is the time to attack if they want to come back into this race. University of Virginia a couple of points lower as we ride here with Newcastle University. That’s Dylan Howard, 21 years of age in the stroke seat. Chin up, staying nice and long and relaxed.
I tell you what, the boat’s really flat and efficient. There’s not much wrecking rattling around. This could be quite they could have a tone of pace coming off this off this push now. Does seem like they’re gaining a little bit on Virginia, but Virginia, their experience of winning the American Collegiate Rowing Association tough. really tough guys, really not compromising what they’re doing.
This is interesting a response here from University of Virginia. They’re stepping it up. I thought that Newcastle were moving through. To me, it looked like maybe University of Virginia just looking a little stressed as they’re coming under attack from Newcastle University, but they have a response. They’ve got that power in the water. They’re holding them at bay. Newcastle starting to wind up again.
Yeah, the Virginia crew really physical in the way they row and went through a bit of a wash there and dealt with it very, very well. You can see the grimace on the athletes faces now. The the the mental determination needed to think, well, I need to do go as deep as I can. The hardest I’ve ever done because otherwise I’m going home.
They’re just coming in front of the grand stand now. Still the University of Virginia with the lead about half a length over Newcastle University. It’s going to come down to the last few strokes here. Does Newcastle University have a response or is it too little too late? We see a response here from University of Virginia. They’re taking the rate up. They’re driving the power up. They can see the line. Look at their teeth. Look at the grimace on the bowman of the Virginia crew, Alexander Baringer, 22 years of age.
But they showed such composure under pressure the whole way down the course. Just kept it together under pressure and when it counted, just able to work away. What a fantastic row from Virginia to soak it up and still do the win. [Applause] Strong race there. Tough race in the temple. University of Virginia over Newcastle University. You got a clean start from both crews. Got Clifford and Swiss on your left hand side from City of Oxford, Upper Tams Rowing Club. And on the right hand side, you’ve got the German crew of Moore and Valter, a lightweight and heavyweight combination. [Music] They both goes off nice and cleanly, Sarah. Yeah, both crews as you say nice and cleanly. We saw the bowman in the boat at the top of your screen. That’s Matthew Swiss looking over at this fast starting boat, the German crew, Nikita Moore and Fion Vala. Yeah, this is the point now where they’re going to start to transition now and we’ll see what’s happening as they transition into their rhythm. The Germans just seem to have transitioned onto something a bit quicker, haven’t they? They moved out to clear water by the end of the barrier. [Music] Reminds you a little bit of that cluster harbor crew, how compact they are at the finish and how easily they move away and get out of the way of the boat. [Music] So the German crew here both have been to Henley once before. Um they were in the final well Müller was in the Mo sorry was in the final A against won the sing men’s heavyweight single and Bolter was at the European Championships in the lightweight men’s double this year and came first. So, one heavyweight, one lightweight in this boat representing their club. And we see a steering correction there from the trailing crew. Clifford and Swiss from City of Oxford Rowing Club and Upper Rowing Club. 10 Henley appearances between them. So, a lot of experience on this stretch of water. But this more or less international crew from Germany as you say one lightweight one heavyweight leading in this race and you can see the riggers though they’re using their own to hold the ores go behind the athletes. So on some of the boats you see the riggers will be in front of over the feet of your own feet but this one goes over the feet of the person behind you. [Music] Well we get a true sense of the lead of the German crew now. several lengths of the interest s the UK when we have the rowing clubs they’re just rowing clubs but the German club here is a ruden tennis and hockey club so it’s a multisport club they have multiple sports on their venue as well as rowing and I think that’s a good business model because you get so many different types of athletes coming to the club being members you don’t just rely on rowers being the members something that goes on in Europe goes on in Italy as well something we don’t have in the UK yeah we don’t have that model in Australia either it’s really interesting and interesting how they pick what sports are going to be in a precinct like that.
Yeah, some of like the big football clubs in Italy were originally rowing clubs and now are premiership football clubs, but originally were rowing clubs and they still have some history with that. [Music] A great picture. You can see the margin as you move across with the drone coming in almost it’s almost like a Star Wars video coming in hunting down the double. But you do get a sense when you fly over the water like that just how much distance there is between these two crews who right here with the general combination. That’s Finn Va in the stroke se.
Amazing, isn’t it? And they’re not backing off, are they? They’re really still going. You thought at this margin they’d be able to take a bit of time, but they’re really still pushing. But look at the water. Sarah, it’s really quite bouncy out there, isn’t it? It’s quite hard conditions for these guys. And I think we said it was one heavy and one light, but they are in fact both lightweight rowers. Finn Vulta, European champion in the lightweight men’s double this year, fifth in the A final at the World Cup in Verzi in the lightweight men’s double as well. Under 23 world champion in the lightweight men’s double back in 2023. And Nikita Moore at the World Cup. He was fifth in the lightweight men’s double. So it looks like maybe this is a new combination together for the Germans. Yeah, cuz it’s a difficult time for the lightweights now, isn’t it? Because their event is no longer an Olympic event. We’re seeing a lot in the international racing now that these teams have got mixtures of heavy and lightweight athletes. The lightweight athletes not having to get down to weight but being competitive and winning medals in heavyweight events. Yeah, we saw a similar situation with the Australian men’s double that raced earlier this morning. Uh two former lightweights, Reinhardt McInness going through comfortably. Yeah, upper temps both Swiss and Clifford still attacking down um Clifford upper temps row basically this is home stretch of river. So the result then for the double skulls winners Moore and Burau from Germany. I love that moment of silence just before the go and then you hear the coxins you hear the oars in the island challenge cup that is the student women’s eight gringa student roying a gear up against Oxford University a crew the Dutch are here in force this year this Oxford crew has six of the blue boat from the red ray road boat racing in April and three from the Crew Ozirus. So, it’s good to see them maintain the rowing through the summer and not just finishing off the boat race. Um, and they beat um Sur University by three lengths yesterday. And here maybe one seat up on Granigan. Shows you how appealing this race is, isn’t it? Universities coming over from abroad to race and Oxford here moving out. But we’ll see from the barrier sign behind to about just under half a length lead from Grunigan. As we look along the water there, you can see that roll in the water we’ve been talking about. They’re just staying up on top of it in both of these boats. It’s an interesting way that’s happened, isn’t it? is very close and oct slid out to half a length which you would think would give them some confidence but then because you stick suddenly the confidence can move to the other crew. Um so Groner need to just not let this slide away any further. There umpire’s hand up warning Oxford to move back onto their station. You see the flag from the umpire’s launch the white flag sticking out pointing at the Oxford cruise side of the recourse. And it’s important that she sees Oxford making a really big effort to move across. If she doesn’t see a proper effort, then she’ll keep them warning. Yeah, it looks like Gwyn Battton, the umpire there in the launch following, as you said, Adrian, warning Oxford University to stay on their station. The umpire launch goes up the center of the course. So, that’s how they’ll be determining which crews are moving off their line. Oh,
this is a slog fest, isn’t it? Both crews just tied at half a length. Just stroke for stroke. Nothing’s changing. Whatever anybody does, the margin is sticking. It’s going to see it’s going to come down to who cracks, I think, who is going to be tough enough to sustain what they’re doing. Oxford just holding the advantage about 3/4 of length now over the Dutch crew.
I think they have moved out, haven’t they? Since the last marker we saw was half a length, they have moved out a bit. Just seem a little bit more lively with it. Maybe maybe Groning and still rowing very long, but maybe it’s just got a little bit heavy as they got tired. Yeah, I’d agree. It looks like their stroke r a bit heave through the boat, whereas Oxford just staying up nice and bright through the front and really keeping the boat moving along.
Yeah. And the Oxford style very much they sort of row the blades in. The blades have some momentum when it goes in the water and just means it doesn’t feel so heavy when they pick the boat up. Yeah, they just seem to be energized now. They’re moving away. It kind of breeds confidence. You feel less tired somehow when you move when it works, don’t you? They’re growing again. Still keeping their length, rowing long, just I think they’re just running out of steam a little bit. And the Oxford crew just seem to be more in their range, a bit more dynamic, and just slowly moving away from Grown. Yeah, just really not able to respond, are they? It look almost looks like they’re geared really heavy or something like that. Sort of low and long lopey rhythm, but really without that sort of punchiness and brightness that you’d expect to see in an eight.
Yeah. And I think that’s it looked like it was a really solid hard long rhythm, wasn’t it? And that’s why they were in the race and putting the pressure on Oxford. But like you said, if they looks like they’re geared a bit heavily and maybe they don’t have anywhere else to go and it just means they’ve got no dynamism to respond to the the move and the effort that Oxford put in.
Yeah. Whereas you look at the Oxford crew here and you can really see that acceleration into the back end. They’re staying up on their feet. You can see the bow surge and they’re sort of picking the boat up on the surge. Really keeping that boat and the momentum moving along.
Yeah. There’s a really great job from these quite experienced athletes having done boat races and and rode in big events and they’ve responded here to the pressure and really executed their race plan to the tea. And
we can hear the crowd,
the local cheer does tend to be a bit louder whenever there’s a British crew racing, an international crew, I’ve noticed.
Yeah, that’s Yeah, we’re a bit part sometimes. A great race from Oxford and great for them to be racing another day at the Riata. [Applause] Yeah, not giving any They’re not not giving not knocking on the head or anything. They’re still finishing right off the piece. Strong finish here from Oxford University Boat Club in the Ireland Challenge Cup. Oxford University A defeating Groner Student Roing Agear and we’re back up for the Diamond Skulls. It’s the Premier Open single skull. You’d be a little bit nervous being Alex Wolf, great athlete, but draw but drawing the Olympic champion from Tokyo 2020. Stefanos Nuscus from the nautical club of Ionina, Greece.
Yeah, and he’s he is an aggressive athlete, isn’t he? The way he attacks every race, he’s just ne you know, he’s never going to roll over. But here, to be fair, Alex Wolf move leading the the not defending Olympic champion, but previous Olympic champion in the single skull. But the test will be as they transition into the rhythm. My guess is that the Greek scholar isn’t going to transition just yet.
Yeah, what a start here from Alex Wolf. He can certainly say that he’s led out the Olympic champion, but hey, we’ve seen crazier things happen on this course. He’s very much in this race. Alex Wolf, two 27 years of age, two previous Henley Royal Regatas. He’s from Victoria, Australia from Scots College and then Merkantile before moving up to Sydney. He’s a member of the under 23 men’s eight back in 2019 and in 2023 raced the temps challenge cup for Sydney. He was selected on the Australia A team for the Windmir Cup last year.
It’s a great view of these two crews. They’re roughly taking the same stroke rate or they’re not actually the Greek scholar and that’s it’s the traditional thing that Alex has done is he’s gone off hard and settled into rhythm and just the physiology of an elite athlete. The fact that he goes off hard and doesn’t really have to settle into anything. He just fit enough just to go go and now it’s starting to show the difference, isn’t it? He just keeps on it. See that really aggressive style of Nuscos that we’re used to seeing. Got a Strong cohort here from Greece with Stfanos Nutuscus we’re watching here in the diamonds and Anastasiadu and Fitzio in
the women’s double.
And it’s also a shine of experience, isn’t it? He knows that the longer he keeps it high, the longer he attacks him for at some point it will pay dividends and he knows that will then mean the race will be over. You could hear the umpire calling before because Tuscos just moving into the center of the course. So being called back onto his station, but as we’re with these live shots here, he’s certainly in the right place now and with a very healthy lead over Wolf from Sydney Rowing Club. And Natuscus, I think, looking a bit more composed now. He looked really pretty untidy as he had the stroke rate up in
he was just aggressive, wasn’t he? And just generating lots of boat speed. That’s kind of probably a lesson to learn for a lot of people. We spend a lot of time when you’re rowing to try and be efficient and smooth and make it look effortless. But actually, you just have to go quickly. And sometimes it’s ugly to go quickly. But I mean, now you can see how well he does go when he’s not on the edge. Yeah. It just doesn’t stop, does it? Through the front end. He sort of has that lift of his chin and his shoulders. It’s almost like he’s moving in a sort of constant circular motion through the stroke. It just never stops. Yeah. Yeah. And he was originally a lightweight, wasn’t he? A Greek lightweight. And then he became a heavyweight. And so he’s not as tall as some of these really big scullars. So he tends to take more strokes per minute. Has a higher cadence to generate the boat speed because he can’t rely on rowing a very very very long stroke. Whereas Alex W’s probably a little bit taller than him. And here Alex coming down the course. What a tough draw for him. But also what a great draw, huh? What an opportunity to race. How many times you get to race against the Olympic champion? We’ve just seen the diamonds today, haven’t we? The number of Olympic medalists in this event, all here hoping to make it to Sunday and not all of them are going to make it.
And the quality of all of these premier events has been exceptional this year. And we’re going to see some amazing races across Friday, Saturday, Sunday as some of these real titans of our sport go headto head in the premier events especially. And all that work from Tuscus the start is paying dividends. He now looks so composed, so within himself, really efficient. He’ll be soaking up the atmosphere now, won’t he? Yeah, it’s a lovely opportunity to row down past the steward’s enclosure, past the grand stand, hearing the cloud crowds applause. But in the diamond challenge skulls, it is Stefanos Nuscus defeating Alex Wolf. Well, Adrian, it’s hard to believe that we’re coming up to the last race of the morning, day three of Henley Royal Regata for 2025. And our last race of the morning before lunch is the Foley Challenge Cup. Maiden Head Rowing Club in the Barkshire Station and CLA’s Court School in the Buck Station.
Again, two local clubs rowing in this event. They both have big pedigree in this event. Cla’s quite one quite recently. Um, got to say I’ve got a bit of a grumble myself, my tummy, so I think it’s time for lunch. What a great way. Here we go. CLA’s Court just moving out slightly ahead of Benhead. CLA’s Court were third at National Schools. They really improved during the season. They were seventh at the schools head of the river race in March. But they’ve just gradually provide improved through the summer and came third at the National Schools getting a medal at a windy Nottingham. Great shot just before we went to this of Thomas Beaver and Joshua Spanwick in the stroke and three seat. But we can see as we’ve gone a bit further down the track that it’s still very close between these two boats. I think perhaps CLA’s court with the advantage will get a true sense of the margin between them as they straighten up on the camera angle here.
So perhaps a length in it.
Yeah, looks like it. But what a great effort from Maiden Head because Maiden Head was seven were 18th in the national schools regata. So they were in the C final and look how brave they’ve been at the start to really put CLA’s core under pressure and give themselves a chance. Um CLA’s Court have soaked that up nicely and like you said this the sign over there 3/4 mile post is saying not quite the length but it looked like a length when we saw it
and Maiden Head their journey to get here. They beat Star Club by one and 3/4 lengths to make it to this race. Cla’s Court School starting their campaign today. It’s a niggly overlap, isn’t it? It’s niggly. It’s not Prescott not quite breaking free and Maiden Head not letting him get away. And do you think having that race earlier in the week for Maiden Head that that would have helped them to get here that they’re, you know, they’ve been able to go down the track, have a win, get some confidence, understand the water before a big race today? I think that is doing your first race, it’s always a bit of a step into the unknown and having one race just sort of settles the nerves a bit. You you’ve gone over the course, you’ve done the calls, you’ve executed things well or maybe there’s a few things you wanted to improve and actually it seems to have paid dividends cuz maiden head you’re still in touch despite being 18th at national school instead of third for CLA’s court. This is a really impressive effort for Maiden Head. It looks to me as though Maiden Head are starting to come back here, Adrian. They were basically their bow ball on the stern of CLA’s court, but now they’ve got a canvas back. Is Maiden Head going to make a move here?
This is really impressive. Just hope they keep the momentum and keep keep on that pressure no matter how much it hurts and how much effort it took to get this.
Just put yourself in the hole a bit further on and see what happens. Often it comes down to who’s the first person to break. They’re pretty close to the booms there. I think they’ll just come back over into the center of the course. It always makes me a little nervous seeing the crews get that close. But a very mature row here from Maiden Head Rowan Club. They’re coming down to the grand stand. So if they want to get back into this race, they’re going to have to go for it. They can hear the crowd starting to cheer. And we’re seeing the crew as we see a little look across from William Snooxil in the B getting warned by the umpire. Oh my goodness. Here we go. Close quarts having to steer and trying to move away. Maiden Head really attacking here. They’re sprinting. They’re coming down to the line. Another look across from the bow seat. Really punching through. Look how aggressive Maiden Head are. Thomas Beaver in the stroke seat of Cla’s court looking across. They’ve stepped up as well. It’s going to come down to the line. Wow.
Wow. Less than half a length. Amazing. Was amazing effort from Maiden Head to stay that close. Fantastic row from Maiden Head. They’ll be gutted that they didn’t quite get there, but they should be proud of that effort in the four challenge cup. It was Cla’s Court School over Maiden Head Rowing Club. Well, thank you very much, Adrian, for joining me in the commentary box this morning. We’ve seen some great races as always. It’s been fantastic covering this morning, day three of Henley Roata 2025. We’re looking forward to some lunch and more racing starting up this afternoon. Brilliant. Thank you very much to all of the commentators this morning. What a cracking morning and a morning that saw history being made with the first ever race in the bridge challenge plate. This new intermediate event for women’s eights and I’m delighted to be with the winners. Congratulations Marlo. Um well you’ve you smashed the record as such. Thank you very much. It was really exciting. Um yeah, just really happy to be racing with these girls. Excited to see what we can do next.
Tell me a little bit about the crew. How have you come together?
Yeah, so we’re all Marlo junior alumni. So we um most of us learned to row at Marlo and we’ve all gone off to our respective universities and come back for the summer racing with Marlo.
Well, and how did that then how pleased were you when you heard about this new event and and putting the team together?
Oh, it’s such an honor to be part of the first group of women to be part of this event. I’m really excited to see in the coming years how this event will grow and the new opportunities it will have for women. You must have been delighted with your race. You look pretty dominant against Leander.
Yeah, it was a really exciting race. It was definitely gripping. Like we got the lead and then they pulled back and we were like, “Oh, what’s going to happen next?” But yeah, we stayed strong and carried through and it was it means a lot to be like the first race at the bridge event, you know, for women and obviously pleased with the way that the crew came together. Were you were you happy with the the way you executed the race?
100%. I think we’ve trained really hard the past few weeks and we’ve had our ups, have our downs, but it all played out in the final race, so we’re really happy with Congratulations on making a little bit of history this morning then. That is team Marlo, the first ever winners of a bridge challenge plate race. And they’re are heading off now to to cool down. But we’re going to be heading into the lunchtime interval. Then highlights of this morning’s session coming up. But first, let’s learn a little bit about a Henley initiative which aims to get more young people into the wonderful world of competitive rowing. For more than 25 years, the Henley Rogata Charitable Trust has been supporting projects across the country that encourage young people to row and skull. So far, it has invested 6.1 million in grassroots initiatives. Here are Kyra and Andy to explain more about two projects that London Youth Rowing have launched with our support. I feel so lucky to have met so many amazing people through rowing. Every single rower I know is down to earth, passionate, and determined. Yet all of us are absolutely unique and different. When you’re in a boat with your crew mates, all that matters is boat speed. Not what you look like, where you came from, or what you believe in. There’s a perception that rowing is exclusive. But I don’t believe for a second that anyone in the rowing community believes that. And I believe it’s a sport that’s for everyone and open to everyone. Though we’re still not quite there in a rowing community that looks like the wider society, I believe we are making steps forward and we’re making progress. [Music] Last year, the charity London Youth Rowing launched active road lead. Have you guys come down to the rowing machines? [Music] run by the coaches Rebecca and Amber. The aim is to take the sport to groups of kids who may not have heard of rowing before. Looking professional one around Hay Park in Leeds, some children from the program were taken to the water for the first time. The main aim is for every kid in Leeds, Bradford, and Wakefield to know that rowing is an option for them and to give them all the opportunities that rowing can give them. [Music] I never really thought rowing was something I could do just because it’s seen as something really posh, mainly a white dominated sport. So, when I was presented with the opportunity to join Ry, I I took it with open arms because I was like, that is something so new. I’ve never seen any other Asian people do that. And I was like, it’d be really fun to try it. and I have really liked it so far. I’ve loved every bit of it. So, there is a stereotype of rowing and that is of most rowers look a lot like me. They’re tall, they’re white, but that’s definitely shouldn’t be the case. At the end of the day, the rowing community wants more people involved. The more people that we get involved, the more successful we are and the more fun that we can have. You always listen to their instructions. We do stuff together. really important big teamwork
with rowing. As long as I see them that they’re enjoying it, they’re having fun, they’re working together, that’s all that really matters. It’s like bringing them together as a team despite color, race, anything like that. They all have respect for each other because they’re teammates. When we go into schools, a lot of the kids do think this was for people at Oxford and Cambridge, but it’s amazing how quickly soon as they see the rowing machines and they get on them, they realize, “Oh, yeah, actually this is for me. I I can do it.” So, that’s really lovely. It was scary at first, but then I enjoyed it a lot when my friends was making me laugh.
Last year, I watched the Oxford plus Cambridge one and I saw it on TV and I was like, “Oh, I could do that.” Uh, and this was before I went into Robin and now I’m here and I’m like a step in the way to do that. Seeing the girls out on the water today was amazing. It made me feel so good. As a coach, all I want is for all of the pupils that I coach to have that opportunity to get on the water and to give it a proper go to really see what the magic is. Their four girls on the boat today was something that was basically what we aimed to do here, which is something that I was really proud of and I’d love to see more of.
They were having so much fun. They were loving it and that just that just makes me feel amazing.
From the riverbank to the National Junior Indoor Rowing Championships. Today we’re going to see 2,000 kids from across the Southeast racing their hearts out for their schools and friends down here on the race floor. [Music] is that this is the opportunity of people trying a sport that they may never have got the opportunity of doing. It’s about engaging. It’s about people getting into the sport, having an opportunity. Uh the more opportunities that we can widen our youth in all sorts of areas, the more it’s going to improve their lives uh and improve society. this diversity here. You know, I didn’t expect you meet friends that is going to be your brothers and your sisters for life. And the life skills that you learn, I guarantee you if you give it a try, man, that you’re going to be a leader. This is like an indoor rowing event you’ll never have seen before. But it doesn’t stop here. We’re all in Leads with another 800 kids up there, too. Nerk is going national, and it’s brilliant. [Music] All Aboard Youth Rowing is a project that we’ve been supporting across the Northwest. So, I’m Richard Sinnut. I’m the CEO of Allabboard Youth Rowing. It’s getting youngsters involved that are from a non-typical, shall we say, rowing background. We take the children out of school during the day. So the children that are here could be doing double geography, they could be doing geography and history, they could be doing languages, they could be doing anything. And the big thing that we found with the schools and the way that we can really sell it to the schools is that attendance improves. But the schools see the benefit of those youngsters in year 8 and nine getting out of the classroom and doing something that is teaching them very very valuable life lessons. So they’re learning about resilience, they’re learning respect, they’re learning teamwork, communication, and there’s a long list of skills that are being imparted into them. [Music] Hi, my name’s Jen Hines and I’m lucky enough to be one of the coaches here at All Aboard Youth Rowing. We have two two guiding principles really. We have to make sure that all the young people are super safe. And then the second one is that they have loads of fun. There’s loads more involved in that that help with their teamwork, help with uh leadership, confidence building and stuff like that. It’s amazing. One of the most rewarding things is seeing them develop from being really tentative getting in a boat to you can see the confidence. They get relaxed. They really gel as a team.
We currently operate from six sites. If we got some more secured funding, we could go to seven, eight sites and just we can hopefully get out and geographically help more people. [Music] [Applause] Since I started rowing, I’ve learned about how to be like a leader to my peers in the row in the rowing boat and also how to be a captain and how to teach other people in a nice way and I make new friends while doing it. You should do it cuz you get new friends, you make like new coaches and you get just you become a better person after it. The main thing I look forward to doing is seeing everyone, seeing the coaches, and just like rowing with people. I just made so much memories doing it. Days like this are so important to students in our school. It’s given them vital access to things they may never have had the opportunity to have. Um, especially if they come from a more disadvantaged situation. It’s wonderful to give them the opportunity to try something new, something exciting. Even if it’s not just about sport, it will provide you with friendships and and a real place to come and and just sort of let off steam and and just be part of something very very special. Push everything away from your day-to-day life as you push away on the boat. [Music] All we want to do is is give you the best start to a sport that might just be absolutely perfect for you. And to see them thrive in an environment that’s actually probably more suited to them than being in the classroom. It’s nice to see that they have an outlet to go to which provides them with a different environment to thrive in. Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] To find out more or make a donation to the charitable trust, please log onto our page on the Henley Barretta website. Thank you. [Music] Go.
The first of 81 races on day three of Henry Royal Reata at the Princess Royal. We’ve got Imagigen Grant on the Barkshire station to the left of your picture and Katarina Mreno from Ukraine on the right hand side. She’s had a fiery start to this and Image and Grant will have began to keep contact with her. There’s the lightweight double Olympic gold medalist from Paris last summer trying to get some rhythm into the boat, some speed into the boat. And she’s made terrific start in terms of the steering, in terms of the route she goes down. And she’s just nudged ahead. You can see that it’s pretty tight though. It could be an absolute cracker in the opener. Image and Grant moving the boat really well. A very level start to this race and Julia, you came with a similar pedigree. If you come into a regata like this with a a big international name and you’re suddenly under pressure, aren’t you? Suddenly in a single where you’re all on your own and there’s no one else to rely on. It’s all about you. It’s pressure, isn’t it?
It is a pressure, but I need to say that single was my favorite boat. I spent in it uh 9 years. Um and I’m from Pol is complete different and here like I was the single um the only girl in my club and then in the national team. So I need to spend loads of time before we develop the the team the the group of the girls. Uh so single was very familiar for me. Uh but yes, it’s completely different than what we see most of the days here with the cruise and in the single it’s only you and you need to have all the tactic by yourself and to motivate yourself. Um it’s it’s a very special but not everyone are the fun of this of this boat.
Yeah cuz it’s quite lonely at times.
It is lonely. It’s very lonely but um what is amazing here is that you are next to the back so you can hear clearly at least the supporters and your coach at the beginning of of the of the course. So that’s uh that’s good to hear to have that coach really close to you especially Henley um because in the international regard sometimes the coaches are very far so you cannot hear them.
Yeah you’re a long way away in six lane racing but here you’re within earshot myo finding it hard to keep pace with Grant Temple Island fading into the background and the Ukrainian has work to do already. Image and Grant setting a good pace. Now, I spoke to her at the boat tent about an hour ago and this is her schedule today. Imagine Grant. Okay, so she got here at 7:00 this morning. At 8:00, she got her boat out the tent and onto the water. At 9:00 right now, she’s on the water. First heat of today, Henrior Gata. She’s in the Princess Royal Challenge Cup as we can see here. After this, she jumps into a shower. Then she jumps into her car, drives to slow Wexom Park Hospital, which is look, it’s only 10 or 15 miles up the road, but congestion and all that. She gets to the hospital, does a day shift, a full day shift as a doctor at Wexon Park Hospital. She then jumps back into her car, gets back here for the last race on the card today at 6:50 in an 8 in the new competition, the new event bridge. She’s racing Cambridge University against Oxford Brooks University. So that is Imagin Grant’s schedule for today. So if you think you got a busy day, spare a thought for Imagigen.
Busy day. And also please remember that the traffic I hope will be not this hard for her. She should have like a special That’s where it can go wrong.
Yes, that’s where it can go wrong. So maybe it will be easy for her to walk or run or warm up that last bit of uh to get here on time. So fingers crossed for her busy schedule today.
This is the bit she can enjoy. I don’t know, Julia, if you ever felt this, maybe as an elite athlete, actually, this is your happy place, isn’t it? This is your good time when no one can get at you. Whereas, when you’re on the bank and you got coaches and and people like me wanting to do interviews with you and family and friends here, there’s a huge number of distractions. Whereas actually uh for these athletes now, it’s where they can just get on with what they do, isn’t it? It’s their safe place.
This is a safe place. And again we can uh see clearly um the other boat like we see the back of uh of of the Ukrainian crew. So imagine have a clear view where she is how she can base it especially if she have another race today. She wants to save her energy.
So she wants to make sure that um that now she just can go on a easier pace and just enjoying. And we had a chat about Katrina Mreno who’s 25 years old now and you can see her there operating trying to keep pace with the Olympic gold medalist and she’s got really good pedigree international rower. Fantastic to see her here and one of many nations represented today but Julia you’ve uh come across her in the past you know all about her.
Yes. So I know that in 2016 and 2017 she was competing in the junior world championships uh being fourth uh first in the single and then in the Ukrainian quad. Um later we can see that uh she took um part in the Olympic Ukrainian eight. Um so they were taking part in the head of the Charles regata. So definitely she’s a part of the Ukrainian team and going around the world and and promoting also Ukraine and and making
it’s great
representing her country.
Yeah, it is great to see her here obviously in the current circumstances representing Ukraine. Quite a versatile athlete so has got lots of experience at different sorts of regatas which is probably what you want isn’t it? Coming into Henley you need to have had experience across a range of formats. If you come here having just done six lane racing, you might find it a bit of a shock.
Yes. And I I think maybe she was also inspired uh to come here by Ola of Buryak that came here in 2022 in a double uh with a Kakov was Zaviska. That was a Polish Ukrainian double. And then loads of Ukrainian uh girls came over to Henley and loads of cruise. Um so it’s great for Ukraine to stay strong and keep coming and representing their country especially Henley where they have an amazing support from the stewards and closure and from everyone who’s coming here and support
and so important for future international rowers particularly from Ukraine if they’re to come in the future then seeing her here so great that we’ve got my streno on the water there’s a lot of clear water though between her and Image and Grant who we can see now who is making it look like a fairly leisurely and uh controlled performance this just going to get through these last few hundred meters of the race in front of Stewwards and then uh get onto the M4 where she might not find it going so easy but it’s a terrific site that isn’t it one of the world’s best
yes it’s amazing to line up with the Olympic champion in your first race and your royal regata
as the draw happens and you that as a draw is that are you jumping for joy that you’ve got the the big name against you or you
I definitely will because you can learn you can I definitely will like jump over the rope if I could go against the Olympic champion as my first race first will be oh it will be hard but then how much can I learn uh from this race
you see that’s what makes you a champion whereas a lot of people would try and hide away from having to go up against the best this early in the week they’d rather wait till Saturday or Sunday get through to the semi-finals or the finals
yeah I was I I was very lucky to go against Nikova Kandri Hotic. Um I was obviously losing with them by 40 seconds but at least I was at the start line at the beginning when I was under 23 and it was always amazing to learn from them and also receiving loads of support. So that’s what is amazing with the single color that they always support you no matter or lose with you especially the Olympic champions they’re always going to come and and thank you for the race. Um what are you going to see in a second?
Yeah. So Image and Grant now drops the rate right down in front of Stewarts and uh she can cross off task one on her Thursday to-do list win at Henley next off to the hospital back 650. So, Image and Grant over the line wins her race pretty comfortably. But great to see my streno of Ukraine here and as Julia says she’ll have learned from that experience.
We can see how Imagine is clubbing now for my strenuous mentioned support from each other and just saying thank you to each other for the race.
So, the Princess Royal Challenge Cup Image and Grant through to the next round. So the Temple Challenge Cupostively of the Netherlands against St Edward School from Oxford. It’s a local school against an international boat here. And they’re just getting quite close together, aren’t they? We can watch those blades down the middle of the water tucking in perilously close. But they’ve sorted their steering out. Of course, he ate something better of a So, should make steering a little bit more straightforward. And they are really trying to fly out the traps here. Both of these boats trying to seize an early initiative. It’s brilliant, isn’t it, Julia? When you watch a race and clearly the game plan is to try and eat a chunk of lead early, try and break the opposition down early. And look at these two boats. They’re both going absolutely dead level early, but they both tried to break each other in those first 100 meters or so and neither have given an inch. It’s a good uh tight race in the early stages here. Yeah, we hope to have it all the way down here. It will be very exciting. But but obviously the race plan is to go as hard as possible from the beginning. Making sure there are no mistakes happening because um at the beginning we are getting the boat from standing position all the way in the first couple of strokes to the full speed and then trying to pace the b the best possible uh to settle down and go through the middle distance. in terms of pacing of the race. So, we talked a lot about singles obviously with your background as well a moment ago, but you know all about eights as well. The tactics of a race here. So, we we just said they try and get as much energy into the boat early. I mean, that’s what every eight does, isn’t it? And is it a bit more straightforward in an eight, emptying the tank and just seeing seeing what you’ve got or because of the nature of a longer race, it takes longer, doesn’t it? A single obviously. Is it a bit more tactical sometimes? So I don’t know how you how you think in terms of tactics whether an eight is more or less tactical than a single.
I think both of uh both events can be very tactical. Depends who are you going against what is your level um with the aid. Again you always um go through the race especially here when it’s one to one and uh seeing what are the strong sides of your opponent what are your strong sides. So I think in both cases and in every even the tactic is very important
and knowing the good and the strongest and the weakest sides of your of your opponent. Yeah. Well, this is a good race. We’ve got overlaps and then score on the Barkshire station to the left of your picture are leading by half a length. But whilst Julia was talking there as a boss Delel have put in a charge. Have St. Deadwood School responded the Temple Challenge Cup. This is a good race. Not much in it. Can they turn this round? The Dutch have half a length to make up and they’re just in front of the enclosures now heading in front of Stewwards. But St. Edward School have reacted well to that charge from the Dutch and they’ve held their 3/4 length lead. It’s a Dutch boat’s first rigata. So for them, what an experience. St. Edward school just putting down everything they’ve got in this last couple of hundred meters to stretch to a length lead and we can see coming into the finish line now into the sight of Henry Town Center. There we are. That’s where the finish line is and Edward School as things stand will be first there. Alexander Brown at the Cox driving the boat on NOK in the stroke seat. We’ll be very pleased to see just over a length lead now. That was a good race. They’re not home yet. St Edward School, but in a couple of strokes time they will be. St. Edward School thrown the Temple Challenge Cup and the celebrations in their boat. They know that was a tough one. Asaposit of the Netherlands exit that first regata. They’ll be better for that experience. A great race though. Really good eight racing. This is the visitors challenge cup. Oxford University Bat Elizabeth and Boat Club and Cambridge. So we’re going to stay very much. Look at the boats here Julia. It’s an early start which is causing a few problems cuz we’ve got the boats swerving around on the course. They’re in a good position right now. Elizabethan and Cambridge. Yeah, Cambridge Club.
They’re just drifting out a little bit central here, aren’t they? Need to keep an eye on this. Elizabeth and Cambridge. There’s a flag up from the umpire being sent back to their side of the water. came. So again, a early problem with their steering, but they’ve got their composure back now and we’ll see how uh we can see in the picture there. The response from Oxford University be
what will they get? They’re moving it well now. Those early steering problems must just be a bit unnerving. [Music] This is a high quality race. You got some good athletes in these boats here. Let’s having a look at in the stroke seat. James Young, 19 years old, first Aurora Gata. And here’s the Oxford University Bboat. It’s great depth, isn’t it? To have a Bboat that can boss a race at Henry Roorati. You got to have a, as Oxford University of course do, a big deep squad to be able to produce this level in your Bboat. Temple Island and Hamilton Valley. Very lush green looking Hamilton Valley considering the lack of rain recently. And here come the Oxford University boat. Oxford University B finding it hard to keep pace with Elizabeth and Boat and Cambridge. [Music] on the buck station. That’s a mammoth lead that they’ve carved out now. The Visitors Challenge Cup, Elizabeth and Boat Club and Cambridge to the right of your picture. Good performance from them. Yeah. So, a solid win. Why is it being boat club and Cambridge 99 club? So it’s Elizabeth and Boat Club and Cambridge who progress through in the visitors Oxford University Bowout. Attention in the island student women’s 8 from the Netherlands Oxford Brooks University B and they’re getting close early. We’re up at Temple Island here off the start and those blades close together. The umpire has recognized that and has asked the Dutch to get back to their side of the water which they’ve done. In fact, you can see Oxford Brooks University B also heading out to the right of you a picture back towards the buck station. But it’s the Dutch who have got the early lead here. very fluent away from the start and now they’ve settled down into race mode, race pace, race rhythm. The umpires just having to get involved briefly there. [Music] So away we go through this Oxford Brooks University Boot. You can see Gwenny Hunter and Daisy Jones, Molly Ripen and Millie Hurl, Maria Cowing and Abby Newman Isabella Wolf Graham and in the stroke seat there, Lucy Green with the Cox, Elizabeth Johnson. That’s through the Oxford Brooks University B got some work to do because you can see appearing now the lead that the Dutch have already carved out. It’s the second uh woman’s race of the day after the singles going from singles to all the way to the eight.
Yeah, big contrast. Doesn’t mean those girls cannot cannot skull very often. The selection is based on uh seat racing or racing in the singles. Uh depends the club. So um even they’re now swimming and probably they spend loads of time and can spend also loads of time in single depends the program.
For those who don’t spend enough time in rowing boats, how different is it? Because it looks to the uh eye that rowing in in a boat like this in an eight must be so different from sculling in in a single perhaps. It must be a very different skill.
Yeah, sculling we have two or swiming we have one here. Um there’s it depends the program I think especially I have learned um being here in UK and looking all those different programs that the uh clubs or universities universities are running um that very often some of the swimmers haven’t been loads of time in the single but I think it’s it’s very useful in terms of training to to have that skill and and sometimes if you don’t have a whole crew a whole crew didn’t turn up because of illnesses or exams It’s good to have that skill to go in a single, but it’s completely different. Here are the Dutch. Eva Gorser in the bow seat there. 20 years old. First Henny Moore regata for her and almost everybody else in this boat as well. There a couple of the rowers Emma Een Camp. You can see there I’ve got a couple of others who have had a previous Henry Gata, but the Dutch looking in good shape here. It’s great to see the representation from um from Netherlands uh to see the other countries coming over. We hope to have more and more Europeans and universities uh from all around the world. We have Australia. We have USA, Netherlands, France.
And here, and here’s a boat all the way from Oxford. Oh, all the way from Oxford. Really far. Just up the road. Yeah. Toiling away trying to get back into the race. And the finish line looming. The Dutch will be very pleased with that.
It’s a great shot. It’s a great shot from from
DR. You get a good view of uh exactly how the race is panning out. There’s the finish just towards the church in the background there. So Brooks need to do something spectacular here to turn it around. And the Ducks look like they’ve had complete control for most of the race. This is the Oxford Brooks University B. Superb setup, aren’t they? Ox Brooks dominating in the Aurora Gatas of years gone by. [Music] Island Challenge Cup Women’s Eights and a good performance from the Dutch. How tired will the Dutch be after this studio? Is it going to be uh enough in the tank to get through the next couple of days? They’ve been pushed reasonably hard here, haven’t they? By lots of Brooks, but we’ll see if they’ve uh expended lots of energy in the next couple of days. What do you think? I think I think they are they show that they’re really well prepared and they’re going to try to last horror regata but also with winning there’s extra adrenaline extra confidence kicking in for for the next for the next races. They are you can see in the barrel seat Eva Gorta they still stay very clean and composed all the way through to the finish. You just want to make sure that those little mistakes will not
Yeah, you don’t want happen. So you really focused on the technique.
Nothing to go wrong now. Surely over the line, Eva Gorge will be first over in the bow seat for the Dutch. Job done for them. Oxbrook University B exit the island Challenge Cup.
From our position, we can have a close look how tired the athletes are. [Applause] [Music] This is the Temple Challenge Cup. Harvard University B and we got there’s the Dutch boat on the buck station student open eight. All right, the Dutch are just moving a little bit away from their side of the water into the middle, but I think they’ll be okay. And they’ve nudged ahead early, not by much. Tight start to this race. America against the Dutch. So that’s the start. That’s how it worked out early. Very even at this point. And now here we are a bit further down the water and it’s still really tight. Perhaps Harvard University just edging it. But Tom, this has got the hallmarks of being a a really good race. Both of these eights will think, “Yeah, we’re we’re right in it here.” Yeah. Nothing makes me happier than an early riser in the Temple Challenge Cup. Student men’s a near left, Harvard right. And it’s another characterization of how popular this Riata is right across the world with crews from the Netherlands and the USA. This this Harvard crew have had a phenomenal season. and they’re the sort of second varsity boat in the lightweight uh category for the Crimson. And they’ve gone undefeated all year up against this near house boat who come back in 2025 with revenge on their mind. They went out to Harvard A last year and that’s who likely they will face on Saturday if they make it through the successive rounds of this competition. But they’re going to have to see off the BBO and doing pretty good job so far.
It’s quite a big if, isn’t it at this stage cuz Ne have got a lot of work to do here. At the moment it is them, but Harvard University Ber of a length down and you wonder what they’ve got left. They look like uh a wellorganized boat, don’t they? Then we’ll see in the next couple of hundred meters whether they try and make a move and whether we get the response from us. But yeah, actually that was in fact a move from the Dutch, isn’t it? Who have just moved up a little bit more comfortably and moving away now. important stretch of the race.
Yeah, I was I was chatting to one of the lads in the near house boat just before the regata started and he fancied they were three to five seconds quicker about that sort of margin quicker than their a boat last year. So I think they’re expecting to go deep into this competition but Harvard clinging on and Tim that could be critical in the final junctions of the race because they haven’t quite snapped that sort of intangible elastic band that connects the crews and if Harvard decide to mount a bit of a lighty sprint here we could be in for a blockbuster finish. We could if they’ve got that in them. We’ll see. They’re a length down at the moment, Harvard. Have they got the snap? Have they got the energy? They’ve definitely got the time in the race. There’s still plenty of water left to navigate. So, but in fact, if you look at it now, Tom, it looks like it’s Neals who are moving away if anything. Harvard, you said they’re trying to hang on. The lead seems to be increasing.
Yeah, it’s a critical juncture. Near have two options here. They either try and sit on that lead which is risky but conserves more energy for a potential final sprint or they put their foot on the throat of the race and they try and end this now. And I think that’s exactly what the Dutch are doing. You can see there the back of B and Yapworm just trying to move that crew on. Stay technical in the bow seat. It requires a lot of tenacity and skill to keep that boat moving as the bow surge up and down. And there Tim I think you’ve caught it spot on. You can see there the length just striding out from near and they’re starting to increase that lead. on the Dutch Cox. Now, Haratoss will be very satisfied with that last couple of minutes of performance because they’ve now got significant clear water between themselves and the Americans. And that wasn’t always so obviously going to pan out like that. But they’ve put in a good shift to see off this Harvard boat. The Harvard boat still going at it, aren’t they? You can see there used van Aspirin the Harvard Bowman grew up in Amsterdam actually. So uh is Dutch and he’s against the Dutch here and uh may not be enjoying the result because of that. He would have been very up for this one because of that Dutch connection you van Asporin but unfortunately for him it looks like he’s going to end up on the wrong end of the result. his compatriots in the opposition boat have put together an excellent race. So, it’s near house versus St. Edwards in the next round of the Temple Challenge Cup. The score boys versus the students potentially. Over the line they go. Well done on the buck station to near the Dutch boat and Harvard University B with the Dutchman in the bow seat coming second. This is the Britannia Challenge Cup. Royal Chester Rowing Club on the Barkshire Station. Off they go up against Temp’s Rowing Club. A trying to get as much pace in the boat as possible. Both boats look like they’ve done a good job of that. Perhaps T’s own club a little bit sharper. We’ll wait and see as they come out of Temple Island. [Music] Yes, they’re just in the lead at only what 3/4 of a length, maybe a length. There’s the same jogger again going down the toe path. He I don’t know if he’s doing shuttles, but he keeps on taking on these boats. He’s not having much joy. He can’t keep up with the boats. Same red t-shirted jogger. One way to get on the telly. So temp’s rain club on the buck station. You can see there James Woodford, Richard Hume, Luke Putter, and Callum Young in the stroke seat. Moving very nicely, trying to get the job done early here, aren’t they?
Yeah, that’s exactly it, Tim Henley. This one.
Sorry, there’s the red t-shirt. Yeah,
I would describe that as a a jog. That looks much more like a sprinter.
This is it. You get up and down flying at that pace. Phenomenal.
If that’s your jogging speed, then I think you’re
it’s not
you’re not a casual runner, are you? But yeah, Royal Chester, a great story from those guys from the northwest of England. They were the finalist in this event last year and it’s exactly the same crew. Cox by Sarah Armstrong, 54 years young. She’s one of the most experienced Coxes on the Henley Regata course, but they’re going to have to find a little bit more to stay on terms with this temp’s crew who for me are the dark horses in this competition. Yes, Sarah Armstrong has her work cut out. Royal Chester Rowing Club Cox there. You can see attemp rowing club boat second at Wallingford Regata. and moving it well. See, it’s still very much race on, isn’t it? Royal Chester, just as you said. Look at that. Really close now. Royal Chester have got themselves right back into this. Great toughness from them, isn’t it? Mental toughness, physical toughness to stay there. They’re going quite central in the water, but yeah, they need to make sure they stay on their side of the water, but down to half a length now. It’s just being stretched out again. Good response from Temp’s rowing club who have been aware. They thought they’d thrown off Chester. We said, trying to get the job done early. They they didn’t get the job done early, did they? They’ve had a fight
further down and they’ve had to respond there and they have done getting it back up to a length. the role of the Coxes now and the bow seat or the bow loaded Coxes is going to be critical because like you said Tim’s clearly were trying to move on early. They haven’t managed that. There’s still overlap and Royal Chester will take a lot of heart from that and we know how hard this Royal Chester crew can fight and will fight. They’ll be desperate to progress through the rounds here and set up a repeat showdown on Sunday. And it looks to me like they’re just winding up the gears here.
Yeah, they’re going at it again, aren’t they? trying to eat into that lead that Tame’s Ring Club have enjoyed for the whole race so far, but the margin has fluctuated between quite comfortable to very tight. And I think we’re at the very tight stage again, aren’t we? Cuz they’re really going for it here. Royal Chester Rowing Club. You can see on the right hand side of your picture there, trying to muster enough
to get back level. They’re certainly giving Temp’s Rowing Club a fright. Whether they’ve got enough in the boat to overcome that lead, we’ll have to wait and see. But it’s now or never for them, isn’t it? Royal Chester Rowing Club, they’ve got to throw everything at it. Yeah, I think now it’s a psychological question more than it is physiological, particularly for Tempame’s who have just sat at around a length lead all the way down. They’ll know that Rochester are right there and they know they won’t have an easy last 500 meters. So it’s up to temps and and their uh Rahul Ram Krishnan to ensure that they’ve got enough to see themselves over the line. Actually watching temps they look really smooth, really efficient. They don’t look like they’re wasting a lot of energy. I think they’re probably going to be okay. But Royal Chester there again finding another gear.
Yeah, you just saw the Cox. You can see there had a little glance to the left. It was quite a nervous glance I suspect to the left. But look how close this is. The umpire is saying to them to temps rowing, you’ve got to get back onto your side of the water. And that’s going to take pace out of their boat and it’ll ask a few more questions and it might open a door for Royal Chester to launch a last counterattack in front of Stewart Temp’s rowing club despite the umpire waving the flag and sending them back onto their side of the water will have enough. That was their moment, wasn’t it, for Royal Chester? If they were going to do anything, it was going to be then. But well done to Temps Rang who regained their composure after that and less than a length separating the two boats. Royal Chester, good effort from them. We thought that would be a good one and it was in the Bratannia Temp’s rowing club through attention. This is the Wfold Challenge Cup. Mosyboat Club on the Barkshire station to the left of your picture and T’s Rowan Club B on the Buck station. Yeah, this could be another really exciting one. I know um for Moy they did uh prioritize the Brit for so this is is sort of the second Mosyboat. So it is a Mosby B versus a tends to be in in a sense. Um, and again, uh, speaking to some of the coaches down there, uh, I know that, uh, they’ve both got high hopes for for this boat. These guys are both really going to be wanting to get through this round, so we could see a race go all the way. So, half a length clear early. Go Temp’s rowing club B. And conditions wise, you’ve been out there more recently than me, Tom. It seems in the commentary box at the finish line to be pretty much perfect, but what’s your take? Have we got much of a tailwind? It’s still bright and sunny. How warm is it?
Oh, it’s lovely. It’s perfect conditions for racing out here today. It’s not too hot. They’ve got the early morning this time of the day as well. There’s less pleasure cruisers. There’s less bounce on the water. You can just see on this shot here, really flat calm or as flat calm as you get Henley. There’s always a little bit of a bubble on the water. So these athletes will be absolutely loving these conditions for racing right now. Well, especially temps row and club B who have got just over a length lead. Cameron Murphy in the bow seat. You can see there to the left of your picture. T’s rowing club B. [Music] Yeah, on paper this T’s B crew fantastic results. Uh they’ve got uh a couple of uh ex goldie blue boat winners uh lightweight boat race winner in there as well and uh like you said Cameron Murphy there seven times Irish national champion. Obviously these guys now rowing in a club crew. So on paper fantastic results the the reality is have they capped up their fitness? Have they got as much training together as they would back in their in their prime? Not that that may be over yet, but uh as we can see here um Moy not letting them go. It looks like Moy have closed the gap a little bit back now just just under clear water.
Well, there some of the most experienced Henley competitors in that Moy boat. Thomas Rimmer 11 uh Samuel Knight 12 previous Henry Gatas. So you can see to the left your picture there the Mosy boat is uh closing. They’ve left it late but they may have timed it well. We’ll wait and see what temps have got in in response. Tame’s at the moment leading on the buck station to the right and they’ll need all that experience mosy if they’re to turn this round. Samuel Knight, Philip Nessum, Thomas Rimmer and Philip Sterling in the Mosy boat trying to compete to the end here.
Not too far off.
Coming past those Ker boards normally 10 or 12 strokes to go. This is the benefit about getting ahead in this match fix racing is that you can just watch that crew behind you and just respond as much as you need to. There’s such a benefit from getting that lead because you you just know that you can control the race. Over the line they go. The winners in the Wfold Challenge Cup temps. Exactly as Tom says, getting the early initiative and making no mistake. And there they go through in the wide fault. This is the Prince Albert Challenge Cup. We got the Dutch against Edinburgh University. Good solid start. Those nerve-wracking first few strokes safely executed. It’s a lovely shot down the course and then we jump on here with the uh on the catarang boat which is another fantastic shot rowing solutions. Cam Johnson’s going to be leading that. Um and we’re lovely to see this shot here and just watch this rowing like we said about those conditions. Just really nice, really flat, not having to do extra, just being able to focus on the rowing.
So this is the early stage of the race and the ducks just edging it at this stage. But now we go down the track and live and it’s still bang on, isn’t it? Triton on the Dutch boat shading it, but no more than that.
Yeah, I think potentially Edinburgh I mean there’s nothing in it really, is there? Edinburgh slightly ahead. Again, I was speaking with their performance director Colin Williamson last night just about this crew and um they’ve got really high hopes for it. Uh three of these guys learned to row in Scotland. The stroke seat as well, Henry Blackwell’s actually an Australian from Sydney. So again, if you’re tuning in to to watch him, it’s the evening over there. Um, but they’re they’re really keen. They they really feel like they’ve got a good shot here. And uh it’s Colin said he thought sort of the best crew they’ve had in this event since they won it back in 2016.
Yeah, just coming up to 8:00 in the evening in Sydney, Australia. Good evening to you from Henry Warata. Day three, Tom. Yeah, you’re right. Edinburgh University have uh turned around. If there was a lead for the Dutch, there definitely isn’t anymore cuz 3/4 of a length up. Edinburgh University, we talked about the strength in depth of their squad and and what a big squad, powerful squad they’ve got here at this Riata and Edinburgh University. Here’s another example.
Yeah, but they’re being held really well by this Dutch crew. Again, I love this shot from overhead now. These new these new images we’ve got this year. Fantastic to see. And even though it looks like, you know, a bit of a distance there, absolutely that’s not safe in any way. So, both of these crews are still going to be full race plan, uh, full power. Um, no one’s letting off yet. And, uh, and if anything, I mean, it’s not changing. It’s certainly not changing. They’re not getting away. No. Will that potentially see a move from the Dutch in the next minute or so? They’re going to need to produce something special here. Yeah, potentially race experience again might count for something here. this Dutch cruise, all four of them first first row out here yesterday at Henley. Um, but they have been picking up national championship medals uh back home all season. So, I should expect a good finish on but uh again with this early lead as we see coming into the enclosures, you just get that opportunity to just watch and control and watch and control the race. Yeah, the boat’s flashing by there into the enclosures towards the back end of the course. And in that Edinburgh University boat, stroke seat, Henry Blackwell, Murray Bow, Joshua Matthews, and Alexander Dixon in the bow seat. Nothing dramatic, just getting on with the work. Patrick Moody in that Edinburgh University seat. There he is. Yeah, another lovely shot from the back there. Now looking at the forwards, you can see there’s a little bit of bubble on the water. You just see that bow rising and falling slightly, but generally a nice flat movement through the water, which shows that they’re being efficient in the way that they’re applying power. So Edinburgh University, very solid race from them. got to a length up before the halfway mark held that lead. Slightly extended the lead actually just beyond the length. This is the Dutch boat that you can see there. The Cox and Gilllet, but it’s all about Edinburgh University. Couple of links to clear water there. They’ve done a very good job. Just over the finish line they will ease now and into the next round of the Prince Albert Challenge Cup they go. Edinburgh University beating the Dutch boat there. [Applause] Attention. And we’re at the start now in the visitors challenge cup in the Bach Station, the Ivy Club of Princeton, USA. And in the buck station it’s Rudy Müster and Marbaka Rudy Vaughn 1920 EV Germany. Yeah, this is intermediate uh coxless force but uh the the pedigree in both these crews is is very high and the Ivy Club Princeton uh bow one in the ladies plate last year. Um and again if you’re joining us from Princeton uh well done for getting up early 6:00 in the morning. We just passed over there. Um, so you haven’t had to wait too long to uh to get to this race. [Music] And we move to the live shots and we can see it is the Bark Station, the Ivy Club of Princeton, USA that has moved out to a commanding lead here. Yeah, that’s really impressive them because uh this German crew is really stacked u with international uh experience. You can see the color of their boat, that green boat. um is uh a color that actually the German national team use. So probably using a national team boat here and and uh some of these guys taking a year out. So they’ve been rowing at club level maybe not keeping up the fitness although as I speak it looks like a lovely push there to get back in contention as they come past or just into remin. Oh, look at that shot down from the drone. Isn’t that incredible? You can see just how close this race is. There’s really only probably a canvas in it. I think the Germans starting to work back through uh the American crew now. They’ve got their bow ball just on the canvas. So, this race is really going to start to open up here, I think.
Yeah, really big move from the Germans then. And I think that’s answered my question, which is have they stayed fit? And I think they have. that third 500 of often being such a important pivotal part of the race. It’s going to set you up for the finish and and even though being in front coming in to the last 500 can be a psychological advantage, coming through a crew from behind also can give you a great psychological advantage. So,
the crew from the US on the top of your screen in the yellow boat, the Ivy Club of Princeton, USA, stroked by Nicholas McAdam, 23 years of age. Oh, and look at the German crew just chipping away one stroke at a time. And you get a great shot of the rig of the two boats, don’t you? on in the yellow boat uh from the US it’s what we call a conventional rig with stroke seat rowing stroke side and then alternating blades down the boat whereas in the German boat it’s what we would colloally call a bucket rig so you can see the two rowers in the middle of the boat with their oes on the same side
yeah slightly different format normally just uh little tweaks in order to try and get the boat going straighter but it looks like as we see here the Germans now have taken it into the lead and we’re coming through Stewart’s enclosures here is. So, we’re probably looking at maximum 20 strokes left to go. It’s going to be really interesting to see if I Club Princeton can respond here. Um, it could be a really close finish. And they’re coming down to the line. The Germans are sprinting. They’re pushing through the Americans. Do they have a response? This race is going to come all the way down to the wire. The Americans trying to respond, but the Germans have the momentum. They’re coming down to the finish line. It’s a sprint to the line and it will be the crew from Germany crossing the line with their green boat just ahead of the Americans. Wow, what a race that turned out to be. Fantastically well paced from the Germans. They didn’t panic when they were down. They let the crew do their thing. They stuck on their race plan and they came through here for the finish for a great win there. Attention. And we’re away in the Fley Challenge Cup. The Windsor Boy School B Crew in the Barkshire Station and Hinxy Sculling School on the right hand side of your screen in the Bach Station. Yeah, a bit of another local derby here. Winds are just down the road from Henley and Hy School based in Oxford. Again, only 30 40 minutes up the road. So, both these crews will have raced and met each other multiple times this year already. um depth from the Windsor Boy School. Uh interestingly, uh a young crew as well in that Windsor B crew. Two J16s, one J17 and one J18. So this uh this could be the start of more to come from these boys. As we see here, the crew from Hiny Scaling School [Music] focusing in on the two seat there, I think. Pan no. Yeah, you can see them working hard for this first first couple minutes coming up off the start getting the boat to pace. You are really working uh at a rate that you can’t keep with. So, um it’s unsustainable. You manage that unsustainable effort for a minute to 2 minutes and then you try and get into this sustainable rhythm that’s going to cover you um take you down the rest of the course. You can see from that shot just a little bit lower rate now. Little bit more relaxed. Still working hard. Still sending the legs there together. A look across from the stroke seat in the Windsor boy school. Caster shoot 16 years of age. [Music] Great maturity from this young crew from the Windsor boys school. We’ll expect to see them in the next couple of years at the junior scaling riata. They took gold in the J18 double and the Wallingford riata gold in the J18 quad. But just at this stage, Hincky sculling school with the better of them. Yeah, Winds are not letting them go and like you said from the from how Hinxy have been doing as well and Hinxy beat Blay’s another well-renowned forley school uh yesterday. So I think really impressive from the Windsor boys B crew here to be to be staying here with Hinsley. Beautiful shot down into the sculling boat. Yeah, I love this shot. It did, it did initially look there like Windsor was coming back, but I think Hincky uh with the response there just to hold them just not quite got the length there, but just holding their advantage. Um, but just as we see, both crews now are going to be looking to make a change. If you’re in the lead, you want to consolidate this. And if you’re not where you want to be, time now maybe to make a change to the race plan and see if you can affect the outcome.
Well, they’re certainly still connected, aren’t they? It looks potentially I know you said that you thought that the Windsor Boy School had made a move, but I think that they might have. It looks like they’re just ekking along the stern of Hincky, but perhaps they’re Hinxy just responding and keeping them at bay, but still very much these crews just locked together. Ball on Stern perhaps here a decisive move from Hincky to try and break that contact.
Yeah, certainly this kind of margin. If I was in the lead crew, Hinxy here, I still would be panicking and thinking, I haven’t got enough margin. You know, this is not over yet. But similarly, if I was in that Windsor boys crew at the back, I’d be thinking this is on. You know, they haven’t left us for dead. We’ve got to finish now. Let’s make something happen and and see what we can do. Couple of heads looking over there. So, you can see that they can see them out the corner of their eye, but maybe not quite. Maybe a little bit too much looking over there. If you do it too much, it does going to affect, you know, your synchronicity and and how hard you can work in the boat if you’re focusing on what the other boat’s doing too much. This has been a very tight race all the way down the track. Windsor boys just maintaining contact, but it’s not going to be enough to reel in the Hy Sculling School who do have the leaders are coming just down to the line now. A few strokes to go. And big cheers there from Hinxy Skulling School who take this round of the Fley Challenge Cup over the Windsor Boy School B Crew.
Can you sit up please? And we’re incredibly excited about the introduction of the bridge challenge plate. That is the intermediate women’s 8 and the first intermediate women’s event on the program here at Henley Royal Riata Marlo rowing club in the Barkshire station on the lefth hand side and Leander Club on the right hand side of your screen in the buck station. Yeah, this is a local derby. Two club crews racing each other full of these female athletes who’ve come back from American universities to come and rode for these clubs. And here we’re seeing the kind of quality. They’re both the first ever race in this event. Both crews almost level. This is going to go all the way to the end, I think, Sarah. Yeah. Making history in this new event. Entirely British lineup in the entries for the bridge. And we’ve been talking about it as being the bridge between club and school rowing into the premier events. So fantastic to have the intermediate eights.
And it’s just like when the other three women’s eight events were introduced, the quality of the racing instantly was superb. And here we have the first race again for these sort of almost international athletes. 28 and there’s nothing in it. Marlo seem to be edging out a little bit here as they go down the middle of the course. Both crews rowing really nice and long considering they haven’t been together very long. I mean they only finished racing in the US at the end of May and here they are racing in a club crew in the UK. Marlo Rowan Club just with the edge. Yeah. out to almost the length, haven’t they? They haven’t quite broken contact. I think it’s quite key now that Leander are brave enough to do whatever it takes not to lose contact because then that gets difficult with an eight. It’s a long way to row back if you lose touch. It is. And I think it’s really deflating when you’re in an eight, especially knowing how long the boat is. When you look across and can’t see anyone next to you, you know that there’s a lot of work to do to get back on terms.
Yeah. And the boat is heavy, you know, with all the athletes in the boat. It’s it’s very hard to change the momentum in the boat speed and the pairs and stuff. you can generate speed and gain a length in a relatively quick space of time, but in eight, it takes a lot of energy to move it. They do seem to be gathering some momentum, though, don’t they? Seem to be coming back to almost half a length down.
So, we’ll see whether Marlo just absorbing it or whether it is a move. Yeah, it looks to me as though this is a push coming from Leander. They’ve taken a couple of seats just as we’ve been talking. The Marlo Rowan Club crew, we’re looking straight down into their boat now. Isabelle Marci, 18 years of age, in the Coxin seat. Mia Lawrence, 18. two previous Henley Royal Regata appearances for her in the stroke seat and they could see the Leander Club crew starting to wind up and come towards them. It looks like a step to me. A move from Leander. Are they going to start to eat into this early race lead from Marlo?
This does seem like it’s a sustained effort from Leander. Maybe the the very loud voice of the Italian Cox is edging them onwards. But they really are gaining gaining and gaining. Question is, can they get in touch and get ahead before the finish line? Got a great view now how far they have to go. But now, like only 30, 40 strokes ago, they were going to lose contact. And here they are, less than half a length behind. Well, they’re coming up to the enclosures now. We’re going to hear a lot of noise for these two local clubs, Marlo and Leander, in the bridge challenge plate.
This is great, isn’t it?
And Marlo seems to be holding them a bit, but now Leander going to have to push again, try and finish off what they started. Yeah, just pause there cuz you could hear the coxins as they came past the cameras. It’s so cool when you hear the coxins giving the instructions to their crew, especially in these dying stages of the race. This is getting closer and closer as we come down towards the grand stand. I think this still I mean Maro have got the advantage, but I wouldn’t count out Leander now, but they’re going to have to do something extraordinary and really put the stroke rate up, shorten up a little bit, and just generate some speed. Even if it’s inefficient, you got to generate boat speed now. It doesn’t matter about the efficiency, but Marlo keeping their length in run even under pressure. Yeah, it looks like Marlo, it looks like Marlo may have had something left in the back there and they just seem to be inching away. That big effort did the right thing to try and get in terms early instead of waiting for the end, but it looks like it may just have cost them too much.
Yeah, they made a brave move through through the middle section there. I thought they might be able to draw themselves level. They got awfully close, but look at this response from Marlo. The crowd urging them on as they’re coming down towards the line. They will make history in the bridge. First winning crew, record holders in the first day of the bridge. Great work from Marlo. Really, really well done to absorb the pressure and finish it off [Applause] in the bridge. Confirmation. Marlo Rowing Club beating Leander Club in the new intermediate women’s 8. Attention. And another round of the Diamond Challenge Skulls. And we’re up for an international race here. Logan Uric. What a sensational race he had in Lousern to take the gold medal in the Super.
He certainly is.
He might mess things up this week for some people. He’s going to he could be dangerous this week. Yes. So we have Olrich on the left hand side from New Zealand. He used to row at University of Washington and is Olympic silver medalist in their Coxus 4 in the Olympics in Paris. And then we have the Spanish scholar um Cox Bulotaran Oola 24 years old his first time at Henley. and Oric, I understand, born in Australia, Australian, rode on the Australian underage team before then heading off to college and then joining the New Zealand rowing team from there. But as you say, racing over for Washington, Udubb. And here, this Spanish single Scot was 20th for the European Championships this year. Um but Logan Olri just came over to Europe, coached by um Mike Rogers, who’s got great experience coaching Emma Twig there, Olympics scholar, and has just made the transition very quickly. I think he surprised himself, didn’t he? Cuz he didn’t think he was going to win the World Cup last weekend in a really tight race. Showed great determination to come back in a very tight race and win that. Just amazing when that happens, isn’t it? New people pop up. It was such an incredible race to watch and the the lead chopping and changing. We I don’t know that we expected or to take the gold medal until he literally crossed the line with it. But it was such um a brave and strong performance and you know we’re looking at a new superstar here. I think
we are. Yeah. And we got the Olympic silver gold and bronze medalist racing this weekend as well. Um so it’s going to see where he puts himself cuz he hasn’t raced those two guys yet. And this has to be one of the events of the regata in terms of depth. You’re you’re going to see international rowers. You’re going to see Olympic medalists knocked out along the way to the final on Sunday.
Yeah, you are. You are. And there’s going to be no respect given. Well, there’s been respect given, but there’ll be no nobody’s going to let anybody get away with anything. The conditions look a little bit better. You can hear the band playing in the background as the skulls come down. It’s a real contrast to the X, isn’t it? Solitary. There’s no He’s just quiet. Here’s a good picture of Logan Olri coming down.
You see how physically strong he is, can’t you?
He is. I was talking to Emma Twig and she said he’s just so impressive physically. And it’s a bit of a contrast to the Dutch scholar we saw earlier how he was very good at leaving his hands quite quiet and wide when he pushed at the beginning was Logan here. He’s more aggressive at the front end. His hands come together quite quickly but and his blades go a bit deeper but he just generates so much force. It’s obviously very efficient. It’s great these drone views from in front. Normally, you’d have to be in a wash washing them down to give that kind of video, but having these drones really get to see and you can see what he’s viewing, his view of the the crews behind him and the the launch and all the and you can see the whole course and he’ll actually be in a position now, well, maybe not to enjoy it quite so much because it’s quite bouncy, but get to enjoy the course. His first time down the course in a in a single skull.
And we asked Emma and some of the Kiwis how Logan ended up being in the single skull. Of course, he was wearing eights over a college. He won a silver medal um at the Olympic Games in the men’s four. Um apparently he came home from college to race at the Christmas riata at Lake Carapiro with the summer squad and he won the men’s premier single skull and that was essentially the start of the journey.
Wow. It’s amazing. Huh. Not much prep, just good talent, good engine. So here as we come down last bit of the race, probably a minute and a half to go, two minutes to go in these single skulls. the It’s a long way in these singles, isn’t it?
2,100 meters into a stream. And we get a replay here of the two skulls out of the start. And we’re going to see a big digger there from Logan. All went off really powerfully. It’s such tricky conditions, isn’t it, out there. We’re really getting a sense as they go down the course of just how bobbly that water is. But I’m sure he I’m sure he got a shot of adrenaline after that one.
I think he probably did. I think he was thinking he might fall in. But it just shows the potential he has. He’s going this quickly and he’s still quite he’s still quite rough and ready, isn’t he? It’s just very instinctive of what he’s doing. And the more mileage he does in this over the next couple of years, he’s only going to get quicker and quicker. And now he’s in total control of this race, soaking up the atmosphere as they come down towards the finish. the diamond challenge girls. [Applause] Crossing the line. Commanding performance from Logan Oric of New Zealand. Wiki Rowing Club in the Diamond Skulls over Burran from Spain. Go. So if we go in the quads, Prince of Wales Challenge Cup, the men’s quadruple skulls with Leander on the enclosure side on the left hand side on Bark Show and we have the Dutch crew and Hobson Rudigan Teta and Kiska Stan Netherland. Sorry if I butchered that. So we call them Teta and KSRN from now on. And here you can see the Dutch crew moving out to probably a canvas lead in the first minute or so. And in the fast side it is Leander Club Merkantile Rowing Club. John Keating, Oliver Costley, James Hindel Daniels from Leander and Dominic Feder Rico in the stroke seat. His sister Emmy Frederrico racing in the Australian Women’s 8 on Saturday. So here after that early lead from the Dutch crew, the Leander crew seem to have transitioned into a higher pace rhythm moved out to half a length lead or so as you can see from the barrier marker behind and seem to be still moving away. They just seem a bit livelier. The rates a bit higher, a bit tidier. Yeah. And they’re just now moving away making this easy work to be honest. So there’s quite a lot more representation. The Dutch crew, we only have one person who’s raced here before. Yella Tikkin, the stroke man who’s also steering the boat. And the other crew, the the Oliver Costly, the the two man, has been here eight times. Not much information what events he’s done, but he’s been here eight times before. And you can see how composed this Leander crew is. And the Dutch crew here still really having to drive, keep the stroke rate up to try and keep themselves on turn. And the crew just, my guess, more powerful, more efficient, spending more time with their blades in the water when they’re pushing. That’s just giving them better greater better boat speed and better acceleration. Here we go. And it looks like this Dutch crew struggling a little bit with the condition. Steering left to right a bit. Boats wobbling around a little bit. That’s where some of the experience comes in if you’ve been to this course before, doesn’t it? Yeah. You can see the Dutch crew. There we go. Leander here on the left hand side. You can see the little pink computer basically on the on the boat and that’s telling them the stroke rates, the number of strokes per minute they’re taking. And also if they got boat speed, there’s a GPS chip in it. It’ll tell them what the boat speed is and they know what the sort of speed they’re rowing at. [Applause] still having to work physically but composed in the stroke rate well within their well within their abilities. [Music] So so [Applause] that was a win there for Leander over the Dutch crew coming in from TA and KSRN. attention go
and the Temple Challenge Cup Student Open 8s University of Virginia USA up against Newcastle University. Can this Newcastle University crew do what their women did just a couple of races ago or are they going to have a tough ask here up against the American crew?
So the Virginia crew they won the American Collegiate Rowing Association competition. Um and they haven’t been here before and this they haven’t been here for a long time actually. It’s one of the fastest crews I think the club has ever had. um and showing here moving out to a bit of length lead probably a bit of a lead there against Newcastle but nothing in it really still we’ll see from the barrier marker in a minute when those numbers go up you can see what the margin is as they went through that timing point Newcastle looking very tidy as well with their blade work and then we can see there I mean it’s a third of a quarter of a length there’s nothing in it between these two crews it’s all going to be down to who has the most efficient rhythm So Virginia raced yesterday against Purdue winning by one and a half lengths and Newcastle beat MIT another American crew by 3/4 of a length. So they’ve already raced this regata so they’re all beded in and ready to go. So, Purdue eking out to half a length. A great new there with the blue star of Newcastle. Really the guys, you can see the legs as they all move down together just shows how sort of uniform the pressure is and the speed of the leg pressure and how well they’re pushing as a unit. That could pay dividends later on in the race. and the University of Virginia USA with a lead. Are they going to be able to break clear of this crew from Newcastle? We’ve seen a few races today where crews have been locked together and then they’ve been able to work back through. So, it’s really critical in the eights especially to be able to break contact here as we see the coxin there from University of V Virginia, Sely Chang, 21 years of age. She’s been here twice before so she knows what she’s doing. looking across at the Newcastle crew. No doubt urging the crew on to say now is the time to break contact.
Yeah, the the Newcastle have kept the pressure on Virginia really very well in the first half of the course. Virginia seem to have improved their blade work. They just the way they finishing the stroke off seems to improved in the last 30 40 seconds or so. Maybe they put a push or an effort in to try and move away from Newcastle. Does seem to be making an effort. does seem to be working for them, but we’ll just see how expensive that’s been is what Newcastle can do in return. It’s crucial. It’s all about momentum in it, isn’t it? If you can get some momentum and sustain it long enough, it puts that in the opposition.
Yeah, it looks to me as though Newcastle University just taking the rate up a pit or two. Now is the time to attack if they want to come back into this race. University of Virginia a couple points lower. as we ride here with Newcastle University. That’s Dylan Howard, 21 years of age in the stroke seat. Chin up, staying nice and long and relaxed.
I tell you what, the boat’s really flat and efficient. There’s not much wrecking rattling around. This could be quite they could have a tone of pace coming off this off this push now. Does seem like they’re getting a little bit on Virginia, but Virginia, their experience of winning the American Clive Rowing Association. Tough, really tough guys really not compromising what they’re doing. This is interesting a response here from University of Virginia. They’re stepping it up. I thought that Newcastle were moving through. To me, it looked like maybe University of Virginia just looking a little stressed as they’re coming under attack from Newcastle University, but they have a response. They’ve got that power in the water. They’re holding them at bay. Newcastle starting to wind up again.
Yeah, the Virginia crew really physical in the way they row and went through a bit of a wash there and dealt with it very, very well. You can see the grimace on the athletes faces now. the the the mental determination needed to think well I need to do go as deep as I can the hardest I’ve ever done because otherwise I’m going home.
They’re just coming in front of the grand stand now. Still the University of Virginia with the lead about half a length over Newcastle University. It’s going to come down to the last few strokes here. Does Newcastle University have a response or is it too little too late? We see a response here from University of Virginia. They’re taking the rate up. They’re driving the power up. They can see the line. Look at their teeth. Look at the grooms on the bowman of the Virginia crew. Alexander Baringer, 22 years of age.
But they showed such composure under pressure the whole way down the course. Just kept it together under pressure and when it counted, just able to work away. What a fantastic row from Virginia to soak it up and still do the win. [Applause] Strong race there. Tough race in the temple. University of Virginia over Newcastle University. Heat. Heat. Oh no. Oh my god. [Music] [Music] Where do you go? [Music] Hello and welcome back to our live coverage. You join us on day three of Henley Royal Regata as we head into the afternoon session. Another 25 races to bring you this afternoon, bringing us right up to the tea interval around about 420. And I have to say, all the years that I’ve been coming to Henley, it is the most perfect conditions today. Beautiful sunshine, not too much of a breeze, the enclosures are absolutely packed, and we had a great morning of racing. I’m delighted to be joined by Greg Cell, Olympic champion Hely Stewart. Um, Greg, I suppos I guess when we look back on this morning’s session, there is one obvious highlight.
Yeah, the bridge is a standout race. It’s a new event that we’ve brought in. The trophy looks like the bridge behind us with a face of a sort of gargo on one side and face the gargoyle on the other exactly like the bridges here. And it’s event for intermediate women’s rowing. It’s a brilliant category to bring in because it’s one down from the international the crews that going to the Olympics and we’ve had fantastic competition in it first and first up it was the crew from Marlo that beat the crew from Leander. So a wonderful bit of local competition
and in terms of um of the regata what I enjoy a lot about it is that there is as much emphasis on the junior crews as there is on the premier crews. You might have the Olympians who are taking place this afternoon taking part this afternoon alongside school boy school girl crews. Um, and it really forms a a pathway through from junior right up to elite.
Yeah, we can see it behind us here. In these boat tents, you will have Olympic champions. We’re going to see Ollie Zidler go out and skull this afternoon. Alongside him will be those junior women from Marlo Rowing Club will be the school, the athletes, you know, all of them in here together in those tents. It’s starting that the grass is starting to kind of dry out. There’s that kind of special smell of Henley that you’re inside there. It’s kind of like a big barn full of boats. And then the boats are even starting to thin out now because when people get knocked out, they have to take their boat home. So the atmosphere kind of changes. The enthusiasm of the crowds are changing and you can hear it. These crews carry their boats down and all their supporters are around them excitedly cheering them onto the water. It’s brilliant.
Well, I know you’ve got to head on to an umpire launch, so I’m going to let you go. Thank you very much for talking to us because we’ve got another brilliant afternoon to look forward to. Um 25 races as I said taking us right through to the tea interfill around about 5 4:20 local time and a little bit later on this afternoon heading into the evening session we’re going to be seeing a number of Olympians in action here and as I said alongside the junior club and intermediate crews as well. So time now to hand over to our commentators Stan Leudis alongside Martin Cross.
Thank you so much Alli. It’s a pleasure to be here Henley day three the afternoon session. I’m Martin Cross and with me is Stan or Constantine if you want to be formal. Ludis, four times Henry winner. How you feeling Stan?
Uh pretty good today, Martin. It’s a pleasure to be here. It’s a lovely day. It’s um the sun. It’s not unblenmished sunshine, but it’s a lovely mild temperature. Definitely a lot more bearable than we had a couple of days ago. And indeed yesterday morning when I gather it was um raining a little bit. Yeah. And look at the schedule we’ve got for you. intermediate events like the Prince of Wales. The international events, the goblets mixed in with the Temple, the Wfold, and the Diamond Jubilee, the Princess Royal for International Women’s single, back again for the Goblets, double skulls, international in the Stoner, and then the Diamonds. Wow, that’s going to be so cool with Olympic Skullers like Simon Van Dorp in that. Again, the diamond skulls at 420. We’ve seen the likes of Melvin Tella go off uh the Olympic champion in 2021, Stfanos Duskos earlier today. And now we have the start of this event which is the intermediate event for open quadruple skulls. It’s the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup. So we have a crew from Germany, Bono and Esta on the left of your picture and we have a powerful Dutch crew from NAS and Okanas from the Netherlands. They are on the right of your picture. These boats are just the four men. One of them is steering with their foot. So no involved in this event. And that is William Stoop who stroked the Brown eight that won the Eastern Sprints last year. They couldn’t quite repeat that in the IRAs which was the collegiate championships but uh fantastic experience with Brown and you can see both crews level St.
Yeah, it looked like a really sharp start from the Dutch. They look like they went off very rating really high, very kind of lateral, no wasted energy, but actually the Germans are right on turns here. So they maybe they’ve strided onto a slightly better place and actually they also look very very smooth, very easy. It’s definitely nice flattering conditions for both these crews right now, but they’re both doing a good job to stay in the picture.
Yeah, I love what you said about the Germans. I think Moritz Kyper in the stroke seat, the former lightweight Osman. I saw them go out and they didn’t look very lightweight, but uh that was when he was in the single back in 23. probably put a few kilos on on our Gaus and Ole Hanik in the two seat the under 23 world champion from 2023 I think back in Bazi was it or um they they beat the Netherlands did a 543 so that’s pretty cool to have that experience in the two seat and as I say that they they’re kind of just edging ever so slightly on the Dutch
they they’re pretty similar styles here I think they’re both pretty simple and I mean that in a positive sense I think the Dutch maybe put a little bit more into the finish. You can see the stroke man there puts a little bit more. The Germans a bit quicker out the back and the Germans actually now seem to be getting the better of it. This this is I suppose a continuation of the Dutch getting that really strong start and the Germans doing really well to get back on terms and having that slightly quicker base pace or at least that’s what it seems at this stage.
So you see the signals go up. Number one denotes the station on the Barkshire side. That’s on the right of your screen on this reverse angle shot. And then number two goes up. And you can see it’s kind of about halfway down that number one. And that is an indication that the Germans are half a length up on the Dutch crew. Beautiful shot of Temple Island in the background there. The umpires launch. This is the first race after the lunch break. Henley day three. We’ve got a sensational afternoon’s program of racing and the Germans continue to move. We’re just coming past our camera here. I guess this is around about what 850 900 meters this camera position from the 2, 112 m course.
Yeah, they’ll be looking forward to the Fley marker at halfway. This is um it’s slightly no man’s land in the I always found on this part of the course. It’s not that noisy. It’s quite extended period without any markers. So they’ll just be bedding in with their rhythm, trying to focus on their own boat, but very kind of intimately aware of that other crew right there. And it’s only about half 3/4 of a length in it.
Oscar Kowolski up there in the boughels. He is the not the man with the rudder. It’s actually steered from stroke. So it’s Kater there closest to us. He’s got a a wire rudder wire attached to his foot. You can just see him moving out there towards the center of the course. And the umpire may take notice of that. We’ll see if it happens. In that Dutch quad, we’ve got this this long shot, but they they’ve got some fantastic athletes in that. Large cryer won the temple in 21 with near raced the diamonds in the last two years as well. So, he’s got really good he’s got some experience of racing between the booms that man.
Yeah. And uh in the two seat East Vizma, the brother of Abbe of course, who was the two seat in the Dutch quad that won the Tokyo Olympics, took back that gold medal. What a a family dynasty. Kevin Lee Bisher, he’s pulled 542 on the RP3 world records 525 held by Simon Van Dor who will also be going in the afternoon session in the diamonds. So there you see they are the men and they are down at the moment. A little look around. I thought that was from Lars Crrier. They’re not out of it at the moment yet, Stan.
Uh, they’re not out of it. Know in the quad, you can affect a change of pace, but it’s hard. It’s harder than in the single skull or a double. I mean, honestly, the the the smart money is not on the Dutch right now. You’d have to get very very long odds to place that bet. And actually, it looks to me, I wouldn’t say they’re tying up, but it looks like they’re having to work pretty hard to stay on turns, which is in fairness exactly what they should be doing. I
was going to say it’s so interesting, isn’t it? because the the German men had this incredible dynasty in skulling. They won the uh quadruple skulls in 2012. I think they took it in 2016 and then the Dutch took over that dynasty, winning the Olympic title in Tokyo and of course in Paris. The Dutch are moving back on the Germans. Germans still look smooth and fluid. It’s a question of whether they can just keep their cool, keep their calm, but the Dutch, they are known for their sprint finishes, aren’t they, Stan?
No, it’s true. I mean, Dutch definitely going through a real purple patch over these last two cycles. Top rowing nation at the recent Olympics, especially strong in the quads. And um I suppose that does have a a really meaningful trickle down effect to the club level as well. And you’re right, Martin, the Dutch are, if anything, creeping back, but they still got a lot of work to do. That’s at least half a length to make up. And they probably well they’re just coming to the enclosures now so they haven’t got long to do it.
I think we saw the umpire warm the German quad there to get over to their station the left hand side of the course the barker station. Here come the Dutch. Here comes William Stoop with the charge. He made that charge in the eastern sprints when he stroke the brown eight. They won that by 800s of a second. Will he do the same here? I’m looking out. There’s not much distance left. They are coming back. You’re right. It is maybe only a third of a length now. They are really moving back, but they are coming right up to the progress board and past that. It’s I think it’s the Germans here, but the Dutch are not letting them get away with it.
It is Germany who will cross the finish line first, barring accidents. What a great race. The Dutch couldn’t quite get up. My goodness me. Actually, that was so close.
That was a cracking race. I think they’re going to look back on that and think we just let them get a bit too much in that first third of the race. So we will have a photo finish and you can see that is the bow of the German quad just well less than a deck if you’re an American or canvas if you’re British. So in that heat of the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup, the crew from Germany beat the Netherlands. Right, this is the Goblet. It’s for international pairs and we have another Dutch crew and they are on the left hand side of your picture racing a crew from South Africa and they are on the right hand side of your picture. It’s the Netherlands versus South Africa. We’ll talk about the crews as we go down. The South Africans came fourth in the Lucern Reata just a few days ago. Stunning result I thought for them behind Romania and they are the crew to beat in this race then. Yeah, I like I like the South African style though that we’re looking at. I like what the stroke man does. Bman bit more of a maybe double bump to that stroke. I agree though the Netherlands there was actually another Dutch pair who are the reigning champions in this event. So the again we’re talking about the Dutch and the pedigree they have in this sport but this time in the pairs event. Dutch though letting the South Africans get quite a lead in those early stages but in these small boats that doesn’t mean as much in the large boats. So, we’re not we’re not um we’re not drawing early conclusions just yet.
Now, this pair were under 23 world champions. They did 619. That’s only 11 seconds off that incredible 608 world record set by the Kiwis in the London Olympics. And Chris Baxter then went on to race in the Paris Olympics with the legendary John Smith, the lightweight who won gold in the 2012 Olympics for South Africa. But the two of them got back together. Uh Damian in the bow seat, Bohan Cohen said the toughest thing for him was leaving his corporate job and getting back into training at an elite level. And I guess you could empathize with that, Stan.
I mean, that sounds uh that sounds pretty tough going. I mean, it’s not easy. It’s a full-time job and you’re often having to fit other things around it. I think it’s interesting though that these Dutch these two Dutch uh rowers are better known as scullers. Both competed in sculling events at the recent Verzi World Cup. So, they’re now moving into the pair, which is a uh versatility that I never enjoyed in the sport. So, hats off to them.
Yeah, the Dutch team do have this incredible versatility. In the British team, you kind of seen that you’re either a rower or a sculler, although George Bourne has changed from rowing to sculling, but the South African have seen their margin eroded. So, we can see this Dutch fair here. Boss M.
The angle is deceptive. I I suspect it’s 3/4 of a length, maybe maybe half a length. So, yeah, the Dutch definitely coming back and at this stage, they do seem to have the higher base pace. There’s still a lot of track to run and so you’re right, Martin, the formbook seems to be slowly emerging and you got to think the Dutch are going to want to carry on making inroads. Yeah. Well, Tishken rode in the two seat of the crew that beat the Netherlands Olympic. He rode for Brooks. They did 533 on the bosan last year in 24. He’s a medic. He only just missed Paris selection for that Dutch team. That’s the quality of the lads you got in this stroke scene. And this will be an absolute turnoff if they beat the South Africans who’ve got that fourth place finish. They just missed a medal by a small margin in Lucern at the World Cup. And the Dutch are just pegging back the South Africans. Now what can happen here? This is a head-to-head race and we have what about 600 m to go. What a shot just down the Henley course. Two pairs just going head to head. No longer level. The Dutch just seem to be moving and you got to think they are just going to keep walking away from the South Africans who gave their best in that you know up to the barrier in that first five 600 m. I’ve got you know I definitely thinking here that the Dutch are just going to carry on walking away. Yeah, it’s that smoothness in the Dutch runs, that patience off the front end and you think they probably haven’t expended as much as the South Africans in the first 500 meters and that tends to mean that they have something left in the latter part of the race and I think you can see every stroke they’re inching. Beautiful stroking from the Dutch there from Tiss in the stroke seat. Nice rhythm. And then looking at Vasa in Vosa Mayan in the bow seat. They are just moved right away from the South Africans. Credit to them and their coach Ardan Timberman’s.
Yeah, it’s never even if you really back yourself, it’s never easy sitting down in the early part of of these match races and that’s exactly what they did. Got back on terms, didn’t really change what they were doing and are now just walking away as we expected. But it was a really good effort from the South Africans to challenge them as underdogs in those early stages. Yeah, a look around there from Chris Baxter, the South African stroke man. And if you’re watching this presentation in South Africa, I know you’ll probably be disappointed that your lads are down at the moment. They are battling to come back. The water’s going to run out for them, I think. And that smooth style of the Dutch pair just taking them ever closer to the finish line. Mason and Rickin,
they’re not walking any further away though the Dutch. If anything, the South Africans, it’s a little too little too late, but they are walking back on them just a touch with a finishing sprint.
So, here come the Netherlands. And it was the tight margin, wasn’t it? Probably just the deck. Probably just a canvas, but M and Marin beat Bowen Cohen and Baxter in a heat of the goblets, the open pairs, and South Africa came right back there. Thumbs up from Voss Mason in the boughels whose favorite snack is Fian sugarbread so I’m told. Holy So this is the Temple Challenge Cup. It is for student open eights and we have Durham University versus Cambridge University. Durham University’s a crew. This is such a head-to-head match. It’s brutal. You talk to Durham University, they think this eight’s going to go all the way and win. You talk to Cambridge University, they say it’s going to be a tough race, but I think we can win this event. Who’s your money on Stan?
Oh, I wouldn’t want to put it out there. I think CUBC are doing good things right now. This is their goalie crew, more or less, as I understand it. Durham, though, also um also on good form, their A crew, so they’re not going to want to go down and lose to um to Cambridge’s effectively their B crew. Cambridge coached by Bill Lucas actually has fantastic job with that program there with Rob Baker. Of course, Cambridge won everything in the boat race, men’s and women’s this year and Stanley Ludis being a good Oxford man is covering his ears when I say that. But, uh, yesterday in the racing, Durham University, they did a 147 to the barrier when they beat Temple USA. and Cambridge University. They’re only 150 when they beat Darham University’s B crew. So, I expect the platinate colored blades of Durham to be leading this race at the barriers. Now, that would have been my guess as well. And again, tricky angle, but I do it looks like maybe Durham just had the edge, but I I might well be proven wrong in a second. You’re right, Martin. It’s fair to say I do not have a dog in this fight. But eight races um down the Henley course are intense. You you just cannot go off hard enough. You have to get that shell up and moving. It is not like singles or doubles where you can affect a change of pace at the end. You really can’t do that. And so both these crews just had to go off really hard. And I think I probably will be proven wrong. I think Cambridge might have the edge here. But we’ll see when the camera comes around.
Well, you’ve got to be right. Right at the top of your game, I think the fluidity of Cambridge, the way they just take the boat on the rise, the front end, just that uncomplicated drive that they have, the easy release at the finish in the middle of the course. That’s the style that pays dividends. Brilliant stroking by the 21-year-old Luke Beaver. I thought the sevenman Matt Edge who famously passed out on the boat race course and still managed to see his crew to victory in the 2024 boat race. But Luke Beaver came into the blue boat, replaced the Australian Tom Mai, the giant 25year-old, and he sat in the three seat and won the boat race this year. Poor old Matt Edge has become indelibly associated with that that effort when he did more or less pass out, but credit to him. He did win the boat race that year. Cambridge seemed to take half a length there in not very long. And I have to say now it’s going to be pretty hard, never say never, pretty hard for Durham to make a change of pace at this stage.
Yeah, that’s Shan Hayes up in the bow, the former lightweight row from Harvard. We have got about 20 strokes to go. Durham looking smooth, looking cool. You’d expect that coached by Will Fletcher. This would be a big belly blow I think for the Durham program. They thought this eight could go all the way, but Bill Lucas’s Cambridge stretch out now. And it is the light blues who come up to the finish line. This was a bit of a dog fight, but Cambridge had more fight in their dog than Durham just through the middle of the course, and that took them through to a great victory.
You have to say in the end that wasn’t even that close. If I’m really honest, in the scheme of eight racing to put in almost a length and just have that confidence through the middle of the course, credit to Cambridge. I think I’m right in saying if they win, that would be the first Cambridge 8 to win at the regata in 20 years since 2005. That’s a good stat and I’m impressed that you know that stat. So, so this is race 25. It’s a heat of the Wfold Challenge Cup. This is for club open fours. So, we have the might of London Rowing Club A on the left of your picture. Some would say the favorites. And are they the underdogs? Well, not the way they’ve been rowing. St. Andrew Boat Club from Edinburgh, Scotland. I’ve seen them race the last two days. They’ve impressed me every single day with the way they row particularly. They’re not the fastest starters, but they do row so well over the middle of the course. They’ve got a bucket in there, St. Andrews. So, um I don’t know if they tried conventional rigging in the first instance, but a lot of fours have gone quite fast with that bucket rig. Yeah. Is that the rig that you had on your Olympic 4 in 2016?
That is right. I did have that in my mind, Martin. You read my mind. We did. Yeah, that’s right. I mean, honestly, I think at the end of the day, four good rowers will make a boat go fast. But sometimes you just have the right people for the right positions and you’ve got to make them fit on either side and the bucket rig is the right way to go.
So, London A, the crew on the right of your picture, we’re getting this reverse angle shot. You can see they’ve taken a lead over their opponents from St. Andrew Boat Club. London just were around about 2 minutes to the barrier yesterday, slightly quicker than St. Andrew, but St. Andrews do have this midcourse pace and I’m expecting the gap not to grow too much once they come past our camera station here.
They do look sweet that London crew though, don’t they?
They do. They look really strong, asserting their dominance as expected. They’ve got some experience here. So, their bowman, I believe, Eduardo Marshall, won this event back in 2023, so he knows what he’s doing. Coming quite close to the booms, though. I think if I had that kind of margin, I would I would want to be slightly further into the center of the course. We’ve seen some races in the last few years where um crews have given up handy leads that way. So, I’d just be a little bit careful if I were them. Yeah, I think that’s sound advice. the London Ring Club crew. You can see they’re kind of still just I’d say that was just kind of below pace. You can see Eduardo there who uh Stan was talking about. Rouie in the two seat, James Clark from the Harvard 3V and Ben Edmonson in the stroke in sorry in the three seat. James Clark in the stroke seat. There he is the Harvard rower. And uh these boys coached by Stu Heath. London have made a habit of winning the wide files. It started in 1855, London won it in 1860, and then they won it a further 22 times. And as you heard Stan say, the last time in 2023, and I’m proud to be part of one of those wins back in 1976. It’s like it was yesterday, Martin.
It feels like it. In fact, we’ve got the Wifold crew out yesterday, uh, sorry, tomorrow in a paddle. Oh,
cracking. Well, the uh the band the grand stands will be out cheering for you, I’m sure. I hope so. So the St. Andrew charge has not materialized in the middle of this race. I can only think really that these guys have put so much on the line through the riata. They have absolutely been punching above and beyond their weight. Neil Paul, Jan Sedllo, Jack Lane and Josh Thompson in the stroke seat. Great job done by Ian Wilson. But I I think London are really showing why they’re the favorites or one of the favorites for this event. thing.
I always have such respect for these club rows. Just looking through um the individuals here now. We have head hunters here, financial traders, IT technicians, aerodynamicists. These these men uh and their female counterparts in the in the women’s club events hold down full-time jobs and they’re finding mornings and evenings to get out and get themselves ready to try and walk away with a little red box. In many ways, it is even more demanding than being in a university program where it works a bit more easily around academic commitments. And there’s a how many times boat race winner saying that.
Well, I I mean I I’ll leave you to to recall that Martin. It’s not for me, but they’re doing they’re doing very well down this course.
Okay. Well, yeah, you certainly won in 2013 and 2014. I know that. Okay. So, we are in the final stages of this Heat of the Wall Challenge Cup. One of the favorites, the crew from London Rowing Club on the left hand side of your screen, the bow of St. Andrew Boat Club from Edinburgh. It’s a it’s an old old club founded in 1846, would you believe? And a fantastic club, too. Won the Scottish Club of the Year awards, I think last year. And these four men will have no doubt contributed to the feeling around the club, the bars. Founded 1846. So that’s 9 years before the Wfolds was actually founded at Henley.
That’s a great stat. You are very good on the stats today, I must say, Stan. So coming up to the finish line, I can see them in front of our commentary position. London Ryan club. They’ve brought it right down and I have to say it is one of the best feelings this just um going across the line at mid20s at a caner. So London Rowing Club cross the line. They wait for their opponents from St. Andrew Boat Club, heads of it down in the St. Andrew C. You’d expect that. Heat of the WOOL Challenge Cup. London Rowing Club A beat St. Andrew Boat Club. Attention. So this is the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup. This is for girls quadruple skulls, junior women on the left hand side all the way from the Yara River in Australia in Victoria Merkantile Rowing Club and perhaps less far they row on the temps just by the finish of the boat race where you came in in your victorious boat races at Quinton Boat Club stand house school. That’s right. not not the most established Ryan school, but fantastic to see them uh have an entry here and uh but they’ve drawn they’ve drawn a tough draw here. Merkantile, champions of the school girls head back home in Australia. One of the um one of the selected crews here. So definitely favored to go quite far through this competition.
Yeah, they are the fastest crew in Victoria. They came six in the nationals this year which I think were held down on Lake Barington in Tasmania but they were the fastest non-composite crew. So all the other crews that headed them were composites and a mixture of different clubs. These four women are from Gibsland Grammar School. They were about a couple of hours away from Melbourne but they’re all members of Merkantile and they are moving on Q house.
It you can see the difference a little bit between Merkantile and Q here. Mental just finishing the stroke off a bit more. Getting a bit more out of it at that back end. Continuing to propel the boat for just a little longer. Q maybe just a little bit rushed there. Very easy to do that. I’ve been guilty of it myself. Yeah, we can see Lily Canfield. She’s only 16 in the boughels of that MK’s crew. Great experience for her. And they come that nice press off the finish around the back end. And the boat’s moving on sweetly. kind of got clear water between them and the Q house school. And as we get a shot there of Q House, it’s right to say that the Tunam twins Arbor at three and Isis at stroke in the Q house boat. Both 18. And of course, Ara Tunam was in the world’s eight that won, junior world’s eight that won a silver medal for Britain last year. She rode in the seven seat. They finished behind the USA. But even so, having an athlete of that quality in the Q house boat, it doesn’t guarantee you an automatic win or a close race on the Henley course. 340 to the 40 mark. You can see the time there. I suspect Merkantile will be starting just to take the rate down a little bit, mindful of the next few days, but they still um they’re still keeping it ticking along there actually. Yeah, I think that’s absolutely right. When do you take the decision to ease off standing in a race like this?
Well, it’s a good question. It’s a little bit difficult because you don’t want to spend all day planning for when you’re going to be lengths up and and how you’re going to take your foot off the gas because you don’t know what’s going to happen. But I think it’s reasonable when you’ve got um at least a length of clear water to start just taking sensible decisions because it’s a long old competition.
So if you’re joining us from Australia down in Merk’s boat house on the Yara or wherever you’re watching this world this uh sorry Henry Reata presentation. Uh you can see Lily Campfield there. She’s got the magic foot. She is steering right along the booms. I mean it’s a fantastic course for their first time out on the Henley regata tracks then
I mean it can be pretty overwhelming can’t it it is just unlike anything else and as you say Martin this Merkantile crew very strong but no prior Henley experience so they’ll just be soaking this all up I think in a way getting this chance to run down the course where they’re not pushed right to the line is a very nice preparation for later in the week where that is surely going to happen. Yeah, you got the likes of Marlo. We’ll see them racing this afternoon. Tideway Scullars. It’s such a strong event this year and this Merkantile crew certainly destined to go deep and rightly selected by the stewards as one of the tuk crews in the event. So, we’re going to have a look at the chasing boat shortly from Q House School. There we are from our drone shot. Isis uh Thernum and then Ara behind her in the 3C. Isis is in the stroke seat and then at two Charlotte Taylor Aubry and steering the boat Lucy Pre in the boughs. Both of those women just 17. So let’s head up to our leading boat from Merkantile. Love those drone shots. They’re just fantastic, aren’t they? It just shows Henley off at its best possible line. So Merkantile have kept their pace on through. They haven’t had to do any lifts. They’ve kept that in their back pocket. I wonder if it’s uh Lily making the calls. I suspect the 18year-old Ella Gerand in the two seats, Scarlet Tvisi and April Harrison in the stroke seat, but I suspect it’s Ella that’s making the calls and she won’t have made too many calls. Maybe the odd technical uh call. They’re using those uh big sort of cod blades.
Well, they I mean they’ll be glad for this run down the course. They haven’t This is literally their first run down the course because as a selected crew, they didn’t have to race on the Tuesday whereas Q did they beat Yam by about four and a half lengths. So they’ve already got a race in the legs, but for Merkantile, this is their only run so far.
So Merkantile crossed the line first and you saw April Harrison’s arm go up. Delight at that first race that you heard Stan Ludius talk about. Q House crossed the line in second. Confirmation that Merkantile Rowing Club of Australia beat Q House School in the heat of the Diamond Jubilee. So we are going to the next race which we will take in a couple of minutes but just to give you an idea. Have you been in stewards today s?
I have indeed. It is as I say much milder than it was a couple of days ago. It’s very pleasant. So pretty packed on the bank. Those deck chairs highly prized. Not as highly prized as the tables where you get the pins.
Ah. Have you had one today? Do you know I tried and they wouldn’t give me any so we had to go for a bottle of night timber which was an easy compromise.
Oh lovely. Yeah. Okay. So um people here sat watching the racing. Nice place to sit all afternoon. There’s the umpire’s launch making its way down the course. So oh my goodness. Look at the pain of losing on that face stand. Look at that. That is so sad, isn’t it?
Well, that’s when this is what school
I mean at credit it was a good effort and it’s what your year leads up to and you’re building towards a week-l long effort and then you’re out on the Thursday but you know they’ll be back and it was a good effort down that course.
Isis Thurman the 18year-old in the stroke seat sorry 16y old. So, okay, here we have the island challenge cup for student women’s eights. And on the left of your picture, we have the Scarlet Knights. That’s what Rockers University sports teams or crews call themselves. And on the right of the picture, we have the University of London, a crew.
This Rutgers crew, Martin, I think they won Eastern Springs by clear water. So they’re pretty um they’re one to watch for sure in this competition.
Yeah. One Eastern Springs. They did really well. Eighth in the NCAA. So that’s a small final in an event that was won surprisingly by Yale. They beat Newcastle yesterday. Uh they went sub two to the barrier as well. 159, which I think was quicker um than a lot of the a lot of the eights in their event. But this crew coached by Tom Gale, University of London, uh Daisy Faithful, the 25 year old physio. She’s closest to us in the stroke seat, learned to row as a junior on the sea at Shanklin Sandown Rowing Club on the aisle of white and she’s taken that experience into rowing at University of London. She’ll know what swelly waters like, not just on the sea, but rowing on the temps in London. So, I don’t think she’ll be bothered by anything the Henley calls has to throw at her today.
No, I agree. It’s especially benign today. Not that that necessarily quells the nerves because it’s still a big effort out there, but the conditions are one thing they probably don’t have to think about too hard today.
So, Ruckers really showing that that aggression which we saw for the first time yesterday and the University of London one of the favored crews in this event. They’ve had a fantastic season. Their speed was tested at Moy. They raced that crew with the Olympic bronze medalist Holly Dunford in only to concede by just over a second. They’ve been down this track recently. They’re not going to be phased by being slightly down, are they?
Uh I don’t think so. No, you’ve got to get used to that. You’ve got to get used to that, especially in match racing because it’s that much more intense. You can’t help but be aware of it. I love I do like what the uh Ruter stroke is doing. Um Ellie Argast. She I think there are two types of strikes by and large. There are those who really smooth and transmit a rhythm and there are those who are just aggressive and will take everyone else with them. And I think she’s the latter. Well, the Ruters crew are really aggressive. So aggressive, so tough on the front end of the stroke. It’s very much an American style. I don’t think you see many British eights row like that. in the six seat. Be Colcluff, who was a freshman or is a freshman in the program this year. She rode here for Shrosbury. She’s been at Henley four times. You can see the effort that Louise Dinard, the 20-year-old, is putting in in the bow seat, just a little bit away from the rigger at the back turn. UL still looks smooth. They’re not out of this race yet.
You’re right, Martin. It is. It’s quite a North American style. You get Canadian crews who row like this as well. It’s not the prettiest, but they find their peak power at the right time. They stick it in. They are very aggressive. And that’s about that’s really 90% of what you need to do in an eighth.
Yeah. Well, they’ve got that one length lead over University of London. So, what the University of London crew, Sophie Wright and the 20-year-old should be talking to Daisy in the stroke seat is they just need something from the middle of that boat. Iona Dixon, Georgie Banton, Ever Wilson, and Tom Gale likes to coach really smooth crews, really fluid crews. You’ll see a real contrast in style between the way this University of London is rowing, coached by Tom Gale, and the way that the Ruters crew coached by Justin Price is rowing. And Tom Gale will hope that the more efficient, he will think the more efficient technique of University London might take them through in the middle of the course. But it’s one thing to say that Stan,
you’re right. And in an it’s I mean I sound like a broken record today, but it’s very very hard. I would say almost unprecedented without an equipment failure to pull back a lead like this. And you’re right, there’s also there’s some confirmation bias with the technique. I think if you see an aggressive rough crew leading, then you think, well, they’ve they’ve um got the aggression right. Whereas vice versa, if you see the smooth crew leading, you think, well, they’ve got the technique right. Ultimately, you’re just drawing judgments based on who’s leading, which isn’t isn’t always the most insightful, but it’s all we can really do here. This Rutgers crew are just being so aggressive and I think are continuing to build margin. Yeah, that is an impressive middle of the course from Rutgers. Testament to their training program. These athletes in the NCAA championships, they’re only allowed to train a certain amount of hours per week. It’s not like British universities where if you want to train and be coached, you can do that, you know, for all the days of the week. But in America, they have rules in the NCAA about how often you can be coached.
It’s true that which is a structural disadvantage for them. But I would suggest they also have a number of um structural advantages. Very very wellresourced programs, you know, able to recruit some of the best athletes. So, it’s it’s just two quite different quite different scenarios, which is why it’s interesting to see them. Henley’s this unique melting pot where they will all match up and race each other and see who ends up being the fastest. So if you’re joining us on day three at Henley Regata, you can see the American crew from Rutgers University. They haven’t been led in this race, the Scarlet Knights and University of London. One of the fanci crews in this event are trailing in their wake at the moment. They’re clear water down. That will be a very difficult margin to get back towards the finish. This Ruters crew will be feeling pretty happy with themselves right now. I’d have thought the first women’s ruters crew ever, I believe, at Henley. And in fact, the last Rutgers crew of either sex to race here was their men’s crew back in 2003, which I would imagine is before a lot of these women were born.
Yeah, and that’s a great stat, Stan. And of course, NCAA rules state that you can only travel abroad, I think, once in every four or perhaps 5 years. So right, these women from Rutgers won’t get a chance to come to Henley next year. I think I’ve got that right. But University of London, well, they’re staring in the face and exit from this competition from the island challenge cup for student women’s eight. Rutgers, well, they’ve confounded all expectations. They were so pacy and so aggressive of that uh catch at the front end and they continue to move. Yeah, they just have not stopped here. that that aggressive style. If anything, it looks a bit smoother. Maybe sometimes with fatigue, you’re just forced to row a bit more simply. And maybe that’s what’s happening here. But there’s no question of who’s going to win this race at this point.
Ellie Aras, a senior in the stroke seat, graduated this year. She’s on to different things and right now her focus is on the next round of the island Challenge Cup because this race is nearly done and dusted. They have about another five strokes to go. The
Scarlet Knights,
they do not look like they’ve backed off here, Ruggers. They are still going pretty hard, which is um an interesting call given they’ve got a lot more tough races to come.
So, Ruckers take that heat of the island Challenge Cup ahead of the fancied University of London A crew. You can see there was a clear water margin in that. Righters A beat University of London A in the heat of the Ireland Challenge Cupond. So we are seeing some fantastic club open Cox with sports. T’s Rowing Club A Crew they are so strong. We saw London Rowing Club Acrew their neighbors earlier have a comfortable victory over St. Andrews. How will T’s Ring Club get on against the French crew from Lavon De Vishi?
Well, the Temp’s crew are for sure favored here. I think one of the favorites in the event, but Vichi went like they went incredibly quickly off the start, rating very highly. So, we’ll just see if they can transition onto a nice base pace and maintain or extend that lead. I have to say I think my money would be on temps getting back on terms at some point, but we shall see. Yeah, they do look smoother. I mean you know the chef dage um Louis Dwaser that’s the stroke man took them off at a very high pace 29y old behind him he’s backed up by Ivon Bob the brother of Claire the Olympic silver medalist in the lightweight women’s doubles from Tokyo he’s a 12 times French champion but you know it kind of just happened as you said it Stan that uh that aggression that aggressivity off the start the French knew what kind of quality crew they were up against and they threw everything in what for the first 40 strokes.
It’s true. It actually uh happened a bit quicker than I thought it would that you know Vishy went off uh incredibly quickly and then almost um as soon as that had happened, Tame’s got back on terms, seemed already to be really in control of this race quite early on. And by contrast, the French with that quite punchy staccato style 10s just seem to be very smooth, very locked on, really nice sustainable race pace. Always easy to say it’s sustainable from outside the boat, but it does look like that. Yeah. Well, they’ve got Xander Smolders, the Dutch coach of Temps. He’s got a great style. He’s got even more Henley wins as a temp’s coach. 11 of them under his belt. And there we see look Alex Wood the 23 year old in the boughels Joe Stubs George Prior and Callum Bentley in the stroke seat with that cap on came here and rode for Durham University first eight and he’s competed in seven Henley’s that’s a sensational amount of experience
that is huge and I can see between the crew they got 18 previous uh Henley appearances here the French for their part have eight so they’ve got a good amount of Henley experience too. But it seems to be that experience as well as that smoother style that is just showing for temps here.
Yeah. So, let’s take a look at this French crew here. And uh you can see Blades going a little bit of the catch. Just not quite gripping the water as much as they like at the front end. I think they’re going for a bit more for rating rather than kind of poise and just sort of pinch the boat at the front end.
That does seem to be the case. It works for some crews. um famously I think the Italian fours always like rating really high and go very fast at either end of the race and are not the quickest through the middle but managed to just about stay on terms but um it’s not working for this crew right now but that’s not that’s it might have been the right decision for them but temps I do think are at another level here
yeah they are at another level and this temp’s ring club crew well they comfortably beat Sheffield enough to get this far they’re not down as low in terms of rating as they were against those crews.
You can one thing about a a bucket rig, it’s a little bit unforgiving. You can just see the three man and the two man a little bit out of time. They’re three man consistently ahead of the twoman. Um which is probably not something you’d necessarily notice in a traditional rig, but it doesn’t seem to be holding them back here at all. Yeah, if we’ve been really picky, I think in terms of where they square the blades, the threeman squares his blade for the front end before the twoman, and that makes it look a little bit out of sync, but it’s kind of working in a in a way that they are really crushing any opponent they seem to come up against in the early stages of this riata.
You’re right, Martin. I think some of the best coaches, a gift they have is knowing when to exercise caution and discretion as to when and when not to make a change in their athletes. If it works for them, even if it doesn’t look perfect, sometimes you’re best just leaving it be.
So Tim’s rowing club a crew come up to the finish line. This race is in the bag. They’ve done the work pretty much through the second part of the first 500 meters. They moved away from the French and they take a very welldeserved win. They wait for the French crew from Vichi to come across the line. And in that heat of the Wifold Challenge Cup, Temp’s Rowing Club, A Crew beat Club Vishi of France. And there we go. attention. So, we have a heat of the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup for Junior Women’s Quadruple Skulls. The famous red blades of Marlo on the left of your picture and the blades of Strosbury School, white and black colors of Strosbury School on the right of your picture. So, Marlo tank little need in the first part of this race. I saw Shrosbury Skull earlier in the riata. I thought they were really, really strong and very impressive. They beat Trenton boat club. They had a pretty decent start. Their stroke cat is part of the East Midlands development pathway. She’s 16. She hopes to go to a US university, but Marlo out in front then.
Yeah. So, it’s Marlo’s first race at this rigata where because as a selected crew, they got a pass straight through to the Thursday whereas Shrosbury did have to race on the Tuesday. I would actually say on balance that’s probably to their advantage to have got a race in the legs. But, um, Marlo do seem to be showing their superior quality right now. It looks very sharp from them from this angle. And of course, Marlo, coached by Pete Chambers, who was a colleague of yours in the 2012 Olympics, won silver in the lightweight men’s fours.
Of course, that’s absolutely right. Absolutely fearsome lightweight rower. I used to watch him skull and think, um, I can’t do that. So, he seems to be doing a great job coaching them to skull. So, Malo Ryan club come past their a crew, come past our camera. You see a shot of those young women just paddling away. The race is in their control. The gap is just We’re waiting for Schrobury. No disgrace to Schrosbury, but this Marlo quad
is special. It does look absolutely dominant from them at this point. So, we got the bowwoman. You can see in Marlo, there she is with the double plat there. Yona Halley, the 17year-old. She’s a returning finalist. And uh in three, Epha Turner. This is her third riata, but her first foray in the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup to Lauren Kennedy in her second riata. And in the stroke seat, Eve Pinson, who is the daughter of D. Pinson, who is the CEO of the makeup brand, Charlotte Tilbury, which um
that’s some that’s some strong pedigree.
I know. I think um certainly uh my uh middle daughter Lara would be most impressed with. And I think there is some sort of connection with AOA who got a few Olympic medals called Matt Pinson as well.
Well, we’ll let people write into us if they’ve ever heard of him.
Yeah, there she is. Eve Pinston in the stroke seat, the 17year-old. And Mara Rowan Club have done so much for the local area. It’s such a great place for young boys and young girls to come and go into the junior program. the chances there if you get good to maybe get a scholarship to a US university.
You’re right, Martin. It has slightly changed the game for junior women’s rowing. Now, the demand from uh North American universities for really top quality junior women’s rowers. For a lot of these women, that will be a very realistic and exciting prospect. So, Malo Ring Club come past the noise. I don’t know. I’ve never been there. Is M is Mahikis down at that point on the bank?
Oh, let me cast my mind back. But yeah, I think it is. And um I these days I think I am Oh, it used to be I I believe. I think maybe not there anymore. I don’t know. Maybe the powers of the be took the decision that uh it’s not for now. Anyway, Stewarts is where we are.
Yes. So, Ma Ryan club, you can see they’ve gone down in the gears. They’re just coming into the enclosures. Shows no chance of them giving up. Look at what Molly Pierce is putting in. The captain of boats at Royal Shrewsby in the boughels, the 18year-old. She’s off to Tulsa University in the USA. There’s no way that she’s going to stop Holly Yang, Maria Gulia, Costlia, and Cat Weber in the stroke seat battling all the way down this course. The women from Trophy School Bo Club. [Music] Yeah, Marlo very very controlled now. You can see they brought that rate of striking right down getting the absolute most out of each stroke. It is if you’re lucky enough to be in this position early in the week, it is a fantastic feeling effectively getting to do a bit of an exhibition row in front of the enclosures. Yeah, if you look at the sort of uh you know the cognicenti I guess junior rowing news and the sorts of that they they kind of say Marlo you know likely semi-finalists maybe that if a final place it would be fantastic but um they have had an armada of junior boats in this year’s riata. I think they might have had four quads or something like that. That is a great showing and a real vote of confidence in their team and their club. So Mo Ring Club really doing an exhibition in front of the crowds. It’s kind of steady, easy paddling makes it look easy, but the thing is you have to be that quick. You have to be that good to make it look easy.
That’s right. I mean they’ll also just have so much adrenaline going for them and it will feel it will feel like they’re rowing on air for those moments. So I hope they’re really enjoying it. holding the boat up to wait for their opponents from Shrosbury. They don’t want to drift too far down the course. Well, Skull Shrosbury, you’ve had a great rigata and you can be proud of your efforts. So, confirmation of the result of that race in the Diamond Jubilee heat. Milo Ring Club A Crew beat Shrosbury School. Attention.
So, this is the Prince Albert Challenge Cup on the Star. It’s going to be a a headbanger this one between University of London in the purple blades on the left of your picture and the men from Harvard University Boston with the famous red and white blades. Long-term devotees of trips to Henley Harvard and uh well many people think this could have been a potential final such as the standard of these two boats then.
That’s right. It’s an early early for us to say that on the Thursday, but these are both serial winners of this event. Harvard in 2019, UL recently in 2021. These are two crews who are not turning up just to participate. They both want to make it right right through the week. Yeah, the two man in University of London. Well, we we just lost the picture. However, do look to have Well, I say the the number one is going up. So, that’s University of London with the lead. I spoke too soon which is a pretty handy lead to have coached by Smithy Anthony Smith was at St. Paul’s coached their J16s with Bobby Thatcher. Then he went to Hollis and now he’s at University of London. This crew won Bucks. They won Gent. They won the Met and they beat Oxford yesterday. Closest to us we’ve got Dave Wallace. Theo Doyle in the two seats. Proud that he broke a 14year-old record in the pairs while part of the coupe team in 2022. And he loved he wanted me to get that in commentary. Joe Middleton in the three seat just going past the camera there. Won a world silver in the Coxes four behind Germany rode in that boat with Ollie Parish the famous Cambridge boat race rower and at the moment University of London still up high stand but with the advantage.
Yeah, it’s not the easiest angle to to tell from here but it’s maybe 3/4 is that full length maybe to UL? So they are really taking this by the scruff of the neck. Now I think for Harvard as well the challenges of of coming across the Atlantic and racing here they will be spending all year in eights. This is rowers made up from their 2v and their 3V and of course UL will spend a lot of this time a year in eight but they will have more than half an eye to Henley and probably got in that combo a bit earlier. Maybe that’s just part of what is telling for them here.
Well you can see University of London are right up there. They are going full gas and Harvard they are pushing them to go full gas. There is no let up from the University of London crew. And if you’re watching this in Harvard University, water’s running out and I’m afraid that uh Owen Finity, Alex Sanchez, Fret, Charles Richard, and Liam Downing have had a great rigata. But this was perhaps one race too much for them. Katherine Engles the Cox. And there we see Amelia Cataldi, a 22year-old guiding her crew from University of London. Yeah, it’s thumping from UL here. Never in doubt. Maybe they are just starting to ease off right at the end, but it was very dominant from them just through the middle of that race. An inch stroke. So, University London, the purples come up to the finish line and they take this heat of the Prince Albert. The Crimson from Harvard University. They’re 2V and 3V. Their heads go down. It is the purples and there’ll be plenty of purple jackets in the crowd watching University of London.
It’s always that moment across the finish line when you just want to look anything but tired. Just really retain your composure. So this is the international women’s open single skulls the princess royal challenge cup we have from Handia club in the Netherlands cla she is on the left of your picture and then we have from veester club Isabelle Maxwell lra durham university grew up on a farm in north thunderland land and she is now rowing at Vesta Rowing Club just down there on the bank at Putney as Cla Deck seems to have established a pretty early lead in this race and and the uh the odds are with her coming into this. She’s got a couple of Henley appearances before, has competed in the quad twice at under 23 level, medaling on one of those occasions. So um I think the smart money is probably on her at this stage. Certainly a pretty commanding lead to have at this early stage of the race. You can see that Isabelle on this near side coached by Charlotte Fishman has got her rating quite high up. She’s doing everything she can to keep up with Cla Dock who is at a lower rate of striking. She’s got more time off the back end of the stroke. You can see it’s more easy flow into the front. I guess it’s probably a longer stroke that she’s putting in there. Stan,
it probably is. Although I have to say from this angle it is very hard to tell, but she’s definitely getting more out of the boat one way or another. Well, no surprise, another Dutch nationality rower who is amazing at sculling and amazing at rowing. She was in the pair at the World Cup with Ilsa Kman the Vorzi World Cup this year. She was three in the Netherlands 8 that took a silver behind Great Britain in the European. She’s even raced the coastal singles for the Netherlands at last year’s World Coastal Championships in Italy. So that’s the kind of pedigree of the row we have leading this race.
Yeah, it’s a commanding lead at this point and it is that much easier for the elastic to snap in a singles race. very hard to to come back from this and I think for DOC it’s going to be uh quite a comfortable even fun row past the enclosures now looking ahead to maybe tougher races later this week. Yeah, this is a really really tough event. We have of course the British sensation, the Olympic gold medalist in women’s quadruple skulls, Lauren Henry. I don’t know if you’ve been keeping up with her progress, but uh she lies waiting in the draw and Kirsten will if she wins this race will meet Victoria Senute of Lithuania who won an Olympic bronze medal in Paris behind Caroline Florine and Emma Twig of New Zealand who is here racing and also as a Henley Stewart. [Applause] So I think uh Deco will probably fancy her chances at Senute who hasn’t quite found the speed that took her to that Olympic bronze medal. But uh all that in the future play has got to complete this course safely. It’s not a done deal. And Isabelle Maxwell of Veester Rowan Club on the left. There she is. You can see that back that rock over. She’s got quite a um a sort of straight back, hasn’t she? She just checks to her left there to see where she is on the on the boom.
You’re right. It’s quite upright from her. It’s um I mean Andre Synynic always used to row like that, didn’t he? So, I mean, he’s a huge man, but he there wasn’t a much body in it and it was about 3/4 slide. He used to get a lot out of the boat that way. Yeah. There’s our drone shot and you can see relatively that’s I would guess a quite a close race between an international and a domestic scholar. She raced in the single at Wallingford Riata down at Dorny Lake where the 2012 Olympics were held. Came fourth there. She finished ninth in championship singles at the Met. So she has been on the domestic circuit this year. She just takes a bit of a pause at the finish to doesn’t she? Just to let the boat run. I suppose it’s a little more practical to do that as you bring the rate down just a touch.
That’s interesting that because you know the Australians that won the Olympics in the Olympiad after you, they were known to pause at the back end of the stroke. Alex Hill who’s stroking the Australian eight here. Part of that kind of rhythm. Yeah. It’s not something I ever like doing because I always felt like you needed to keep it moving to replicate what you do up at rate. But there have been a lot of crews who’ve had a lot of success with it. And we’re seeing Cla Deop emulate that now. But von Hassel will be watching this I guess from the launch. Her coach the team from the Netherlands here in force all racing as Helandia Row Club. But uh it’s wonderful that they decided to go from their national championships on the Bosban last year where next year’s World Championships will be held straight to Henley Riata and there are some fantastic crews. Men’s and women’s singles, women’s doubles, men’s a oh you know the list is endless. Coming past the stewards enclosure just see that easy rhythm. I wish I could skull like that, Sam.
Oh, you and me both, Martin. I never I never got that. I always found it easy to blame everyone else for the balance in a crew boat, but in a skull, there was never any anyone else to blame.
Yeah, it looks sweet, doesn’t it? Just so easy on the front end. No, no, no fast, just blades gripping the water where she goes out to and uh she’s soaking it in now, isn’t she?
It’s true. And it is the perfect environment for it. Lovely flat water here at Henley. Very little stream with so little rainfall. So, it’s just a perfect exhibition row. I hope I hope this is something she’ll never forget. Just going past these packed enclosures in doineering style. Yeah. Well, Cla Decock can enjoy that today. Tomorrow will be a different matter when she goes up against the Olympic bronze medalist who’s got a buy. But the woman from Handia Road Club can take pleasure in a really, really good first outing. She hears the buzzer go and Isabelle Maxwell, she’s going flat out the whole way down the course. The woman from Vesta. So confirmation that heat of the Princess Royal Challenge Cup. Do the of the Netherlands beat Maxwell of Vesta Rowing Club. So we are looking at the crowds and now the next race is off the start. It’s thick and fast here. So uh we have the German crew Rud Gazel Shaft Le and Boner Rudy Gazelle Shaft who I think are effectively a Cal Barkley crew. Both of them rode for Cal Barkley over the last few years. That program run so brilliantly by Scott Fransdom. And they are against two men from Harvard, Marcus Shu and someone from your Elma Mart.
That’s right. Two men from Princeton. Um uh although it’s confusing here they say USA. They are both Brits. Marcus Shu as I’m sure you’re about to say Martin Windsor boys. Theodore Bell beaten my alma ma won the PE here just 4 years ago. So, a lot of pedigree in that crew, although at this point the Germans uh have made a very strong start to this race.
Yeah. Well, Fred Brewer was in the sixth seat of the German 8 that I thought had a really great Paris Olympics. They came in fourth. Okay. They missed a medal, but the 23 year old, no doubt he might be back in the German team. They won at Lucern the German, their resurgent, but uh didn’t have all the luck in the IRA. the crew crabbed in the semifinal. So this year at least Brewer came in in seventh place. But in 23 he was part of the Cal crew that won. Do you know Martin when the last time the German a German crew won the goblets was?
That is a great shout and and and I don’t and I’m thinking now Stref and Holson by know
it was Shrider and Schmemeller of SC Dynamo back in 1970. Ah, that is a long, long time ago and I didn’t even see that race. So there you can see the two boys from Harvard’s Tio Bell just looking around. They’re both 21 coached by Matt Smith the US Olympian and they are still in contact with the Germans and both of these boys have got Henley experience. I think Tio Bell has won here in the Princess Elizabeth with Eaton and Marcus Shu has won here with Windsor Boys in the Foley and he’s a great single scullar. I kind of thought he would meddle when he got to be the single in the World Championships, but uh he he finished in fifth place, but he’s an incredible talent.
That’s right. I like what I’m seeing from Shooting Bell here. They’re they’re still down, but I quite like Bell’s star in the stroke seat. He’s just looked across there as well, though. He needs to um just keep focused on his boat if he’s going to peg them back. The Germans to me look to be steering into the the middle just a little bit. I wonder if the umpire is going to have to get his flag out. This race is going to be a real gut buster at the finish. You know, I think I would say a word for the lookers. Joseph Vicino, the Italian famously looked round every stroke when he rode past the Sinkovich brothers in 2017 at the World Championships. and you need a little bit of motivation and as we speak s I don’t want to say I called it Martin but the umpire does seem to be warning the Germans now they do seem to just be coming across a little bit uh forcing the Brits just a little bit the Brits rowing for Princeton University a bit closer towards the boons but they seem to have corrected now so I’m sure hello to everyone on the east coast of the USA Princeton that row on that beautiful lake in New Jersey the Tigers where the US National Training Center is based. They are edging ever closer back and the Germans are warned again. How much is that going to affect them, Stan? Yeah, I mean it’s it’s both the mental tax that it takes on you when you are very you are asking an awful lot of yourself and then of course it’s break on the boat the rudder. So they’re going uh to stroke side and bow side and actually they don’t have an enormous mark. They do still seem to be leading. We’ll see as the boats come round, but they can’t really afford to be giving up feet here and there through steering. So, in effect, this is Princeton vow. Princeton on the left of your picture and the two Cal orsman rowing for their clubs in Germany. Leah and Bono de Gazelle shaft. And it looks as if the Princeton boys are coming through with that Henley experience. And Brewer, the sixth man of the German 8, has he cracked?
That is cracking. Look at that. I think they were um maybe half a length of clear water down at one point. And now they are half a length up and they are just going to be feeling on fire from here. So I’m looking down the course. I can’t see the crews yet. They’ve still got a long way to go. The Germans still look to be pretty flat out. And uh there is our drone. You can see the Germans still have an overlap. But how long will it be before the boys from Princeton shoot and Bell just ek out a margin and just snap that trailing elastic and the Germans lo all hope they’re moving again to the center.
That’s right. The Germans moving over now. Although ironically the Brits have put enough into them that I don’t think the umpire is going to worry too much. So um so Shoot and Bell just staying on their side now doing their thing. not even having to look around anymore because they are now leading. And of course, Bell won the ladies plate last year with Princeton. Such an impressive athlete, Theo Bell. And amazing credit to their coach Matt Smith, who’s got so much experience, worked with these young men. And the Germans now just perhaps a little shorter, not quite as long as they were at the start of the race.
I think Shooten Bell will look back on this and have to ask themselves, are the Germans just a very fast starting crew or do we actually need to ask a bit more of ourselves in those opening stages? Because it is really quite a turnaround and I just wonder if they should be trying to get to the barrier a bit quicker than they did. Another note on this uh British crew is they they were actually asked to go through qualifiers, which for my money is a bit surprising with the pedigree they’ve got. Both winners of the ladies last year. Uh Bell has won the under 23s twice in the eight and the four. I would have thought that they have the pedigree to be a selected crew, but ultimately it doesn’t matter. They’re here and they’re looking really, really strong.
That’s really interesting. I didn’t know they had to go through qualifiers, but they had a run down the course as if they didn’t know
what that was like. And I think the umpire is now warning Princeton there saying to get back on your station, but there’s a kind of a healthy lead and Princeton are moving. Yeah, I wouldn’t be too worried if I were Princeton here from a steering perspective. I think I would just take take the line I wanted because it’s nearly the end and they put they’ve done the hard yards to put a lot of clear water into these Germans now.
So Princeton University come up to the finish line. All these top university crews are inter full of internationals and these are two Brits that are in the mighty Princeton setup. Marcus Shoot and Theo Bell 21 with bright futures ahead of them cross the line. A very very finely judged race against two really strong Germans Leo Brahms and Fred Brewer. And it was an impressive performance complete with orange socks from Theo Bell. So shooting Bell from the USA beat Bronzen Brewer from Germany in a heat of the goblets attention. So I have to say
thank you very much to Stan and it’s Fast and Furious. We welcome Chris from the Downunder Rowing podcast. Can’t fail to recognize his accent. This is a heat of the Diamond Jubilee between Henley Rowing Club on the left hand side of our picture and the women from Hartbury College on the right hand side of our screen. This is the event for Junior Women’s Quads. Welcome Chris.
Thank you Martin. Great to be back up here in uh what is probably some of the best conditions of the regata. Beautiful weather here on Thursday. But uh Harprey and Henley, this is uh an exciting matchup in prospect. Henley probably the favorite on paper coming in in this matchup. But Harprey had uh a great race in the early stages. Henley there first run down the track in the Diamond Jubilee. They afforded a buy in the first round of racing. Yeah, they beat Hadington Harbor, didn’t they? By by over two lengths. And uh their stroke, you can see she’s got the bunches in that in that uh sort of uh blonde hair at the back of the boat. She’s an 18year-old. She’s sub seven for the 2K on the row machine. And and I think any woman that can go sub seven as a junior is going some.
Yeah, certainly certainly impressive. So Hartrey, if you look at the form before the regata, third in the B final at National Schools, but uh they brought Katherine Gardner into that boat. Uh she won the Hemley women’s regata in the junior single strengthen this lineup and uh after an early start, looks like they’ve just dropped behind by about half a length as they uh come through the barrier behind the locals from Henley Rowing Club. So, as we were talking, you saw Henley Rowing Club just ease through ever so slightly the women from Hotbury. Wow. You can see well still have contact, but it’s only just about. And this is where Henley Ryan Club are going to be doing the damage. Jess Mack, Isabelle Hughes with Chloe in front of her. Isabelle, she is just 15 years of age. Wow. The two girl in that Henley quad. Where do they find these Osman from? Charlotte Oswoman from Charlotte Tong the 17-year-old stroke woman. And uh I guess they were the pre-race favorites. This is impressive what they’re doing in the middle of the course.
Yeah, and certainly backing up that form as the pre-race favorites. They’ve uh enjoyed a few good results so far this season. They silver at the junior scaling regata earlier in the season ahead of or just behind brother Wikliffe who uh defending champions in this event and uh they were just ahead of Marlo rowing club who we saw uh put on an absolute clinic in an early round just half an hour or so ago and uh they if the result pans out as it’s sitting at the moment they are set to face off in the semifinals of this event. Yeah. So I think trying to look at Henley and trying to see if there’s there’s much difference between them and Hartbury, I I I kind of just think Hen the women from Henley just have a little bit more of the boat at the front end. Maybe just a little more patient to put their blades in and it’s just giving them a slightly longer stroke than their opponents.
Yeah, and that drone shot is really great for illustrating that. You can just see the distance between the last puddle in each of the each of the strokes in the water that they’re leaving behind in their wake. You can just see they’re getting a little bit more distance per stroke. Just slightly lower in rate than the heart crew. So just doing a little bit easier as they come out here in front of the steward’s enclosure. It’s beautiful Thursday. So you can see the pace of the Hartbury crew here and they are the crew on the right behind which is that high that the women from Henley Rowing Club. There’s Hartbury and there’s the 16-year-old bowwoman Matilda Hudson Hulls that’s closest to us. Little look around just to see if there’s any chance of getting past Henley. Not sure that they’ve got that much chance at the moment. Yeah, it’s certainly a lot of work to do in the closing stages there. Now say to the Henley crew, Jess Mack who is steering has a quick look across and she’ll certainly be pleased with what she’s seeing with that margin. And back to heartbreak. That’s a great shout, Chris. So, it is the women from Henley Rowing Club rode just downstream of Henley Bridge, their clubhouse. They crossed the line first in this heat of the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup for Junior Women’s Clubs. Great race from Hartbury. Led early on, but uh couldn’t maintain that pace. So, in that heat of the Diamond Jubilee, Henley Rowing Club beat Hartry College. So this is a heat of the Temple Challenge Cup. That’s for student open eight. And on the left of our picture, we have the rowers from the University of Bristol. And on the right of our picture, we have the rowers from Laha in the Netherlands, the student rowers from the Delft Club. And they are rowing in that very distinctive red top and white shorts. The top and the shorts are separate. They don’t row in a one piece like the other crews do. We mentioned that in commentary yesterday. Also, there’s that kind of bucket rig on this side with seven and six really just next to each other. Got any thoughts on that, Chris?
Yeah, just used to if you have one athlete who’s maybe come from sculling or swap sides or just struggling to get quite the length needed, but you want them in that position in the boat and that’s the seat where you want them. Uh, it can help them really really lock in to the person in front of them and and match up the angles at the front end and the back end. to benefits for the rhythm, benefits for the steering even particularly in the smaller boats, but seems to be working for the Dutch crew from La at the moment leading Bristol. Lingering just took a look across at her opponents yesterday. La beat Queensland pretty comfortably. They threw in a 147 to the barrier which the crews have just passed. Sheffield, sorry, University of Bristol beat Sheffield University. They did a 150 to the barrier. So I guess if you looked at the times you’d think that probably LA would have that one length advantage at the barrier.
Yeah, absolutely. This is for Bristol as well. This isn’t their top boat. So this would be athletes 5 to 12 in their program. They are prioritizing the Prince Albert Challenge Cup as a number of programs are this year. Very competitive event in 2025. Is not to say that the Temple Challenge Cup is not a very competitive event with 72 entries. Yeah, we So there we come back. Sorry about that little interruption. And if you’re watching from the Netherlands on day three of Henley, you can see in the background the time of the crew from Laha was 304 to 40. Records aren’t being troubled today, but that’s a decent time for the men from the Netherlands. The University of Bristol, they’ve had a fantastic regata. They’re all undergraduates, but their coach Jake Blair have guided the guided them to a fantastic season, coming 25th in the Head of the River, which is no mean achievement. And certainly a crew that’s uh very familiar with the course here at Henley. 22 appearances between the uh the nine in the University of Bristol boat. That’s uh compared to only uh only a handful, one or two each in uh the la combination on the near side of your picture there. One a very successful combination in Dutch rowing this year. 529 on the Bos Barn apparently. Not that uh not that we like to read too much into times in the Bosban, do we?
No. It’s interesting. And the boss band, they’ve actually dre they’re dredging the course out cuz the world championships are there next year. And they think if making it deeper, it will take away the travelator effect that you get when the wind blows and the water circulates. So this Dutch crew, five people been in this boat been under 530. So they know what the feeling is like for an eight moving at speed. But I tell you that Bristol crew are running really, really well. They haven’t let Del let up at all and they’re having to keep their pace up really really high and Bristol are moving well and are still in this race maybe. Yeah, I’m not sure if I think Laha just maybe as you were saying that we’re just starting to just starting to tone things down a little bit. So they might think that they’ve got enough of an advantage but uh I don’t think they do. I’ll I’ll take that back as uh Bristol almost in touch now as we approach the stewards and uh we’re just about 15 or 20 strokes from the line. So the crew from Laha Del they haven’t had to use their sprint finish but Bristol have kept them honest the whole way down the course. Credit to Lac and ukly the 20-year-old stroke and Adam de Rosario in the seven seat and Toby Frimmore in six. They’re all 20. Del crossed the line first, but Bristol University can definitely hold their heads high. Been a great regata for the men from the West Country. The result of that heat of the Temple Challenge Cup, Laha from the Netherlands beat Bristol University. So this is the Stoner Challenge Cup. We see a replay of the start on the left hand side of the picture. It is the crew from the Netherlands, Tuna Tissson and Naomi Holland. And on the right hand side of your picture, it is Jen Titterington and Sophie Connelly and they are rowing here for Ireland. But actually uh these women have rode for clubs in the UK. Sophie’s road for Leicester and Nottingham and uh Jenna’s row for Nottingham but is now rowing here for commercial. So it is the crew on the far side that’s leading Chris. Yeah, upper temps on the Barkshire station. They’re certainly going to enjoy going past their club in a couple of minutes time as we join them. But as we join them, it does look like
Yeah, I think I called that wrong actually. We had the camera shot on them and I couldn’t tell. And uh I actually think that Titterington and Connelly might have been the crew in the lead. So apologies if you are watching this race. I think uh probably called that incorrectly. And it is the crew from Commercial Rowing Club and Nottingham Rowing Club. And uh at the moment, well, these are two club crews and we’ve got international crews to come in this event. Yeah, both had to come through the qualifiers last week. So, I’m sure they’ll be very glad that they’ve drawn another crew with a similar standard that’s come through the qualifiers. We’ve uh see a lot in the small boats that uh have come through the qualifiers. And then fortunately in the first round uh there the the pre-selected crews, the pre-qualified crews uh tend to be our international senior athletes. So, uh, coming closest to us is Jen Titterington, former national standard swimmer, not just in the pool, but in open water, too. And Sophie Connelly, the 35year-old in the stroke seat. She is now working at Village Vets as a district manager in Ireland. And so, both these women combine their full-time jobs with their career as top class scholars or top class club scholars and tunatis you can see her back in the crew on the right of the picture the 33y old she’s actually a PhD in physics and now a research scientist at the UK atomic energy authority and her partner Nami Holland is a lead investigator at the trade aid remedies authority and they are really really having a great go there. There they are. This crew, you can see them nice and clean out the water. They’re familiar with this stretch. Maybe not the swell that we’ve got today with all the boats going past. But yeah, it’s certainly started to get a little bit busier this afternoon. This morning was even surprisingly quiet. Um I was lucky enough to be on a launch for one of the first races of the day and uh it was very very flat, very little roll on the water, but this afternoon, especially in these small boats, uh the conditions are certainly going to be a big factor in how crews are approaching these races and something that they’re thinking about as they’re getting on the water. We’ll likely see as the afternoon progresses this uh the crews with uh Henley experience or more Henley experience being uh somewhat of an advantage in these conditions and the the leading crew from Nottingham and commercial. four appearances here before for Jen Titterington and uh Sophie Connelly has been here just once before 35year-old but that experience paying dividends and they’re in a position now where they get to really enjoy this last few hundred meters of the course.
Yeah, the stoner is an event which uh tends to go abroad to the top skulling combinations. Last year Vivitz and GFL won. They didn’t quite make the Olympic team, but of course the German women’s quad who are here in the international quad skulls event. Um got a bronze in Paris and uh we’ve got the fabulous double of Rosong silver in the Dutch quad in Paris and Benabonstra. So they are a very fast Olympic level combination in this contest down the line.
And of course Henry Stewart Olympic gold and silver medalist Emma Twig racing in the double later this afternoon with under 23 lightweight champion Grace Cipher.
Yeah, that’s going to be an interesting one to see just how fast we can be in that double. So we come into the final stages of this heat of the stoner challenge trophy. Nottingham Rowing Club and Commercial Rowing Club of Ireland’s Jen Titterington and Sophie Connelly. There we see the finish line. They haven’t got long to go. They have kept their boughs pretty much in front the whole race. Tunatis and now Mi Holland. They will cross the line some meters after their opponents, but the women from upper temps will be proud of what they’ve done. Certainly these open events coming through the qualifiers, they’re incredibly competitive as they are for every event this year and uh to be out here on a Henley Thursday. So that heat of the stoner, Titterington and Connelly beat uh Tissson and Holland of the Netherlands. So really excited to see this man in orange, Simon Van Dor, a sensational sculler, a sensational rower, and just a lovely man. He is on the right of your picture sculling for Helandia Row Club and from Plyale rowing club Ben Parsonich the 29year-old what a fantastic privilege it is and wow he’s right up there in the early stages I think he might even be up on Simon Vandor. Yeah I think he is as they emerge from the end of the island there. We saw this morning in the diamonds the uh Greek scholar uh being led out to the end of the island as well. So often for these scholars who come through the qualifiers and have faced one of the big names in the early rounds, it uh the the game plan is just to take it out absolutely as hard as possible in the line and see what you can make happen. See if you can force a positive situation for yourself in the race. But uh seems to be holding the Dutchman in as they sort of settle into the rhythm. But I imagine the power of Simon Van Dor is
Look, look, Van Dor had a look there, didn’t he? Like you got to put that on replay like in future years Ben passages when Simon Van Dorp had to look over his right shoulder to see where you were and he kind of thought what is this Scotsman doing ahead of me. That is a fantastic shot and Simon Van Dor just going through Ben Parsonage. Such a a heritage in his family. His dad raced the diamonds, raced in the doubles with Balma, losing to Brigden and Brigden in the early ‘7s. And uh it’s lovely the story of how Ben Parson’s mom and dad met George and Stephanie. Stephanie herself’s an international row, competed for Scotland. Stephanie capsized and George went in to rescue her and it was love at first sight apparently in the water.
That’s a fantastic story. Fantastic story. So it’s it’s in the blood. The water’s in the blood. His uh third time here at the or trying to qualify his second time qualifying for the diamonds. Uh Ben Parsonage and first in 2023 missed out last year and back again here in the first round. Simon Van Dor’s had a fantastic season. He was in the Europeans as part of a Dutch quad. uh earlier that in April he was racing in the Lenny Peters Cup in uh North Carolina. He he really does get around but the last two races that he’s done in the World Cup. There’s passengers really like the way he’s sculling. Very very economical at the front end. Nice and easy out. What would you say he’s going over about 35 36 there, Chris?
Yeah, lightweight sculler. Typically we see with the lightweights, they’re really really efficient. When you’ve got a little bit less power to play with, you need to be really efficient with how you use it and using the rate to your advantage as well. You can move up and down the boat without negatively affecting things quite as much. So, I was going to say Simon Van Dul is the fastest Dutch sculler. He’s beat Melvin Tella twice, once at Vozi and once on the Bosban uh last weekend by a couple of seconds. skull in one of the greatest races that you’ll ever see the final of the single skulls on the rod say last year where he wore down and down and down the favorite Ollie Zidler from Germany Zidler went on to win the Olympics but uh Van Dorp he couldn’t live with him that day and in trying to live with him in trying to beat Zidler in that Olympic final he had to give up the silver medal and uh Yuni’s latatty Well, the neutral athlete came through him and he got a bronze medal. But you talked to Simon about that race and he’s totally satisfied with what he did. He’s a hero to another athlete here, Logan Olrich, who we saw race in the single skulls, the the Kiwi who is a fellow uh Washington University, a fellow Husky. And uh Logan loved talking to Simon when he might be racing in here, I guess. Yeah, they’re on opposite sides of the draw. So, uh if everything were to go go their way for both of those Scullars, that uh that could be a matchup to look forward to on Sunday. But a lot of racing still to come. Diamonds is completely stacked. It is probably the most sensational entry ever for Henley. Simon Van Dul wins that opening heat of the Diamonds. What a great skull by Ben Parsonage, the 29year-old. But confirmation that Van Dalt beat Parsonage in the heat of the diamond scale. It’s goodbye uh from me now and I’m going to hand over to the very capable hands of steward and Olympic silver medalist Kath Bishop. I’m Cap Cath Bishop and I am delighted to be taking over from Martin Cross, the legend. We’ve loved hearing your stories and I’m excited to be with Chris McCarthy to hear a more see a few more stories unfold this afternoon as we wait now for the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup race between Bath and the French crew from the eight leord. Yeah, a little bit of a change of pace from the Diamonds to the Prince of Wales and set to be a really exciting race between these two combinations. Both enjoyed a bit of success recently. It’s a beautiful sunny afternoon here at Henley. Really gorgeous conditions. A little bit popply, a light breeze. Uh nothing more than you’d expect at Henley. So we’re set scintillating race here.
Go. So it’s a heat of the next round of the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup. Intermediate open quads between Bath University on the left of your screen and on Nautic A lean and Aon Bah from France. Yeah, this French crew a uh composite of multiple different clubs as we heard. No Henley experience on board in that combination, but certainly a very very experienced outfit. maybe just getting the ascendancy in the exchanges here as we leave the shadows of Temple Island. So, it was tight along. I mean, they’re still pretty side by side, aren’t they? Trading blows as they come here. Looked like the French had a nudge out of the island, but I think actually it’s looking really strong from Bath 2. And uh yeah, there we get a shot in of the crew on the Barkshire station. And uh racing for B University, we have Luca Hall and Bailey, William Stradling, Ben Furley, and Jack Norton uh age between 20 and 22. And uh doing a great job at the start and in fact now just maybe nudging ahead a little.
Yeah, they’ve just managed to just as they’ve settled into that rhythm or started to settle into that rhythm, uh they’ve just managed to find a foot or two. But I think it’s going to be hard to separate these two crews at least for the next couple of minutes. This French crew on the near side of the course, Anton Lefave, Roman Har Baptist Sevet and Ferdinand Ludwig, they are a very experienced outfit. All lightweight athletes uh in this combination and all experienced representing France at the international level.
So a quick look across them, wasn’t it? from uh from the bowman from Antoine Nefar who perhaps can’t quite believe the pressure that they’re being put under by Bath University crew here coached by Thomas Selby and you know putting together a really tight race. We can see both crews from behind here uh rating at similar level. Um the French are often very famous for going out pretty high rate but I’d say they’re both at similar level and and pretty even pretty similar lengths and a little bit more momentum at the moment in the bath crew. Each stroke just feels like it’s driving on a little further.
Yeah, absolutely. We just saw the progress board come up. The number two, that is the French crew on the Buckinghamshire station who are just trailing. You can see the margin on that progress board. So, not much separating them between those two progress boards. It’s no crew moving away, but as you said, Cath, I agree. The Bath crew look to just have a little bit of momentum in uh this sort of second phase of the race. So talent across both of these crews, international experience across both of these crews. Jack Norton, stroke of the Bath crew, uh, you know, is under 23, lightweight and been racing all season at Bucks, uh, with ambitions, you know, that he’s taking his career further with, this is his second Henley. And of course we’ve got uh in the French crew experience lightweight internationals uh you know including at uh world championships again lightweight double and singles. So you know a huge amount of experience and now we really they’re going to be needing to draw on that aren’t they? And a huge shout out hello we love having an international audience here. Henley is an international riata. My goodness, the entry is huge from across the world this riata.
Yeah, just shy of a record international entry. I think only by a handful of crews, but the international crews that have come over uh have been fantastic. And I’m of course very glad for to have a commentator here who does a better job of French pronunciation than I can. But this French crew, they are not going to settle for second best in this uh opening round of the Prince of Wales quad and maybe have just made up a foot or two. I think so. Uh I I really get the sense both of these crews are believing in their race plans, but this is a moment where you’re really going, which who believes it the most? And the French have put in a push there, haven’t they? They just zipped up on the rate. The puddles are looking a little more lively as they release the finishes. And you know, yeah, they’ve suddenly taken this race and said, “We’re not okay to be beside each other.”
Yeah, you talk about that faith in the in the race plan and the French certainly have that faith. That was definitely a move that was planned and really deliberately executed. But now Bath are responding. And this is the best thing about when you got these two crews so close together. You see the back and forth. You see a push from one. That was probably the biggest move of the race so far from the French. And then the Bath crew, they’ve gone, “No, no, we’ve worked hard for that opening lead and we’re going to take it back here in the middle of the race.”
So very sensibly in the Bath crew like that. You know, they’ve still got contact and they need to have cool heads now. They need to be really tight. They won’t have loads of extra power. They’ve got to think about what can they tighten up on the technique, on the timing. Can they be any sharper? But of course, you know, the French crew have got momentum and we know that plays a big role psychologically and and the feel of the rhythm. You just got to sense it’s working for you. And Bath have got to find something.
Yeah, exactly. When you’re moving quicker, when you’re moving slower, you’ve got to put in more energy to turn that momentum around and uh and overcome uh your opponents there. I’ve seen a couple looks around from Raman in the two seat. He’s competed under 23 worlds in the heavyweight single and done quite well. Fifth place a couple of years ago and I think he’s making the calls. If he’s making the calls, he is doing a great job at timing them to perfection because they are almost going to break out clear water here in front of Stewarts.
My goodness, they’ve had to work for it. Uh but they both crews will be delighted to be approaching Stewarts and this is now or never, isn’t it, for Bath. What’s left? I mean, they’ve had a fantastic first half of the race. Uh, that killer push that was put in sort of just after halfway by the French crew has asked them a lot of questions and now they’ve got to throw it all in, haven’t they? They’ve got to see what’s left. You can see them trying to take it up, sharpen it up. But I think the French have got a sense, a sniff of the finish and the advantage they’ve got that makes it easy. Oh, the gritting of the teeth at Jack Norton. I mean, what a gutsy row. Quick look. They are going for it still. They’re going to lift it again. They’re going to see what’s possible. Can they pressure back?
Yeah, I think this is that Henley experience coming into play in that Bath crew. They knew that they had to go out hard. They knew where they had to make the push. And it’s been a frankly a brave row, a gutsy row from the boys from Bath. But the French realized what was going on in the center there. What a move.
Oh, what an incredible race. And it is that crew from Exiban who take the win. attention. So, it’s the next round of the Diamond Jubilee and we have uh a local derby between Maiden Rowing Head uh Maiden Head Rowing Club A Crew and Marlo Rowing Club B Crew. So these are all athletes that live within a few miles of each other and uh you know just around the corner from Henley 2 uh you know these derbies are really fierce and I think these both of these crews have had great technique that they’ve shown previous to today and a bit of a bit of a matchup isn’t it?
Yeah absolutely second local derby for Marlo B. They actually raced shiplake yesterday at the local school. Incredible talent in this area. We saw the Marlo A crew come down just about 45 minutes or so ago with a commanding win in in their race and the B crew doing their best to hang on to this maiden head combination on the Barkshire station. We’ve got such a strong program that’s been growing year on year and Pete Chambers and Flora and all the coaches at uh Marlo doing an incredible job. I mean they they fielded four uh junior cords for this rigata and uh you know they have experience of racing obviously against the a crew but Maiden Head have you know stamped on this and said no we are our A crew and uh you know they they’ve taken a lead now quite demandingly. Yeah, absolutely. Maiden Head, their uh their Foley quad went out this morning in a very tight race at the hands of CLA’s Court. So, I’m sure that’ll be a little bit of motivation in the back of the minds of these ladies. And uh they could be the dark horse in this event. They they didn’t race at Henley Women’s. We didn’t see them. So, left us, you know, just curious a little bit. Maybe a little bit fresher than some of the other crews that they’re going to come up against. But uh they’re one of the only crews, if not the only crew this season to have beaten Wikliffe uh on the water at uh that was at the Met Riata.
They’ve had a sense of being getting faster and faster. And that’s an interesting strategy, isn’t it? Not to race at Henry Women’s. That’s that sense that you want more race practice. You want to taste things, test things out, you want to build your training program, but yet also it’s a wise coach that goes, “Hang on, we could learn more. We could pick up more speed by perhaps going back to our club water and working on a few points.” So, we’re really fresh again at Henley. It’s a It’s a tough call, isn’t it?
Yeah, exactly. And another crew in this event, Tideway Scullars, did the same thing. I think they had a couple of niggles. And it was also very, very warm on the weekend of Henley Women’s and five races over two days. They maybe thought, let’s uh let’s take a little bit of a rest, not risk anything, and just work on what we know. And Maiden Head, of course, they’ll they’ll know these waters very well. So, the extra racing experience maybe not quite as valuable to some of the other crews in this event. So we get that overhead shot there and you can see the the purposeful style of the maiden head crew. There’s just a definition about when they enter the water get and now we can see close up on the Marlo crew battling battling. My goodness, we can see uh how hard they are. Georgie Wells at bow Lowry Cordell at two, Franchesca Wilson at three, Libby Frampton at stroke. um you know age 17 and 18 actually they’ve all raced at Henley Wool before so they’ve got good experience but they’re under pressure and you can you can feel that a little bit aren’t they? working so hard trying to drive the legs, trying to lever back, but they have they can’t see the lead team now and that’s not a great feeling in it, is it? Whereas in this maiden head crew, okay, they got a chance to relax, tighten up the technique, make sure they don’t make any mistakes at this point and uh enjoy the enclosures coming up.
Yeah, exactly. The uh you mentioned about how they they really lever back in that Marlo crew. It’s something that noticed it when I first saw them at Henley women’s and as well at this riata. It’s very consistent across the program. You see, they row very very similarly, a very clearly defined technical model between their B and their A crew in this event. And uh suppose that it it just helps out to be able to swap people between crews if you need to and really foster that competitiveness between everyone for that spot in the top boat.
I think that’s the strength when you’ve got a program, you’ve got more than one crew, you’re building something, aren’t you, that’s bigger than any one single athlete. You’re building that squad. Others want to come and be part of that. You got a clear pattern about what you’re aiming for. But right now we have a beautiful shot of the maiden head crew of Ava Loel Dailyaly, Riley Murphy, Ioni Parcel, Reagani, and Neve Campbell who have done a splendid job. Really dominant from the start and my goodness, now they’re relaxing. The synchronicity is beautiful and I really like how they’re getting onto the work very quickly. They drop the oils in and there’s an immediate buildup uh of the uh pressure and the puddles. Yeah, very quick boat the quad. So, you really need to get on that early. If you’re not really on the power and connected early in the stroke, you’ve missed it because it’s moving so quick for just four of you.
And that’s the thing is you get fatigued as well to make sure you’re still really dropping the ores out before you push the legs. That precision timing and these shots that we get from the camera behind are fantastic for really getting a sense of how quick the cover of the blade is there. And we can see the wonderful synchronicity there on the bowside blades of the Maiden Head Rowing Club. a crew coached by Steven Hughes uh who was in the national team and uh had to leave due to a spine injury. So recovering from surgery, we’re wishing him well with that. But meantime, my goodness, really doing an incredible job with Maiden Head, supported by Fred Smallbone, Victor Klesh, Izzy Cers, and uh you know, the whole Maiden Head Rowing Club I know is probably out on the banks there behind them willing them on all the way. A very majestic row. Well done, Maiden Head Rowing Club A win that heat of the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup as we see Marlo rowing club B fight out right to the line. attention. So, we’re back up at the start for the next round of the Ireland Challenge Cup. And we have on the left of the screen University of London B. And they are going up against the Delta Student Roy Ferin Laga from the Netherlands. We’ll call them the Delft Crew. And they have gone out fiercely down the island. Yeah, absolutely. There’s a couple of Dutch crews in the island challenge cup and uh Slah crew is probably one of the favorites, if not the favorite out of those Dutch crews, one of the very strong international entrance that we’ve got over here at Henley in 2025, matching up against very strong B crew from the University of London on the far side of your picture. Here’s the Dutch in the very iconic uniforms, not the traditional all-in-one. They’ve got the separate shorts and singlet. They have I feel they’re sort of you know chiling out there almost to be stewards with what looks like white shorts as you know stewards of the regata have to wear white trousers and white skirts so it feels entirely beautiful Henley outfits but they’re not thinking about the kit they are being driven on by their Yasmin Mog to execute the race plan to keep pushing away from the University of London as the Cox looks across and calls I want another seat I’m now level with the bow girl and she wants to keep them going until they break contact and So questions now are asked of the University of London B to stay in contact. You don’t want to lose it at this point of the race but Hannah Shu Ba Ellen Grimes Nina Topiel Ma Candon Grace Newport Tucker Maya Vali Sophie Hudson Elli are giving all they can to hang on cocked by Eron Bogart. Yeah certainly at this point in the race it is so vital to maintain that just just the smallest bit of overlap. You want as much of the crew to be able to hear and sense the the your opposition right next to you because despite the noise and everything of Henley, it becomes a very lonely place uh once you lose that clear water. It’s very hard to know how far you’ve got to go. It’s very hard to have confidence in a move if you drop back. So, University of London will certainly be trying to stay in contact through this stage of the race as they really drive home that mid-ra rhythm. These are crews from two of the most historic rowing clubs for for students. University of London of course one of the oldest student clubs uh and and delved itself the second oldest student rowing association in the Netherlands. and they’ll have a sense that there are people who’ve worn the jersey before them and come to Henley and raced and laid it all out there and now this is this is their turn to wear the jersey to carry the name of their clubs and give that absolute best and University of London they are hanging in there. They’ve got so much experience in their coaching team. Tom Gale leads the coaching team and he knows this course brilliantly well himself. So he’ll be helping them with the tactics to know where to put all the pushes in and to try and feel it’s their home ground, but they are under pressure from that very effective Delft crew. What can you see from that shot at the back there, Chris? Yeah, so just a little bit of uh steering going on. The umpire just warning the Dutch crew to move back onto their station. The the the line, the imaginary line that’s drawn by the center of the bow of the umpire boat, that’s that’s the border. You can’t cross that. And looks like they’ve responded well. Uh their Cox, Jasmine, Morg responding well, moving over to her side of the station. They are still in the lead, so it won’t affect them too much at this stage, but perhaps an opportunity for the University of London to put a little bit of pressure on. And that’s a question, isn’t it? With all that the Cox has to do, how can they actually, you know, keep a focus on those elements as well? because when another crew starts uh starts steering, the brake goes on and that’s a moment to pounce if you can time your push, if you can try and get something extra from doing that. Uh they’re certainly still fighting really valiantly in that University of London crew. Lots of experience there. They’ve all raced at Henley before, but it’s very dominant this performance from Delft.
Yeah, another warning for the steering there just in front of Stewarts. Don’t think at this stage of the race it’s going to have bearing on the result. You can see there is clear water between the two crews but a great job from the University of London they probably for the last thousand meters of the course have maintain that margin and held on. So the deaf crew just quicker in the opening stages.
So it is a win for the crew from Delft in this round of the island Challenge Cup beating University of London B crew. attention. So, here we are watching the start of the next round of the Prince Albert Challenge Cup and we have uh a Dutch crew on the left and we have the University of Bristol on the right fighting out. And in typical style, the Dutch have gone off with a lot of vim and vigor off the start. the student and we’ll call them the Dutch crew from and they are feisty out at the start. Yeah, Prince Albert Challenge Cup has just been delivering race on race in this regata, hasn’t it? It’s certainly in bigger health, isn’t it, than we’ve seen before.
More than double last year’s entry.
Incredible.
We got a fantastic race yesterday between San Diego and Brooks, which meant that
still talking about that on the riverbank. We will have a different winner at the end of the riata to what we had last year. So all these crews know that the Prince Albert is primed for the taking.
Yeah. And that changes, you know, that ripple goes through the boat tents that ah, you know, this is our year to try and seize it. And uh, you know, that’s what both of these crews are going to be out to do. You can see the University of Bristol there, Joseph Kumliff, Jake Burch, T-ball de Mul and co- Aida Cox by Toby Finch uh who are getting their all and now settling into a good steady rhythm and starting to pull away.
Yeah, we saw we saw Bristol’s Temple boat which is their lower ranked athletes 5 to 12 go out earlier. This is their top ranked boat and as we join them live still maybe just in touch or maybe just the tiniest bit of clear water but these Cox fours they are a slow boat so a percentage change makes a big difference and a length as we come past remnant club is certainly well within touching distance. So the Coxes have got their work cut out now. Uh the Cox of the crew from Utre to think about how can they create some kind of change in speed. You know, they’re just losing contact and he’ll be very aware of that. Sitting uh Merit or Merit Erdas will be very aware of they literally just broken. He’s not going to want to tell his crew that. But he’s going to think, yeah, what can we do at this point? Is it, you know, is it technique? Is it power? It’s the combination. It’s the timing and keeping them motivated. and they’ll know what they have to do at this point because they’ve been rowing together. This these four athletes have been rowing together for three seasons straight. So, they’re well wellversed in exactly what what each other will do and how each other will respond and what they need uh in this in this event in as they’re really having some questions starting to be asked of them by Bristol. They beat the University of Warick by four and 3/4 lengths uh yesterday and and and led away and then suddenly you were faced in a completely opposite scenario. You’ve got to rethink, haven’t you? You’ve got to bring something fresh and that again it’s for the Coxs to do. They’ve raced all this time, but they need to find something different because the University of Bristol crew are doing a fantastic job. They’re coached by Jake Blair. There’s also a sense of that program growing year on year and uh this crew, I think, growing through this season, too. Yeah, absolutely. They’ll be thrilled with the position that they’re finding themselves in this Bristol crew. They uh fifth fifth Bucks regata earlier on in the season and I think if uh if the Dutch crew have just maybe started to make to make a move, started to their push, Bristol have taken it in their stride, really absorbed that and stepped on to it’s almost a boat length of clear water between their stern and the bow of the crew from the Netherlands. this undefeated crew. They’ve won every 2 km race that they’ve entered this season and uh as they’ve crossed the 2 km mark with about 112 m left to go.
Yeah, this isn’t a 2 km race, is it? And we see different results here. It so feels so different from those six lane races and University of Bristol have just had the upper hand throughout. We see them there. They’ve got their eyes just keeping keeping a check on what’s happening in that utre crew, but they’re in control from the University of Bristol. Really strong row. Uh although they’ve had to keep their eye on that crew from Utre who have fought really putting the pushes all the way down. So it is a win for the University of Bristol in this Prince Albert Challenge Cup over the crew from Algami Roya. Attention go. So it’s the Princess Royal Challenge Cup of an event that starts today and we have Helen Wake from City of Oxford Rowan Clark on your left who’s going up against Paige Benhost of the Republic of South Africa on your right. Both very experienced. They’ve raced quite a bit uh including on this water and uh quite an interesting matchup. Yeah, it feels almost like bit of deja vu for what we saw of the diamonds with an experienced international up against a local lightweight that’s come through the qualifiers of uh Hazel Wake there on the left hand side of the picture just behind the umpire’s boat, Paige Benhurst, the South African who certainly used to racing here in the UK, not necessarily at Henley. This is her debut at the regata as far as uh information that we’ve got, but uh did row in the winning Cambridge boat in 2022.
Correct. Yes. So, yeah, used to rowing in eights and in singles. She was in the Paris Olympic Games as well. So, yeah, a lot of experience of different events, racing internationally, racing in the boat race and bringing all of that experience here uh in her matchup against Hazel Wake. And so we see Paige really leading out now. Uh you know Hazel is a lightweight and on a day like this and on this water sometimes that bit of extra power that Paige has got uh is going to help you in this boat, isn’t it?
Yeah, absolutely. So South Africans with a reasonably good uh history at the regata. Unfortunately, we saw the men’s pair go out in a really good race this morning, but uh have uh had success in the small boats in the past. We saw uh Lambert won uh the diamonds in 2012 before moving to GB and uh goblets have gone the way of South Africa a number of times four times in the early 2000s.
I was looking up around uh some information around uh South African rowing earlier and and I love there was a beautiful quote from Beetho Mckina the head under 23 national coach who said without other people you’ll never go rowing. we all have a part to play no matter how small you think it is. And I thought, what a beautiful phrase. And you know, even if you’re in a single skull, it’s the same applies, right? This is a a team sport, they’ll have uh a team of of of people behind them uh helping them get there. And uh you know, Paige is doing a fantastic job. So Hazel uh went to Yarm School to row there. She’s been rowing with the Oxford University women’s lightweight crew. She’s competed at the British indoor rowing champs, the world indoor rowing champs. Last year she was in the lightweight single at the European University’s uh rowing champs. And so a lot of experience um but a little underpowered for this race today. Yeah, she has uh as you said raced she’s raced here before, was beaten by Freya in 2023 who’s now a part of the GB sculling squad. So, experience on the course, but as we often see in these early rounds of the uh the small boats, we do get the more domestic competitors who have come through qualifiers, and that’s that’s the goal is to qualify for the main event, and especially with them starting later on in the in the regata, you get a run down the course on Henley Thursday in front of a very busy steward’s enclosure. Lovely overhead shot there of Paige Benadenho who is able to look back and watch her competitor and that gives her a chance to get used to racing on this water. It’s probably the toughest boat class in terms of handling the popply water because it’s the slowest boat class so you can get disrupted more. Although of course you’ve only got yourself to manage. And uh she’s doing a great job there. You can see how wobbly it is the water underneath her but she’s managing just to kind of really move up and down nice and straight. uh you know having to adjust when the water bounces you across but pretty a even level strokes just you know laying those down and then we have a lovely shot of Hazel also a brilliant lightweight row very experienced and uh yeah beautiful stroke game there also managing that poppy water really really well
yeah the camera does a great job of flattening it out and making it look a lot easier than it is but there is so much roll on this water the booms even contain it a little bit
little wobbly little wob Wobbly stroke there. Yeah, I think. Yeah, I hope hope that wasn’t us starting to talk about the poppy water. I hope Hazel wasn’t tuning into that. Um, she’s back on it. She’s absolutely back on it. And here we can see the lovely drone shot. Paige Badenhorse is really beautifully leading ahead and that feels good cuz this is going to be a tough event. There’s some really, really tough races to come. Uh, really impressive rowing there. Yeah, if all are going to plan, Paige Benhor will face off against Freda Nielsen from Denmark, who’s been afforded a buy in the first round of this event. A twotime Olympian, the Coxless 4, I believe. That will certainly be a uh possibly a tighter matchup than what we’ve got here. So the conserving the energy here I think you you know in any game it’s uh any sport it’s a mental game isn’t it? And so at this point she’ll be just you know breathing conserving thinking about building her confidence in what’s working she’s really able to get out to length even when it feels wobbly beneath you and enjoying. There’ll be Cambridge uh people on the banks cheering for her. There’ll be anyone with a link to South Africa cheering for her and uh yeah there’ll be a lot of support for her and the work that she’s been doing with her coach Thiago Lurero. Hazel back on track again after that little wobble. Um it’s looking good, but it feels really difficult, doesn’t it, when you’re behind and you just know you’re being outpowered. Um you got to stay focused again. and it feels like she’s getting thrown around a little more. And then once you start to think about that, that can get in your head a little bit as well. And you’ve got to just keep focusing on what each stroke that what’s the pattern you’re looking for. Not focusing then on what’s happening to the boat.
Yeah, exactly. And at this point, even though she’s both scullers are well on their stations, the the wash from from Paige Benhor will start to be start to filter down and just upset the water even more than it already is. that this is a good shot that sort of just shows that role on the water. Um, but yeah, the the influence from the leading crew certainly doesn’t make things easy when you’re this far behind. And that’s kind of the only
the only sign of of of how far ahead the crew is uh or the the scholar is in front of you. So, it is certainly very very lonely.
And here we see Paige Benhoth majestically crossing the line first. Everything under control and she’ll be pleased with that. She’ll be Glad to have a run out down the course for for that to be event free to have gone well and she’s got something in the tank for tomorrow. And there comes Hazel Wake who acquitted herself brilliantly for the City of Oxford Rowing Club today and her hen Royal finishes for today. A lovely wave across from Paige. A huge thanks Chris. Chris McCarthy leaves us and we are joined by the formidable commentator uh world leading commentator Camila Handland Horox. Uh brilliant to have you with us.
Oh, making a bang in a crash into the commentary box. Kath, so good to be with you and really excited for the next couple of hours on the mic with you. So the stoner challenge trophy an event that starts today is off and we have Lara Britain and Ella Weekes from Nottingham Rowing Club and not County Rowing Association who are up against Isabelle Van Obsaler and Ma Kaiser. On the right of your club we see a shot there in of the Dutch crew from Handia Roy Club. It’s great to see this Dutch crew together and actually great to see Ma Kaiser back in a boat on flat water. um I think the not the first time since her Olympic bronze medal back in Tokyo, but certainly she’s not been on the flat water for much since then. So great to see them leading out in this first round at the Stoner. Such strength and depth in Dutch rowing. We’re very happy to have lots of Dutch clubs and uh national team present. So a big hello to everyone watching back in the Netherlands and your crews are equating themselves well. Today it’s Isabelle and Ma who are doing an incredible job uh leading out from the start with that extra power and length. Beautiful shot there and we have Isabel Bonopan is here for the first time uh learning lots from Ma Kaiser Olympic bronze medalist in Tokyo. Yeah, I’m absolutely sure of that, Kath, because again, you might remember back to that Tokyo games. Uh, Marika Kiter was in that boat that just beat the British lightweight double bike,
you know, mill. We all lived that race.
But here is that great crew who’s going up against this international opposition in Lara Britain and Ella Weekes. Britain um actually familiar probably with Ma Kitas. They’ve both been racing on the coastal scene over the last few uh years. Coastal rowing obviously make a huge surge uh in the rowing uh in the rowing environment at the moment with its debut at the LA Olympic Games. So maybe we’ll see Lara Britain there. But there in the stroke St. Marie Kite are joined by Isabelle Van Oxen and who you’ve said probably learning lots. The 24 year old she’s been uh racing the international circuit this year fourth in the B final at Bazi just a few weeks ago uh but with a different partner to Marus jumped in here for for this Henley campaign. So, a lovely shot here and yeah, it’s a crew that’s still coming together, still learning a lot. Um, but you know, you can see there how uh how tight that’s looking, the timing and they’ll be learning still trying to set a rhythm and setting a rhythm on the water at Henley uh is not easy cuz you got more than the normal distractions throwing you off in terms of bounce on the water uh you know the wash coming across and uh yeah, the nature of being on a river rather than still water. So, you know, it can be testing to bring a new combination together. Uh, but I think they’re doing a good job and the fact that they’ve been able to get out to an early lead means they can, you know, relax and focus on actually putting their moves together down the course. Totally. And I think there was any crew that was going to deal with the poppy water uh the the sort of other conditions that you get here on the Henley stretch. The Dutch are always um an outfit that I think have very similar conditions to us here in the UK. They can deal with the rough water pretty well, but I do think the wash is it’s something different here, especially as you get later through the week with these premier events. Kath, you know, the it’s a nice day out there on the water. You can see the pleasure cruisers going back and forth behind Kaiser and Van Opsland. It’ll be making that ruck station pretty bobbly and they’re making it look like they’re cruising here. It’s one of the things that’s so different in Royal Rata. We don’t really notice, but in the background coming up along the course is where you warm up. So you literally have to navigate past cruisers having little parties out for the afternoon, not necessarily steering very uh very accurately. And that’s hard. Then you don’t have the normal race warm-up you’d have if you were just at a at a rigata at a World Cup riata or any other riata. And uh you know yet you’ve got to get yourself ready in that warm-up to go and deliver your best race. So that even getting through the warm-up is navigating something different for these crews. That’s why the crews love coming here because you learn so many different things that you have to manage. You have to be really on it. And at the moment, we can see there Isabella and Mara Kaiser. Beautiful shot from the back. They’ll probably be wanting to look back at this video this evening to check where can we become even more synchronized because we’re going to get more pressure later in the week. Are the angles right? You can see a slightly taller athlete. Um Isabelle over six foot and uh you know six foot three I think she’s been uh she was a University of Washington graduate. She’s actually raced in all boat classes singles, doubles, a pair of four and eight and uh yeah adapting to being behind such an impressive uh stroke woman of Marie Kaiser. Well, they’re going to want to conserve some energy here today, Kath, because tomorrow they will know their opposition almost like the back of their hand because tomorrow they’re going up against probably the one of the top seeds in the draw, the young and Bonra, who are the new Dutch elite double who have been racing on the World Cup circuit all season. Um, they are at the moment on paper the favorites. The Greeks will give them a great race, I’m sure, but this it’ll be a Dutch Dutch race tomorrow if this continues as it is and they will know how strong both Rose and Ben are.
But meanwhile, let’s have a look there. Laura Britain Eloise coached by Jeffrey Hunt and uh you know again learning with every stroke Laura Laura Britain at Bao has been previously to Henley stroke Eloix is here for the first time and you know it’s a lot to take in. It’s a lot when you’re in these smaller boats. Um you know there’s no steering you down there giving the race plan etc. You got lots of thinking manage yourself and keep at this point you can’t see your opposition. You just need to focus on what can you do to make your boat go faster. Totally. And what a great experience for them to be on that Barks Bank as well because they’ll get all the support from the local fans, especially from Nottingham Rowing Club who have been here in force all week. They’ve won a few rounds in other events across the regata. They’ve definitely been here in strength in the club events and great to see them racing a notch above in these premier events. You know, the stoner really is the creme to la creme of international opposition. And we’ve got a club crew here. Not only just a club crew, but you know, club lightweights. You know, Lara Britain was a a lightweight scholar over the last few years. And yes, I know Mika Kiter in the other the boat certainly a lightweight herself as well. Um, but I just think that that’s so impressive to get into such a strong draw um and be representing Nottingham Rowing Club here today. So, we’ve got Knots Rowing Club and Knots County Rowing Association represented in this crew and they’re doing a really good job I think. You know, it’s neat. It’s very together and it’s, you know, I guess they’re just lacking a little experience, a little extra power that the Dutch were able to bring in. But I think they’ll be, I hope they’ll be really happy and at this point they will just be focused in on the next level of the race plan. What else can we do? What else can we do in that next push? Is the technique where it needs to be? They’ll have had a really set race plan, I’m sure, given to them by Jeffrey Hunt for them to work through to really make sure again, you know, in these smaller races and get big gaps. You’ve got to know your technical aims, your physiological aims of how hard you’re going to go in the different parts of the race and that sense of why you’re doing it, why you’re here, this opportunity. I’m just going to point out, Cath, look at the water here in this last kind of few hundred meters. You can really see that wind starting to pick up amongst the swell of those pleasure cruisers that we were talking about. And as you’re getting into the final stages, yes, I know, you know, they’ve got a big gap, the Dutch here back. They can be relaxed. they can, you know, skull through, slice through this water, but come tomorrow, they’ll be under a lot of pressure and they’ll wanting to be practicing that nice clean uh exit and entry of the blades through this steward’s enclosure part, which is where the the real race comes to a head. And you can’t practice that unless you are rowing down the course on one of these days in early July. You can’t recreate that really anywhere else. And so, you know, again, it’s learning, learning every race, every scenario. You have some you’re up, you have some you’re down, some you’re side by side. And uh you know, every time you race, you pick up more experience. But they’ve been able to drop the rate there. We can see them very well in control. And uh yeah, they’ll be wanting to think about yeah, visualizing how we complete this race and then rest up for tomorrow. Good to see Lara Britain and Eloise absolutely fighting to the end here. Still looking really spirited, giving their all as they come past the enclosures. They’ve done a great job. Yeah, really excellent job here from the uh the Nottingham composite. I’m sure the East Midlands all tuning in to our live broadcast here to spur them on. But coming up against an international crew in round one, which as I say in these premier events almost certain uh they’ve done a very good job there to stay within a couple of lengths.
So it is a win for Handia Roy Club uh in this heat of the Sona Challenge Trophy. So, it’s an Oxford Brooks matchup. A crew versus B crew. They are having in a public setting their own special derby. And we all get to watch what it’s like when you come up against your own comp your own opponents, your own teammates. I’m really excited for this actually, Kathy, because we saw their B crew race their C crew yesterday. So, they’ve been going through these rounds of public sort of internal matchups and unfortunately that’s the way that the draw goes sometimes, isn’t it? That you face your own club mates, your own competition, and we’ve had Yeah. Brooks B versus Brooks C, which was a much closer race than I think lots of people anticipated. So, let’s see what the B crew and the A crew can do today. Um, as you can see here, the interesting thing is we basically know that everyone in this race has done the same training. they’ve been given the same coaching principles, the same technical input, and it’s a case of what do you do with that? And uh how can you make that count? And of course, when you’re in a B crew, you’re always thinking, you know, how can we get on top of them? What is it they’re doing we’re not? You know, actually, I think I’m capable of that at some point. And so that’s the moment when also the A crew have to step up and say, you know, we seat raced, we earned our places. Uh we are the top Oxford Brook student crew. And we can see now the A crew on the far side there or now on the right of your screen are inching away from their B crew, but they are having to work for it. I think one of the wonderful things about the way that the Brooks program works is that every athlete is fighting for their seat all the time and it just brings the level up. They, you know, they are really kind of seat racing to the end until right before the riata. You could be in the A crew, you could be in the B crew, you could be in the C crew. And it pushes that level up and up and up. And like you say, it creates great races like this on the Henley stretch where you’ve got an A crew versus a B crew. And it really isn’t that far apart. And we know the pedigree that Brooks have had in this event over the last 10, 15 years. They’ve won six of the last 10 Challenge Cups.
And here we see them coming up to the finish line. And the Coxes have had a big job today to motivate their crews, to give them belief in the program. We have the Cox Edward Sherman in the B crew on the right of your screen, but it is the Cox David Cannap in the A crew who has helped his crew to show why they’re the A crew, why they’re the top Oxford Brooks University B Club student crew as they approach the finish. And uh we will see that A crew go through to the next round and we’ll see who they’ll face because they’ve got Edinburgh versus Brooks D later which is on the same side of the draw ready for that quarterfinal. [Applause] So up at the start is the next round of the Britannia Challenge Club. We have London Rowing Club on the left of your screen who are up against Temp’s Rowing Club B on the right of your screen. So two massive clubs, their neighbors in Putney. uh they’ll be wa they’ll have watched each other through all the winter training through all the winter races and uh clubs with such history but also such strength in depth and a really tight uh race out the starts with London Ring Club at the moment on the far side just squeezing ahead a little London have just been so impressive throughout this entire regata throughout all their crews and this isn’t even the top London crew that we’ve got here uh facing up Edward Thomas Ben uh Stathma Lawrence Ellis and Joshua Leon Cox by Rose Lewis. Um you know the the Tempame’s Cup eight is clearly their sort of striding premier boat that they’ve got but this four here could be making the Friday and the weekend of Henryville Regata as well. Very close though still with the temps be crew had a cracking race against Commercial yesterday. Don’t know if you managed to catch that one Kath but uh it was excellent. Now I saw the London Rank Club beating Kfelder yesterday fairly convincingly increasing their lead throughout and uh you know in the end yeah T’s B were pretty dominant but you know this is a tough one for both of them to get you know on a Thursday at Henley. Yeah I’m getting my my uh T’s B cruise and my commercials mixed up. Of course it was tight skull colors. That’s my fault completely. Uh I’ll blame it on my baby brain. Um but look at this. It’s less than a length still between these two crews and um all to play for here as we come past reminum.
So not comfortable for the London. They had they’re dominating since they’ve gone out the front but uh they will not yet be feeling they can relax. They’ll be really aware of T’s rowing club be putting in the pushes and they know T’s rowing club will have done all the winter training required at this point and there’s a lot of experience and the T’s rowing club crew got Steve Bennett at ba Matteo Emodio at two Philip Stinger at three stroke Stanley Cannons Cox by Lena Müller Kirgler who’s in her second Henley but the bow Steve Bennett this is his eighth Henley so there is a lot of experience that they need to draw on now um because actually as we start to go down the course London London are now pulling away and that’ll be the job now of Cox of Tam’s own clubby Lena Müller Cuggler who can see what’s happening from that Cox and seat. She’ll be able to see that London are drawing away and I’m almost certain given these guys race each other like you say they’re next door neighbors. She’ll have some call that they’ll all want to engage in that they’ll all want to group together to try and face off against their rivals. And I think they are starting to respond here, Kath, and starting to very slow slowly kind of inch that gap back uh to the London Rowing Club crew. But have they just let them get that little bit too far away? That’s the question, isn’t it? It’s that slightly quieter moment. I usually when you are down, you start to frontload your race or you start to bring your race forward, you bring your sprint forward. And that is what they’re doing. And they’re getting a sense that’s working. They’re actually getting a sniff of the London crew. I think they’ve started to say, “Right, we’re not going to wait till we get to enclosures. We’re at Reminum and we need to start eating back if we’re going to do something about this. And so they are really taking this race back to London. Now we talked about the Cox in the Temps Brew being able to see London. Now London don’t have that privilege or advantage here for Rose Lewis who’s facing towards the finish line. She’s going to have to rely on Edward Thomas likely and Bowsy Josh Lion um to tell her what’s going on. We’ve got a crew gaining on us. Maybe not in so many words, but we need to do something now because Tempsby B really are getting themselves onto the front foot, getting that overlap, and that sense of optimism, I think, continues to drive the crew on, doesn’t it?
So, we know it’s a race of momentum, particularly when you’re in a T-Horse race, and so the momentum can swing to one to another. And TS have created some with that huge remnant push, but of course, they’re not quite on terms yet. So, they know it worked, but they know it’s not enough. And now when you put in that extra energy, you’ve got to go right actually we’ve now got to find something even more than that. And Rose will have to help them manage that. But we can see yeah Joshua Lion, Lawrence Ellis, Ben Sigma, Edward Thomas Cox by Rose Lewis that enormous again enormous experience here. Uh and they are managing to stay in front. I just saw the the flags from Reminum Club wafting in the distance and I thought oh they’ll have gotten a really good surge from that. And then I thought well both crews will have gotten a great advantage from the reminum raw won’t they? There’s neither crew that will have benefited from that sort of middle part of the course getting that lift from the reminum supporters of which both London and Tames are a member of that sort of club collective. And look at that great shot there of Rose Limit.
They really felt there actually there was just a sharpening up of the blades. I think they’ve just gone up one in the London crew. Uh they know this isn’t over and they don’t want to be in a sudden sprint at the end. Uh they themselves have also got to start going for home a little earlier and they’ll be ready now. They’ll be counting down. I think they’ve held that temp’s push off for now and they’ve got to get going in their sprint for the line because temps will be rallying again for one more go. Yeah, temps will know that this will be their last race of the regata if they don’t get a move on quickly. And so what’s what is there to lose Kath at this point? You’re a B crew. You’re here in the Britannia Challenge Cup. This could be your last race of the regata. You’re going to try and get as close as possible to London. And what a brilliant race from a B crew versus London Rowing Club’s A crew in this event. Uh but that clear water has never really broken there, has it? They’ve really taken it to them in the 10 Rowing Club B Crew. London Rowing Club have had the answers and they’ve been they’ve had to stay on it all the way and it is London Rowing Club who are going to cross the line and win this heat of the Britannia Challenge Cup having been really tested by the Temp’s B crew. attention.
So, it’s the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup and we have Andle School on the left against Wikliffe College A. So, a lot of questions are going to be asked now of Andal. They’re coming up against one of the favorites. It’s a tough matchup, but actually the Andle crew are so proud to be here. Uh, pre-qualified, I think, first time ever with a spot to compete for a female trophy at Henny Reagata. So, they’re making history all the time. And a really neat start from Andal as the uh umpire there, Allison Fires, actually warns Wikliffe College who veered a little bit away from the island, but powerful, very high rating in that Wikliffe crew who want to try and stamp themselves on this very quickly. Yeah. Absolutely. And looking to kind of defend their results in this Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup, Wikliff really have been uh head and shoulders above the rest in this quad event. Uh but Andel, like you say, I think off the back of a brilliant qualification for the first time ever in a women’s event for Andle School. But um you know, kudos to their coach Neville Aston who’s kind of changed things up about the program. I know that they’ve been rowing uh and training on the Nee in Peterbr um just to try and get a few more miles in and that’s resulted in uh this brilliant result here of rowing side by side with one of the best quads in the country here at Henley Reetta. So we have a lovely closeup there uh of that brilliant crew from Wikliffe. We have Cassie Anderson, Elellanena Lawrence Preston, Daisy O’Reilly, and Lily Anderson who have stormed out of the start putting a lot of pressure on the Andal school crew of Maisy Shields at Bow Sullivan at two, Grace Fletcher at three, stroked by Abby Lawson. They have all raced here once before. And Abby Lawson, yeah, has uh some some pedigree with her grandfather, George Lawson, having raced for Great Britain with the RAF Rowan Club throughout the 1950s and winning the Widefolds in 1958. So, I mean, how inspiring is that for Abby to be continuing that tradition and I bet lots of our family are here watching too. Beautiful overhead shots here meanwhile of Wickliff. What What’s going on that’s that’s helping them get that speed? I absolutely love if you look at their leg drive, their knee drive. Just watch as their knees all go down together. They really have that press on the boat that we we talk about them, you know, getting the blade in and loading it. It’s like a leg press, right? You want to make sure that you’ve got that load on the end of the blade. Um, and you’re just pressing it away. You can see them all doing that together rather than all at different times. And they’re really lifting the boat by uh achieving that as a as a quartet. Um, really nicely. One of the things I love about the camera angles here is it shows you it’s a leg driven sport. In sort of traditional uh pictures of rowing, you kind of just think it’s arms pulling, but it’s leg driven and that’s so crucial. Strongest muscles and the body and you know getting them really harnessed is beautiful. But great shot overhead there of the crew. Again, you can hear the synchronicity there. I think they just got a little less power, a little less spring, but my goodness, I think they’re doing a great job. A brilliant line being steered here firstly by Maisy Shields in the bow seat. But even more impressive, we’ve got a 15year-old on board. Beatric Sullivan, just 15 years of age there in the seat in front of her in the two seats. So that’s the person uh one in front of the person closest to the finish line. Uh brilliant from her. She’s got two more years still at Andles. I’m sure we’ll be seeing her back at this riata. Um and uh yeah, a brilliant brilliant start from them. Meanwhile, we zoom up to that Wickliff crew who are yeah at the top of their game in an event that gets more and more competitive every year. We since it’s joined Henry War regata, the standard has literally leapt up year on year and and Wikliffe have been leading the charge and knowing that year on year it’s going up. So, if they’re not improving, if their program isn’t growing, then uh they won’t be able to stay there. It’s that ambition that we see from these incredible four women coached by Gregory George Flower and they have a beautiful stretch of water on the Sharpness Canal in Glouester Sherwiff. They’ve got oodles and oodles like over 20 kilometers to play with. Um, as someone that rode at Glouster rowing club myself for a spell, I know it very well and it gets rarely affected by you know the wind. Uh, there really isn’t much that cools off rowing on the Sharpness other than ice when it gets really cold. Um, so they’ll have had the beauty of training on one of the best stretches of water in the country. Um, they are looking to, as I say, continue that legacy that the 2024 crew, uh, which I assume Lily Anderson was on board for in the stroke seat. Um, and yeah, defend their title, but um, yeah, we we’ll see what they can do. And it’s the part of the country, isn’t it, where there’s a lot that’s being done to um open up access for local children to have the opportunity to learn to row, you know, into that area of Worcester, a Glostershure, Summit to Somerset to grow the rowing community. So, it’s just brilliant to see that that part of the rowing world really taking off. We can we can get a bit overfocused on the Temps Valley and there’s just so much brilliant stuff happening from, you know, yeah, in every region now and and we see every region represented here as well. Oh, here. But you know, both of these crews from outside of the the Tempame’s region, Andor from over in uh on the east uh in Cambridge Sheer, I think. Um but yeah, brilliant stuff. And here we see Wickliffe College a supremely crossing the line first. They’ve done a great job today in this heat of the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup. As we see fantastic crew from Amul who’ve really raced it all the way down and I’m sure we’ll see them again. So, we’re up at the start for the next heat of the diamond challenge skulls. There’s so much chatter about this event. We’ve got uh Herby Austin Baker on the left from Hincky Skulling School who is up against Finley Hamill from Wicato Ring Club in New Zealand. And it’s an incredible entry. It’s all kicked off today. And there’s yeah, there’s a lot of eyes now saying who’s going to get that pineapple cup,
right? And in a normal year, you’d see a name uh like Finley Hamill and you’d think, wow, what a brilliant scholar from New Zealand. So much pedigree, so much international uh stuff underneath his belt. But then you look at the rest of the draw and you’ve got, you know, five or six other scholars that we’re going to see some more. We’ve got the great Ollie Zidler after T coming up, one of the favorites. But here he is, look, leading here off the end of the line. And one of my favorite facts about this matchup, Kath, is that they both raced each other. Well, not raced each other before. They were both at the New Zealand National Championships in February. How amazing.
Amazing. They’ve just traveled halfway across the world to race each other again. Uh yeah, that’s right. We had Sim Simon Van Dor from Netherlands earlier. Yeah, so many so brilliant that they want to come here and everyone know everyone knows this is just a different kind of race and the diamonds has such a sort of history to it as well. Um we can see there that an early lead taken by Finley Hamill. Um he’s keeping an eye on Herby Austin Baker uh who is you know hanging in there and uh giving his all look at that on the on the box side. Well, bless him. He’s only 19 years of age, Kath. You know, he’s got a long stretch ahead of him if he wants to continue rowing the diamonds. And to qualify, sorry, just even to qualify the diamonds at 19 years of age in a year like this year where we’ve said it is the best year for the diamonds,
you know, in recent history. Brilliant for him and brilliant for Hinxy Skulling School. Brilliant for for, you know, rowing here in the UK. I know that he’s grew up in New Zealand, but um fantastic to see.
He’s taking it to Finley Hamill, isn’t he? He’s got nothing to lose. We’ve seen favorites lose here because there are so many additional factors to manage. So Pervy is focused on his race, what he wants to do, what he wants to deliver here. I think he’s doing a brilliant job. Uh he can’t see his opposition, Finley Hamill, and that’s tough. But actually in single skulls, you can change speed and things can happen if you clip a wave or or even worse, hit the booms. Um, but Finley Hamill at uh just 23 himself uh is looking in control with that pretty cool bucket hat style thing going on there and uh he’ll be enjoying a run out. I think they’ve been waiting waiting waiting um and wanting to race. Well, he’s got a busy regata old Finn Hamill cuz he’s in the double skulls as well with his doubles partner Ben Mason. They are tipped to be favorites in that event as well. So, the more he Well, again, two premier events, you’re trying to juggle the two. you got to do this one all by yourself and despite being you know on the top of his game he’s been a medalist through the World Cup season this year for New Zealand um along with Ben Mason it racing Henley Royal in this head by head-on head fashion you you cannot leave anything out there you know you got to keep on your toes and Austin Baker takes a look over a shoulder look and can see he’s still in touch within a single skull right
exactly he’s having a look and he’s going to think right I’m going to have another go it’s so much energy I that Herby is bringing to his race. Just springing off the start. He’s not phased. He’ll have known this is going to be a tough one. He’s looked around again. Can I make a difference? Can I get a sniff? Can I put him under pressure? Maybe make it force him to make a mistake. So, from the Hinxy Skulling School, another area that is really increasing access for more young people to row and learn to skull as well. Uh, which is just so great to see that is the, you know, the other part of the world. we don’t always see at Henny Mo regata but maybe helping the future generations who come to Henny roll regata where we get a lovely shot here of Finley Hamill who’s able to sit back being able to drop his rate getting warned by Ben Helm slightly there um because of course the single scholars will want to stay well away from those booms uh but I think he’s got it under control there I was going to say speaking of which he took a little look to his left hand shoulder there just to make sure that he wasn’t going to end up clattering into those wooden piles and booms but he’s Proling. You can see that his rating, his stroke rating is that much lower. So despite the gap, he’s got enough, you know, room in the tank to respond. He’s holding him at this sort of couple of length lead. And he knows that he’s got a lot of races at this regata. So the more he can conserve here, the more he’s got for later rounds here in the Diamonds and also in the Double Skulls Challenge Cup. But um so that shot from behind could show good level of relaxation uh in that in his uh boat there as he comes forward able to relax to really time it to get the work on. But meanwhile Herby is going to challenge Herby Baker is going to put in his pushes. He’s going down the enclosures. He’s going to get a sniff of him and think can I can I find him take him by surprise? He’s going to lift it and lift it all the way. The rates well up now in Herby Austin Baker’s boat. He’s got overlap with Finn Hamill who is going to have to sprint to the line. Look, he’s lifted it a few notches just to get himself over.
Finley Hamill had to lift the rate to win this heat of the diamond challenge skulls over Herby Austin Baker from Hinxy. Well, thank you very much to our commentary team. Another engaging afternoon of rowing. It’s really nice to see those single skulls get such a great reception when they entered the enclosure area. Now, where have I come to? Well, I’ve I’ve come out of the stewards enclosure into the Lion’s Meadow, which is a really nice little area. There’s lots of pop-up restaurants, and they’ve got the famous Night Timber bus as well. Um, and I thought I’d grab a word with Zoe, who’s brand ambassador for Night Timber. I’m sure you’ve been pretty busy this week. Yes, we’ve been basking in sunshine all week. And in fact, as I say that, obviously the cloud comes over. But I think we’ve been quite a hot spot. Anyone who wants to celebrate, what would you want? You’d want a glass of night in the classic HU. So yes, we’ve been doing very well out of it.
And people flock to the bus as well, don’t they? They do. It’s it’s a it’s Yeah, it’s renowned, I think. Um the the chance to sit on the top deck and just to seep in the atmosphere is is really special. Well, it’s great to have a bit of rehydration. Um obviously English sparkling wine night in, but this is there’s loads going on in this little um area. this lion’s meadow. There’s all sorts. I think the queue for the ice cream is pretty big. We’re going to have a look at that in a moment because it is tea time. It’s the tea interval. I’m going to leave you with highlights from this afternoon session. We’re going to be live back with our commentators just before 5:30. So, we’ll see you then. Earlier today and now we have the start of this event which is the intermediate event for Open Quadruple Skulls. It’s the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup. So we have a crew from Germany, Bono and Esta on the left of your picture and we have a powerful Dutch crew from NAS and Okanas from the Netherlands. They are on the right of your picture. These boats are just the four men. One of them is steering with their foot. So no involved in this event. And that is William Stoop who stroked the Brown eight that won the Eastern Sprints last year. They couldn’t quite repeat that in the IRA which was the collegiate championships. But uh fantastic experience with Brown and you can see both crews level S.
Yeah, it looked like a really sharp start from the Dutch. They look like they went off very rating really high, very kind of lateral, no wasted energy, but actually the Germans are right on terms here. So they maybe they’ve strided onto a slightly better place and actually they also look very very smooth, very easy. It’s definitely nice flattering conditions for both these crews right now, but they’re both doing a good job to stay in the picture. Yeah, I love what you said about the Germans. I think Moritz Kyper in the stroke se the former lightweight Osman. I saw them go out and they didn’t look very lightweight but uh that was when he was in the single back in 23 probably put a few kilos on our Gaus and Ole Hanik in the two seat the under23 world champion from 2023 I think back in Bazi was it or um they they beat the Netherlands did a 543 so that’s pretty cool to have that experience in the two seat and as I say that they they’re kind of just edging ever so slightly on the Dutch
they they’re pretty similar styles here I think They’re both pretty simple and I mean that in a positive sense. I think the Dutch maybe put a little bit more into the finish. You can see the stroke man there puts a little bit more. The Germans a bit quicker out the back and the Germans actually now seem to be getting the better of it. This this is I suppose a continuation of the Dutch getting that really strong start and the Germans doing really well to get back on terms and having that slightly quicker base pace or at least that’s what it seems at this stage.
So you see the signals go up. Number one denotes the station on the Barkshire side. That’s on the right of your screen on this reverse angle shot. And then number two goes up and you can see it’s kind of about halfway down that number one. And that is an indication that the Germans are half a length up on the Dutch crew. Beautiful shot of Temple Island in the background there. The umpires launch. This is the first race after the lunch break. Henley day three. We’ve got a sensational afternoon’s program of racing and the Germans continue to move. We’re just coming past our camera here. I guess this is around about what 850 900 m this camera position from the 2, 112 m course.
Yeah, they’ll be looking forward to the fallley marker at halfway. This is um it’s slightly no man’s land in I always found on this part of the course. It’s not that noisy. It’s quite extended period without any markers. So, they’ll just be bedding in with their rhythm trying to focus on their own boat, but very kind of intimately aware of that other crew right there. And it’s only about half 3/4 of a length in it.
Oscar Kowolski up there in the boughels. He is the not the man with the rudder. It’s actually steered from stroke. So, it’s Kater there closest to us. He’s got a a rudder wire attached to his foot. You can just see him moving out there towards the center of the course. And the umpire may take notice of that. We’ll see if it happens. In that Dutch quad, we’ve got this this long shot, but they they’ve got some fantastic athletes in that large criter. So, he’s got really good he’s got some experience of racing between the booms that man.
Yeah. And uh in the two seat East Versma, the brother of Abbe of course who was the two seat in the Dutch quad that won the Tokyo Olympics, took back that gold medal. What a a family dynasty. Kevin Lee Bisher, he’s pulled 542 on the RP3 world records 525 held by Simon Van Dor who will also be going in the afternoon session in the diamonds. So there you see they are the men and they are down at the moment. A little look around. I thought that was from Lars Crrier. They’re not out of it at the moment yet, Stan.
Uh, they’re not out of it. Know in the quad, you can affect a change of pace, but it’s hard. It’s harder than in the single skull or a double. I mean, honestly, the the the smart money is not on the Dutch right now. You’d have to get very very long odds to place that bet. And actually, it looks to me, I wouldn’t say they’re tying up, but it looks like they’re having to work pretty hard to stay on turns, which is in fairness exactly what they should be doing. I
was going to say it’s so interesting, isn’t it? because the the German men had this incredible dynasty in skulling. They won the uh quadruple skulls in 2012. I think they took it in 2016 and then the Dutch took over that dynasty, winning the Olympic title in Tokyo and of course in Paris. The Dutch are moving back on the Germans. Germans still look smooth and fluid. It’s a question of whether they can just keep their cool, keep their calm, but the Dutch, they are known for their sprint finishes, aren’t they, Stan?
No, it’s true. I mean, Dutch definitely going through a real purple patch over these last two cycles. Top rowing nation at the recent Olympics, especially strong in the quads. And um I suppose that does have a a really meaningful trickle down effect to the club level as well. And you’re right, Martin, the Dutch are, if anything, creeping back, but they still got a lot of work to do. That’s at least half a length to make up. And they probably well they’re just coming to the enclosures now so they haven’t got long to do it.
I think we saw the umpire warm the German quad there to get over to their station the left hand side of the Porsche Barkshire station. Here come the Dutch. Here comes William Stoop with the charge. He made that charge in the eastern sprints when he stroke the brown eight. They won that by 800s of a second. Will he do the same here? I’m looking out. There’s not much distance left. They are coming back. You’re right. It is maybe only a third of a length now. They are really moving back, but they are coming right up to the progress board and past that. It’s I think it’s the Germans here, but the Dutch are not letting them get away with it.
It is Germany who will cross the finish line first, barring accidents. What a great race. The Dutch couldn’t quite get up. My goodness me. Actually, that was so close.
That was a cracking race. I think they’re going to look back on that and think we just let them get a bit too much in that first third of the race. So we will have a photo finish and you can see that is the bow of the German quad just well less than a deck if you’re an American or canvas if you’re British. So in that heat of the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup, the crew from Germany beat the Netherlands. Right, this is the goblet. It’s for international pairs and we have another Dutch crew and they are on the left hand side of your picture racing a crew from South Africa and they are on the right hand side of your picture. It’s the Netherlands versus South Africa. We’ll talk about the crews as we go down. The South Africans came fourth in the Lucern Regata just a few days ago. Stunning result I thought for them behind Romania and they are the crew to beat in this race then.
Yeah, I like I like the South African style though that we’re looking at. I like what the stroke man does. Bman bit more of a maybe double bump to that stroke. I agree though the Netherlands was actually another Dutch pair who are the reigning champions in this event. So the again we’re talking about the Dutch and the pedigree they have in this sport, but this time in the pairs event. Dutch though letting the South Africans get quite a lead in those early stages, but in these small boats that doesn’t mean as much in the large boats. So, we’re not we’re not um we’re not drawing early conclusions just yet. Now, this pair were under 23 world champions. They did 619. That’s only 11 seconds off that incredible 608 world record set by the Kiwis in the London Olympics. And Chris Baxter then went on to race in the Paris Olympics with the legendary John Smith, the lightweight who won gold in the 2012 Olympics for South Africa. But the two of them got back together. Uh Damian in the bow seat, Bohan Cohen said the toughest thing for him was leaving his corporate job and getting back into training at an elite level. And I guess you could empathize with that, St.
I mean, that sounds uh that sounds pretty tough going. I mean, it’s not easy. It’s a full-time job and you’re often having to fit other things around it. I think it’s interesting though that these Dutch these two Dutch uh rowers are better known as scullers. Both competed in sculling events at the recent Verzi World Cup. So, they’re now moving into the pair, which is a uh versatility that I never enjoyed in the sport. So, hats off to them.
Yeah, the Dutch team do have this incredible versatility. In the British team, you kind of seem that you’re either a rower or a sculler, although George Bourne has changed from rowing to sculling, but the South African have seen their margin eroded. So, we can see this Dutch pair here, Vos M.
The angle is deceptive. I I suspect it’s three quarters of a length, maybe maybe half a length. So, yeah, the Dutch definitely coming back and at this stage, they do seem to have the higher base pace. There’s still a lot of track to run and so you’re right, Martin, the form book seems to be slowly emerging and you got to think the Dutch are going to want to carry on making inroads. Yeah. Well, Tishiken rode in the two seat of the crew that beat the Netherlands Olympic. He rode for Brooks. They did 533 on the Bosan last year in 24. He’s a medic. He only just missed Paris selection for that Dutch team. That’s the quality of the lad you got in this stroke seat. And this will be an absolute turnoff if they beat the South Africans who’ve got that fourth place finish. They just missed a medal by a small margin in Lucern at the World Cup. And the Dutch are just pegging back the South Africans. Now what can happen here? This is a head-to-head race and we have what about 600 m to go. What a shot just down the Henley course. Two pairs just going head-to-head. No longer level. The Dutch just seem to be moving. And you got to think they are just going to keep walking away from the South Africans who gave their best in that, you know, up to the barrier in that first 5 600 m. I’ve got, you know, I definitely thinking here that the Dutch are just going to carry on walking away. Yes, it’s that smoothness in the Dutch runs, that patience off the front end. And you think they probably haven’t expended as much as the South Africans in the first 500 meters. And that tends to mean that I have something left in the latter part of the race. And I think you can see every stroke they’re inching. Beautiful stroking from the Dutch there from T in the stroke seat. Nice rhythm. And then looking at Vasa in Vasa May in the bow seat. They are just moved right away from the South Africans. Credit to them and their coach Ardan Timbermans. Yeah, it’s never even if you really back yourself, it’s never easy sitting down in the early part of uh of these match races and that’s exactly what they did. Got back on terms, didn’t really change what they were doing and are now just walking away as we expected. But it was a really good effort from the South Africans to challenge them as underdogs in those early stages.
Yeah, look around there from Chris Baxter, the South African stroke man. And if you’re watching this presentation in South Africa, I know you’ll probably be disappointed that your lads are down at the moment. They are battling to come back. The water’s going to run out for them, I think. And that smooth style of the Dutch pair just taking them ever closer to the finish line. Mason and Rickin.
They’re not walking any further away though the Dutch. If anything, the South Africans, it’s a little too little too late, but they are walking back on them just a touch with a finishing sprint. So here come the Netherlands and it was the tight margin wasn’t it? Probably just the deck probably just the canvas but M and Marin beat Bowen Cohen and Baxter in a heat of the goblets. The open pairs and South Africa came right back there. Thumbs up from Voss Mason in the boughs whose favorite snack is Fian sugarbread so I’m told. attention.
So this is the Temple Challenge Cup. It is for student open eights and we have Durham University versus Cambridge University. Durham University’s a crew. This is such a head-to-head match. It’s brutal. You talk to Durham University, they think this eight’s going to go all the way and win. You talk to Cambridge University, they say it’s going to be a tough race, but I think we can win this event. Who’s your money on Stan?
Oh, I wouldn’t want to put it out there. I think CUBC are doing good things right now. This is their goalie crew more or less as I understand it. Durham though also um also on good form, their A crew, so they’re not going to want to go down and lose to um to Cambridge’s effectively their B crew.
Cambridge coached by Bill Lucas actually has fantastic job with that program there with Rob Baker. Of course, Cambridge won everything in the boat race, men’s and women’s this year, and Stan Ludis being a good Oxford man is covering his ears when I say that. But, uh, yesterday in the racing, Durham University, they did a 147 to the barrier when they beat Temple USA and Cambridge University, they were only 150 when they beat Durham University’s B crew. So, I expect the platinate colored blades of Durham to be leading this race at the barriers. Now,
that would have been my guess as well. And again, tricky angle, but I do it looks like maybe Durham just had the edge, but I I might well be proven wrong in a second. You’re right, Martin. It’s fair to say I do not have a dog in this fight. But eight races um down the Henley course are intense. You you just cannot go off hard enough. You have to get that shell up and moving. It is not like singles or doubles where you can affect a change of pace at the end. You really can’t do that. And so both these crews just have to go off really hard and I think I probably will be proven wrong. I think Cambridge might have the edge here. But we’ll see when the camera comes around. Well, you’ve got to be right at the top of your game. I think the fluidity of Cambridge, the way they just take the boat on the rise, the front end, just that uncomplicated drive that they have, the easy release at the finish in the middle of the course. That’s the style that pays dividends. Brilliant stroking by the 21-year-old Luke Beaver. I thought the sevenman Matt Edge who famously passed out on the boat race course and still managed to see his crew to victory in the 2024 boat race. But Luke Beaver came into the blue boat, replaced the Australian Tom Mai, the giant 25year-old and he sat in the three seat and won the boat race this year. Poor old Matt Edge has become indelibly associated with that that effort when he did more or less pass out. But credit to him, he did win the boat race that year. Cambridge seemed to take half a length there in not very long. And I have to say now it’s going to be pretty hard, never say never, pretty hard for Durham to make a change of pace at this stage. Yeah, that’s Shan Hayes up in the bow, the former lightweight royal from Harvard. We have got about 20 strokes to go. Durham looking smooth, looking cool. You’d expect that coached by Will Fletcher. This will be a big belly blow I think for the Durham program. They thought this eight could go all the way, but Bill Lucas’s Cambridge stretch out now. And it is the light blues who come up to the finish line. This was a bit of a dog fight, but Cambridge had more fight in their dog than Durham just through the middle of the course and that took them through to a great victory. You have to say in the end that wasn’t even that close if I’m really honest in the scheme of eight racing to put in almost a length and just have that confidence through the middle of the course. Credit to Cambridge. I’m think I’m right in saying if they win that would be the first Cambridge 8 to win at the regata in 20 years since 2005.
That’s a good stat and I’m impressed that you know that stat so this is the Prince Albert Challenge Cup of the Star. It’s going to be a a headbanger this one between University of London in the purple blades on the left of your picture and the men from Harvard University Boston with the famous red and white blades. long-term devotees of trips to Henley Harvard and uh well many people think this could have been a potential final such as the standard of these two boats then
that’s right it’s an early early for us to say that on the Thursday but these are both serial winners of this event Harvard in 2019 UL recently in 2021 these are two crews who are not turning up just to participate they both want to make it right right through the week Yeah, the two man in University of London. Well, we we just lost the picture. However, do look to have. Well, I say the the number one is going up. So, that’s University of London with the lead. I spoke too soon, which is a pretty handy lead to have coached by Smithy. Anthony Smith was at St. Paul’s, coached the J16s with Bobby Thatcher, then he went to Hollis and now he’s at University of London. and his crew won Bucks. They won Gent. They won the Met and they beat Oxford yesterday. Closest to us, we’ve got Dave Wallace, Theo Doyle in the two seats. Proud that he broke a 14year-old record in the pairs while part of the coupe team in 2022 and he loved he wanted me to get that in commentary. Joe Middleton in the three seat just going past the camera there. Won a world silver in the Coxes four behind Germany. rode in that boat with Ollie Parish, the famous Cambridge boat race rower. And at the moment, University of London still up high stand, but with the advantage. Yeah, it’s not the easiest angle to to tell from here, but it’s maybe 3/4 is that full length maybe to UL. So, they are really taking this by the scruff of the neck. Now, I think for Harvard as well, the challenges of of coming across the Atlantic and racing here, they will be spending all year in eight. This is rows made up from their 2V and their 3V. And of course, UL will spend a lot of this time a year in H, but they will have more than half an eye to Henley and probably got in that combo a bit earlier. Maybe that’s just part of what is telling for them here.
Well, you can see University of London are right up there. They are going full gas and Harvard, they are pushing them to go full gas. There is no let up from the University of London crew. And if you’re watching this in Harvard University, water’s running out and I’m afraid that Owen Finity, Alex Sanchez, Fret, Charles Richard, and Liam Downing have had a great riata. But this was perhaps one race too much for them. Katherine Engles the Cox. And there we see Amelia Cataldi, the 22year-old guiding her crew from University of London. Yeah, it’s dumping from UL here. Never in doubt. Maybe they are just starting to ease off right at the end, but it was very dominant from them just through the middle of that race. An inch a stroke. So, University of London, the purples come up to the finish line and they take this heat of the Prince Albert. The Crimson from Harvard University. They’re 2V and 3V. Their heads go down. It is the purples and there’ll be plenty of purple jackets in the crowd watching University of London.
It’s always that moment across the finish line when you just want to look anything but tired. Just really retain your composure. And now the next race is off the start. It is thick and fast here. So uh we have the German crew rud gazelle shaft le and boner rudig gazelle shaft who I think are effectively a Cal Barkley crew. Both of them rode for Cal Barkley over the last few years. That program run so brilliantly by Scott Fransdom and they are against two men from Harvard Marcus Shu and someone from your alma m.
That’s right. Two men from Princeton. Um uh although it’s confusing here they say USA they are both Brits. Marcus Shu as I’m sure you’re about to say Martin Windsor boys. Theodore Bell eaten my alma ma won the PE here just 4 years ago. So a lot of pedigree in that crew although at this point the Germans uh have made a very strong start to this race.
Yeah. Well Fred Brewer was in the sixth seat of the German 8 that I thought had a really great Paris Olympics. They came in fourth. Okay. they missed the medal but the 23 year old no doubt he might be back in the German team made one at Lucern 8 their resurgent but uh didn’t have all the luck in the IRA the crew crabbed in the semifinal so this year at least Brewer came in in seventh place but in 23 he was part of the cal that won do you know Martin when the last time the German a German crew won the goblets was
that is a great shout and and and I don’t and I’m thinking now Strethhawk and Holen know it was Shrider and Schmeldder of SC Dynamo back in 1970.
Oh that is a long long time ago and I didn’t even see that race. So there you can see the two boys from Harvard’s Tio Bell just looking around. They’re both 21, coached by Matt Smith, the US Olympian, and they are still in contact with the Germans. And both of these boys have got Henley experience. I think Todd Dell has won here in the Princess Elizabeth with Eaton and Marcus Shu has won here with Windsor Boys in the Fley and he’s a great single scullar. I kind of thought he would meddle when he got to be the single in the World Championships, but uh he he finished in fifth place, but he’s an incredible talent. That’s right. I like what I’m seeing from shooting Bell here. They’re they’re still down, but I quite like Bell’s star in the stroke seat. He’s just looked across there as well, though. He needs to um just keep focused on his boat if he’s going to peg them back. The Germans to me look to be steering into the the middle just a little bit. I wonder if the umpire is going to have to get his flag out. This race is going to be a real gutbuster at the finish. You know, I think I would say a word for the lookers. Joseph Vicino, the Italian, famously looked round every stroke when he rode past the Sinkovich brothers in 2017 at the World Championships. And you need a little bit of motivation and as we speak, well, I don’t want to say I called it Martin, but the umpire does seem to be warning the Germans now. They do seem to just be coming across a little bit uh forcing the Brits just a little bit. The Brits roame for Princeton University a bit closer towards the boons. But they seem to have corrected now. So I’m sure hello to everyone on the east coast of the USA Princeton that row on that beautiful lake in New Jersey. The Tigers where the US National Training Center is based. They are edging ever closer back and the Germans are warned again. How much is that going to affect them, Stan? Yeah, I mean it’s it’s both the mental tax that it takes on you when you are very you are asking an awful lot of yourself and then of course it’s break on the boat the rudder. So they’re going uh to stroke side and bow side and actually they don’t have an enormous mark. They do still seem to be leading. We’ll see as the boats come round but they can’t really afford to be giving up feet here and there uh through steering. So in effect, this is Princeton vcal. Princeton on the left of your picture and the two Cal ormen rowing for their clubs in Germany. Leah and Bono de Gazelle shaft. And it looks as if the Princeton boys are coming through with that Henley experience. And Brewer, the sixman of the German 8, has he cracked?
That is cracking. Look at that. I think they were um maybe half a length of clear water down at one point and now they are half a length up and they are just going to be feeling on fire from here.
So I’m looking down the course. I can’t see the crews yet. They’ve still got a long way to go. The Germans still look to be pretty flat out and uh there is our drone. You can see the Germans still have an overlap. But how long will it be before the boys from Princeton shoot and Bell just eke out a margin and just snap that trailing elastic and the Germans lo all hope. They’re moving again to the center.
That’s right. The Germans moving over now. Although ironically the Brits have put enough into them that I don’t think the umpire is going to worry too much. So um so shoot and bell just staying on their side now doing their thing. not even having to look around anymore because they are now leading. And of course, Bell won the ladies plate last year with Princeton. Such an impressive athlete, Theo Bell. And amazing credit to their coach Matt Smith, who’s got so much experience, worked with these young men. And the Germans now just perhaps a little shorter, not quite as long as they were at the start of the race.
I think Shoot and Bell will look back on this and have to ask themselves, are the Germans just a very fast starting crew or do we actually need to ask a bit more of ourselves in those opening stages? Because it is really quite a turnaround and I just wonder if they should be trying to get to the barrier a bit quicker than they did. Another note on this uh British crew is they they were actually asked to go through qualifiers which for my money is a bit surprising with the pedigree they’ve got. Both winners of the ladies last year. Uh Bell has won the under 23s twice in the eight and the four. I would have thought that they have the pedigree to be a selected crew but ultimately it doesn’t matter. They’re here and they’re looking really really strong.
That’s really interesting. I didn’t know they had to go through qualifiers but they had a run down the course as if they didn’t know what that was like. And I think the umpire is now warning Princeton there saying to get back on your station, but there’s a kind of a healthy lead and Princeton are moving. Yeah, I wouldn’t be too worried if I had Princeton here from a steering perspective. I think I would just take take the line I wanted because it’s nearly the end and they put they’ve done the hard yards to put a lot of clear water into these Germans now.
So Princeton University come up to the finish line. All these top university crews are inter full of internationals and these are two Brits that are in the mighty Princeton setup. Marcus Chute and Theo Bell 21 with bright futures ahead of them cross the line. A very very finely judged race against two really strong Germans Leo Brahms and Fred Brewer. And it was an impressive performance complete with orange socks from Theo Bell. So shoot Bell from the USA beat Brahms and Brewer from Germany in a heat of the goblets. It’s a beautiful sunny afternoon here at Henley. Really gorgeous conditions. A little bit poppy, a light breeze. Uh nothing more than you’d expect at Henley. So we’re set scintillating race here.
Go. So it’s a heat of the next round of the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup. Intermediate Open Quads between Bath University on the left of your screen and on Nikki A Lean and Aaron Kun from France. Yeah, this French crew a composite of multiple different clubs as we heard. No Henley experience on board in that combination, but certainly a very very experienced outfit. Maybe just getting the ascendancy exchanges here as we leave the shadows of Temple Island. So it was tight along. I mean, they’re still pretty side by side, aren’t they? Trading blows as they come here. Looked like the French had a nudge out the island, but I think actually it’s looking really strong from Bath, too. And uh yeah, there we get a shot in of the crew on the Barkshire station and uh racing for Bath University. We have Luca Hall and Bailey, William Stradling, Ben Furley, and Jack Norton uh age between 20 and 22 and uh doing a great job at the start and in fact now just maybe nudging ahead a little. Yeah, they’ve just managed to just as they’ve settled into that rhythm or started to settle into that rhythm, they’ve just managed to find a foot or two. But I think it’s going to be hard to separate these two crews at least for the next couple of minutes. This French crew on the near side of the course, Anton Lefave, Roman Harat, Baptist Sevet, and Ferdinand Ludwig, they are a very experienced outfit. all lightweight athletes uh in this combination and all experienced representing France at the international level.
So a quick look across there, wasn’t it from uh from the bowman from Antoine Nefka who perhaps can’t quite believe the pressure that they’re being put under by Bath University crew here coached by Thomas Selby and you know putting together a really tight race. We can see both crews from behind here uh rating at similar level. Um, the French are often very famous for going out pretty high rate, but I’d say they’re both at a similar level and and pretty even, pretty similar lengths and a little bit more momentum at the moment in the B crew. Each stroke just feels like it’s driving on a little further. Yeah, absolutely. We just saw the progress board come up. The number two, that is the French crew on the Buckinghamshire station who are just trailing. You can see the margin on that progress board. So, not much separating them between those two progress boards. It’s no crew moving away but as you said Kath I agree the bath crew look to just have a little bit of momentum in uh this sort of second phase of the race. So talent across both of these crews international experience across both of these crews. Jack Norton stroke of the bath crew uh you know is under 23 lightweight and been racing all season at Bucks uh with ambitions you know that he’s taking his career further with this is his second Henley. And of course we’ve got uh in the French crew experience lightweight internationals uh you know including at uh world championships again lightweight double and singles. So you know a huge amount of experience and now we really they’re going to be needing to draw on that aren’t they? And a huge shout out hello we love having an international audience here. Henley is an international rigata. My goodness, the entry is huge from across the world this riata.
Yeah, just shy of a record international entry. I think only by a handful of crews, but the international crews that have come over uh have been fantastic. And I’m of course very glad for to have a commentator here who does a better job of French pronunciation than I can. But this French crew, they are not going to settle for second best in this uh opening round of the Prince of Wales quad and maybe have just made up a foot or two. I think so. Uh I I really get the sense both of these crews are believing in their race plans, but this is a moment where you’re really going, which who believes it the most. And the French have put in a push there, haven’t they? They just zipped up on the rate. The puddles are looking a little more lively as they release the finishes. And you know, yeah, they’ve suddenly taken this race and said, “We’re not okay to be beside each other.”
Yeah, you talk about that faith in the in the race plan, and the French certainly have that faith. That was definitely a move that was planned and really deliberately executed. But now Bath are responding. And this is the best thing about when you got these two crews so close together. You see the back and forth. You see a push from one. That was probably the biggest move of the race so far from the French. And then the Bath crew, they’ve gone, “No, no, we’ve worked hard for that opening lead and we’re going to take it back here in the middle of the race.”
So very sensibly in the Bath crew like that. You know, they’ve still got contact and they need to have cool heads now. They need to be really tight. They won’t have loads of extra power. They’ve got to think about what can they tighten up on the technique, on the timing. Can they be any sharper? But of course, you know, the French crew have got momentum and we know that plays a big role psychologically and and the feel of the rhythm. You’ve just got to sense it’s working for you. And Bath have got to find something.
Yeah, exactly. When you’re moving quicker, when you’re moving slower, you’ve got to put in more energy to turn that momentum around and uh and overcome uh your opponents there. Yeah, I’ve seen a couple looks around from Raman in the two seat. He’s competed under 23 worlds in the heavyweight single and done quite well, fifth place a couple of years ago and I think he’s making the calls. If he’s making the calls, he is doing a great job at timing them to perfection because they are almost going to break out clear water here in front of Stewarts.
My goodness, they’ve had to work for it. Uh but they both crews will be delighted to be approaching stewards and this is now or never, isn’t it, for Bath. What’s left? I mean, they’ve had a fantastic first half of the race. Uh that killer push that was put in sort of just after halfway by the French crew has asked them a lot of questions and now they’ve got to throw it all in, haven’t they? They’ve got to see what’s left. You can see them trying to take it up, sharpen it up. But I think the French have got a sense, a sniff of the finish and the advantage they’ve got that makes it easy. Oh, the gritting of the teeth at Jack Norton. I mean, what a gutsy row. Quick look. They are going for it still. They’re going to lift it again. They’re going to see what’s possible. Can they pressure back?
Yeah, I think this is that Henley experience coming into play in that Bath crew. They knew that they had to go out hard. They knew where they had to make the push. And it’s been a frankly a brave row, a gutsy row from the boys from Bath. But the French realized what was going on in the center there. What a move.
Oh, what an incredible race. And it is that crew from Exiban Granbla who take the win. attention. So, we’re back up at the start for the next round of the Ireland Challenge Cup. And we have on the left of the screen University of London B. And they are going up against the Delta Student Ru Ferin Laga from the Netherlands. We’ll call them the Delft crew. And they have gone out fiercely down the island. Yeah, absolutely. There’s a couple of Dutch crews in the Island Challenge Cup and uh Slow Crew is probably one of the favorites if not the favorite out of those Dutch crews. One of the very strong international entrance that we’ve got over here at Henley in 2025 matching up against very strong B crew from the University of London on the far side of your picture. Here’s the Dutch in their very iconic uniforms, not the traditional allin-one. They’ve got separate shorts and singlet. They have I feel they’re sort of you know chiling out there almost to be stewards with what looks like white shorts as you know stewards of the regata have to wear white trousers and white skirts. So it feels entirely beautiful Henley outfits but they’re not thinking about the kit. They are being driven on by their Yasmin Mog to execute the race plan to keep pushing away from the University of London as the Cox looks across and calls I want another seat. I’m now level with the bow girl and she wants to keep them going until they break contact and so questions now are asked of the University of London B to stay in contact. You don’t want to lose it at this point of the race but Hannah Schwart ba Ellen Grimes Nina Topiel Maandon Grace Newport Tucker Maya Vley Sophie Hudson Elli are giving all they can to hang on coxed by Eron Bogart. Okay, certainly at this point in the race, it is so vital to maintain that just just the smallest bit of overlap. You want as much of the crew to be able to hear and sense the the your opposition right next to you because despite the noise and everything of Henley, it becomes a very lonely place uh once you lose that clear water. It’s very hard to know how far you’ve got to go. It’s very hard to have confidence in a move if you drop back. So, University of London will certainly be trying to stay in contact through this stage of the race as they really drive home that mid-ra rhythm.
These are crews from two of the most historic rowing clubs for for students, University of London, of course, one of the oldest student clubs uh and and delved itself the second oldest student rowing association in the Netherlands. and they’ll have a sense that there are people who’ve worn the jersey before them and come to Henley and raced and laid it all out there and now this is this is their turn to wear the jersey to carry the name of their clubs and give that absolute best and University of London they are hanging in there. They’ve got so much experience in their coaching team. Tom Gail leads the coaching team and he knows this course brilliantly well himself. So he’ll be helping them with the tactics to know where to put all the pushes in and to try and feel it’s their home ground, but they are under pressure from that very effective Delft crew. What can you see from that shot at the back there, Chris? Yeah, so just a little bit of uh steering going on. The umpire just warning the Dutch crew to move back onto their station. The the the line, the imaginary line that’s drawn by the center of the bow of the umpire boat, that’s that’s the border. You can’t cross that. And looks like they’ve responded well. Uh their Cox, Jasmine, Morg responding well, moving over to her side of the station. They are still in the lead, so it won’t affect them too much at this stage, but perhaps an opportunity for the University of London to put a little bit of pressure on. And that’s a question, isn’t it? With all that the Cox has to do, how can they actually, you know, keep a focus on those elements as well? because when another crew starts uh starts steering, the brake goes on and that’s a moment to pounce if you can time your push if you can try and get something extra from doing that. Uh they’re certainly still fighting really valiantly in that University of London crew. Lots of experience there. They’ve all raced at Henley before, but it’s very dominant this performance from Delft.
Yeah, another warning for the steering there just in front of Stewarts. Don’t think at this stage of the race it’s going to have bearing on the result. You can see there is clear water between the two crews but a great job from the University of London they probably for the last thousand meters of the course have maintain that margin and held on. So the deaf crew just quicker in the opening stages.
So it is a win for the crew from Delft in this round of the island Challenge Cup beating University of London B crew. attention. So, here we are watching the start of the next round of the Prince Albert Challenge Cup. And we have uh a Dutch crew on the left and we have the University of Bristol on the right fighting out. And in typical style, the Dutch have gone off with a lot of vim and vigor off the start. the student and we’ll call them the Dutch crew from and they are feisty out at the start. Yeah, Prince Albert Challenge Cup has just been delivering race on race in this regata, hasn’t it? It’s certainly in bigger health, isn’t it, than we’ve seen before.
More than double last year’s entry.
Incredible.
We got a fantastic race yesterday between San Diego and Brooks, which meant that
still talking about that on the riverbank. We will have a different winner at the end of the riata to what we had last year. So all these crews know that the Prince Albert is primed for the taking.
Yeah. And that changes, you know, that ripple goes through the boat tents that ah you know this is our year to try and seize it and uh you know that’s what both of these crews are going to be out to do. We can see the University of Bristol there, Joseph Kumliff, Jake Burch, T-ball de Mul and Co aida Cox by Toby Finch uh who are getting their all and now settling into a good steady rhythm and starting to pull away.
Yeah, we saw we saw Bristol’s Temple boat which is their lower ranked athletes 5 to 12 go out earlier. This is their top ranked boat and as we join them live still maybe just in touch or maybe just the tiniest bit of clear water but these Cox fours they are a slow boat so a percentage change makes a big difference and a length as we come past remnant club is certainly well within touching distance. So the Coxes have got their work cut out now. Uh the Cox of the crew from Utre to think about how can they create some kind of change in speed. You know, they’re just losing contact and he’ll be very aware of that. Sitting uh Merit or Merit Erdas will be very aware of they literally just broken. He’s not going to want to tell his crew that. But he’s going to think, yeah, what can we do at this point? Is it, you know, is it technique? Is it power? It’s the combination. It’s the timing and keeping them motivated. and they’ll know what they have to do at this point because they’ve been rowing together. This these four athletes have been rowing together for three seasons straight. So, they’re well wellversed in exactly what what each other will do and how each other will respond and what they need uh in this in this event as they’re really having some questions starting to be asked of them by Bristol. They beat the University of Warick by four and 3/4 lengths uh yesterday and and and led away and then suddenly you were faced in a completely opposite scenario. You’ve got to rethink, haven’t you? You’ve got to bring something fresh and that again it’s for the Coxs to do. They’ve raced all this time, but they need to find something different because the University of Bristol crew are doing a fantastic job. They’re coached by Jake Blair. There’s also a sense of that program growing year on year and uh this crew, I think, growing through this season, too. Yeah, absolutely. They’ll be thrilled with the position that they’re finding themselves in this Bristol crew. They uh fifth fifth the Bucks regata earlier on in the season and I think if uh the Dutch crew have just maybe started to make to make a move, started to their push, Bristol have taken it in their stride, really absorbed that and stepped on to it’s almost a boat length of clear water between their stern and the bow of the crew from the Netherlands. this undefeated crew. They’ve won every 2 km race that they’ve entered this season and uh as they’ve crossed the 2 km mark with about 112 m left to go.
Yeah, this isn’t a 2 km race, is it? And we see different results here. It so feels so different from those six lane races and University of Bristol have just had the upper hand throughout. We see them there. They’ve got their eyes just keeping keeping a check on what’s happening in that ut crew, but they’re in control from the University of Bristol. Really strong row. uh although they’ve had to keep their eye on that crew from Utre who have fought really putting the pushes all the way down. So it is a win for the University of Bristol in this Prince Albert Challenge Cup over the crew from Algami Roya. So up at the start is the next round of the Bratannia Challenge Club. We have London Rowing Club on the left of your screen who are up against Temp’s Rowing Club B on the right of your screen. two massive clubs. They’re neighbors in Putney. Uh they’ll be what they’ll have watched each other through all the winter training, through all the winter races and uh clubs with such history but also such strength in depth and a really tight uh race out the starts with London Rowing Club at the moment on the far side just squeezing ahead a little. London have just been so impressive throughout this entire regata throughout all their crews and this isn’t even the top London crew that we’ve got here facing up Edward Thomas Ben uh Stathma Lawrence Ellis and Joshua Leon Cox by Rose Lewis um you know the the temp’s cup eight is clearly their sort of striding premier boat that they’ve got but this for here could be making the Friday and the weekend of Henny Reata as well very close though still with the temps B crew had a cracking race against commercial yesterday. I don’t know if you managed to capture that one, Kath, but uh it was excellent.
Now, I saw the London Rank Club beating Crayfelder yesterday fairly convincingly, increasing their lead throughout and uh you know, in the end, yeah, Tame’s B were pretty dominant, but you know, this is a tough one for both of them to get, you know, on a Thursday at Henley.
Yeah, I’m getting my my uh T’s B cruise and my commercials mixed up. Of course, it was tide race colors. That’s my fault completely. Uh I’ll blame it on my baby brain. Um but look at this. It’s less than a length still between these two crews and um all to play for here as we come past reminum.
So not comfortable for the London. They had they’re dominating since they’ve gone out the front but uh they will not yet be feeling they can relax. They’ll be really aware of rowing club be putting in the pushes and they know tensing club will have done all the winter training required at this point and there’s a lot of experience in the tension club crew. We’ve got Steve Bennett at Bow, Matteo Emodio at two, Philip Stzinger at three, stroke Stanley Cannons, Cox by Lena Müller Kirler who’s in her second Henley, but the bow Steve Bennett, this is his eighth Henley. So there is a lot of experience that they need to draw on now because actually as we start to go down the course, London are now pulling away and that’ll be the job now of Cox of T’s own club, Lena Müller Kuggler who can see what’s happening from that Coxin seat. She’ll be able to see that London are drawing away and I’m almost certain given these guys race each other like you say they’re next door neighbors she’ll have some call that they’ll all want to engage in that they’ll all want to group together to try and face off against their rivals and I think they are starting to respond here Kath and starting to very slow slowly kind of inch that gap back uh to the London rowing club crew but have they just let them get that little bit too far away that’s the question isn’t it it’s that slightly quieter moment I usually when you are down you start to frontload your race or you start to bring your race forward, you bring your sprint forward, and that is what they’re doing. And they’re getting a sense that’s working. They’re actually getting a sniff of the London crew. I think they’ve started to say, “Right, we’re not going to wait till we get to the enclosures. We’re at Reinham and we need to start eating back if we’re going to do something about this and so they are really taking this race back to London.” Now, we talked about the in the Temps be crew being able to see London. Now, London don’t have that privilege or advantage here for Rose Lewis who’s facing towards the finish line. She’s going to have to rely on Edward Thomas likely and Bowsy Joshua Lion um to tell her what’s going on. We’ve got a crew gaining on us. Maybe not in so many words, but we need to do something now because Tempsby B really are getting themselves onto the front foot, getting that overlap and that sense of optimism, I think, continues to drive the crew on, doesn’t it? So, we know it’s a race of momentum, particularly when you’re in a Tahorse race, and so the momentum can swing to one to another. And TS have created some with that huge remnant push, but of course, they’re not quite on terms yet. So, they know it worked, but they know it’s not enough. And now when you put in that extra energy, you’ve got to go right actually, we’ve now got to find something even more than that. And Rose will have to help them manage that. But we can see yeah Joshua Lion, Lawrence Ellis, Ben SMA, Edward Thomas Cox by Rose Lewis that enormous again enormous experience here. Uh and they are managing to stay in front. I just saw the the flags from Reminum Club wafting in the distance and I thought oh they’ll have gotten a really good surge from that and then I thought well both crews will have gotten a great advantage from the reminum raw won’t they? There’s neither crew that will have benefited from that sort of middle part of the course getting that lift from the reminum supporters of which both London and Tames are a member of that sort of club collective. And look at that great shot there of Rose Limit.
I really felt there actually there was just a sharpening up of the blades. I think they’ve just gone up one in the London crew. Uh they know this isn’t over and they don’t want to be in a sudden sprint at the end. Uh they themselves have also got to start going for home a little earlier and they’ll be ready now. They’ll be counting down. I think they’ve held that Temp’s push off for now and they’ve got to get going in their sprint for the line because Temps will be rallying again for one more go. Yeah, Temps will know that this will be their last race of the regata if they don’t get a move on quickly. And so what’s what is there to lose, Kath, at this point? You’re a B crew. You’re here in the Bratannia Challenge Cup. This could be your last race of the regata. You’re going to try and get as close as possible to London. And what a brilliant race from a B crew versus London Rowing Club’s A crew in this event. Uh but that clear water has never really broken there, has it? They’ve really taken it to them in the 10 Rowing Club B Crew. London Rowing Club have had the answers and they’ve been they’ve had to stay on it all the way and it is London Rowing Club who are going to cross the line and win this heat of the Britannia Challenge Cup having been really tested by the Temp’s B crew. Please, Okay, let’s go. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [Applause] Yeah. Heat. Heat. Get ahead. Come here. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] So, in the boat tents, the Durham A team from the university are coming out and they are preparing for their island race up against Ruters’s University of America. America and just listen to this reception. This is tribalike. It’s incredibly rousing. [Applause] One of the most amazing traditions at Henley is the clap out each team receives as they head down to the pontoon to launch their boats. What a feeling for those girls then as they head out for their island race. Their race is due at 10 6, but an amazing support here from the the fans from Durham. We’ve got 15 races then in this afternoon’s session. Really looking forward to it, including a couple of Olympic champions in Oliver Zidler, who of course is going for his fifth victory in the diamonds. And another Olympian in Emma Twig. She’s in the double skulls a little bit later. She is an Olympic champion, a five-time Olympian from New Zealand. Lots to look forward to. Let’s so let’s hand over to our commentary team, Camila Haden Horox alongside Kath Bishop. I’m Cath Bishop and I’m delighted to be in the commentary box with Camila Hadland Horox. And we’re so excited for the races coming up. Olympic champions alongside school boys and school girls. And look at that view. Is a beautiful day at Henley. You can see how much people are relaxing, connecting. They’re just coming back from the tea break and ready for the races to come. You got any things you’re particularly looking forward to this afternoon, Camila?
Hey, look, Kath. I think that you luck out a lot when you look at your commentary roster and you see that you’ve got Ollie Zidler there on the sheets. So, looking forward to seeing his first race of the regata this year. And like we just heard from Alli going for his fifth in the diamonds. He’s climbing up there, isn’t he? with the likes of Mah Drydale of course that uh currently equal the record of the most numbers of wins in the single skulls but yeah we’ll see the the huge frame of Mr. side coming down the course in a couple of races time. But um it’s been a perfect day here at Henley. I absolutely love this kind of slightly overcast, you know, low 20° C, slight breeze. You can see that the stewards is absolutely packed full with those colorful blazers and fascinators. It’s been amazing for a Thursday here. It looks good. And those shots show us the deck chairs at the front, the grand stands behind. It’s day three of the now six day riata and uh they are all lining themselves up ready for the next race which we can already see is up on the start. It’s going to be the next round of the island challenge cup. And that’s a lovely shot, isn’t it? Of almost an intimate shot of seeing them as they try to calm themselves. They’ll be breathing. Cox just checking their straight whilst inside the heart is pounding and the adrenaline is about to be released. It’s just great, isn’t it? Because you can see almost that the spectators are so close they could reach out and almost touch one of the blades there on that Barkshire bank, but they almost respect that silence as well and allow the athletes to sit there in that beautiful silence. So this is what is awaiting us this afternoon. We’re going to start with the Island Challenge Cup. We’ve got Yeah. Diamond Jubilee, Diamond Skulls, Ollie’s Idler coming up, Prince of Wales Bridge. It’s Look at that. It’s going to be a real mix. There’s certain events that have just started today on day three like the Diamond Skulls. So, you know, there are a lot of heats of those. It’s a huge entry. Uh and we will be then, yeah, finishing with the bridge, which of course is the new women’s event this year.
I love it. I’m so excited to see a few rounds of the bridge tonight. But more women’s eights before we get to that point. So student women’s eights in the Ireland Challenge Cup, University of Bristol on the far side who are up against Princeton University. You can see that the flags are more or less still. So it’s really great conditions off cleanly like darts out of the start. And I know a crew that will be particularly pleased for uh quite light conditions are the Princeton University crew. Lightweights here uh racing in a an openweight category as it were. Um and it’s been a bit of a tail breeze all week and I can feel a bit of a breeze on our faces here in the commentary box. Captain, we’re sat here at the finish line looking up towards the start. Maybe a bit of a cross tail, would you say? But um anyway, both crews at the blocks and there’s Bristol University on your screens now. The stroke face of Josie Sbridge there, 21 years of age. her fourth Henley Royal Regetta. Amazing stuff. But Princeton with the better of the start here. So the Tigers have led out and they have a short advantage just coming out of the island and we have Hannah Hoselbart in the bow seat. Meline French, Kalista Wilden, Cla Brockman, Alice McCarthy, Lena Schwarz, Emily Mccom, Katherine Barry, and they are stroked by uh sorry, they’re cocked by Elena Every who is here for the first time at Henley Women’s Regata. And so nervous times for her. She’s got a crew alongside of the University of Bristol who are testing them as they come out of the start phase and start to relax and find a rhythm that’s going to sustain them. But they are going to feel they’ve got to keep the power on absolute max at the moment. Do you know what Kath I was just thinking looking at the Bristol crew there who are taking small chunks here out of Princeton as we come off the end of the island and they’ve kept that confidence. They’ve stuck with them and it’s such an unknown isn’t it going up against a lightweight crew from across the pond across the Atlantic who are undefeated all season Princeton but again just that extra added element of their a lightweight crew Bristol ane crew. It really is all for the taking here. Yeah, they’ve had an unbeaten season, so Princeton will be really wanting to go further than they’ve gone on their recent visits to Henley. Um, but the University of Bristol crew are doing a fantastic job. So, we’ve got Alysia Williams at Bow, Lara Grant at two, Arabella Hodges at three, Indira Aundi at four, Emily Burnham at five, Millie Davis at six, Eva Barker at seven, and then we have a lovely shot of the crew stroked by Josie Sbridge who’s at her fifth, Henley, and Cox by Eli Fine. I think Bristol have got the advantage here, Cap. And they’ll have had the wind in their sails from yesterday, having beaten MIT, yet another unknown component from across on the east coast of America. This time they’re up against Princeton and yet another East Coast institution. The Tigers, as you say, uh a pretty formidable force on the international rowing scene at collegiate level. But yeah, neck and neck this this is going to be an absolutely stalking race.
It is. It’s side by side and they’re testing each other out. I think that definitely at the start we saw slightly sharper, higher rate, little more power uh from the from the Princeton Tigers, but uh that transition into rhythm meant University Bristol came level and just got their noses up. Uh but of course they’re adjusting all the time. And this is where for the Coxes is so important, isn’t it, to keep the crew focused on how they put all the moves, how they execute the different points down the course and not to be distracted. But of course, you’re so aware of that other crew right next to you. And that is part of the job of the Coxes. And you can see the back of the head there of Elena Every, the 22y old Cox of the Princeton uh eight there on your screen in the orange. And Elena’s job is to make sure that they’re all doing everything to together. She’s taking a quick look across. That’s again within her remitt is to look at what the other crew are doing, give that feedback and information to the crew, and allow them to respond and do that as a unit. So they the cockers have got a choice about how much you use the other crew to work off whilst not wanting the crew to be watching them. You know, staying focused on your best race. Are you in your best rhythm yet? Do you need to reset? This is going to be one of those races that’s going to go all the wire. All the way to the wire. Look at them really digging in because the Tigers have come back at Bristol. Uh having got their noses ahead. Now the Tigers have done one of those big pushes that takes them through and so now they’ve got nearly half a length
almost half a length but Bristol still in touch. That’s important in the eight and again switching to the for the Bristol crew. Ellie fine 19 years of age must be uh maybe a first year there at Bristol and coming a Cox from Serbertton High School. We saw them racing earlier in the week in the Prince Philip Challenge trophy as experienced coxing at junior level. Now stepping up to this university level and look at this. She’s drawing her crew back again. We said it was getting out to half a length, but I think that bow’s on the two seats of Princeton there. Meline French will be able to see out the corner of her eye Bristol’s bow ball there on the Barkshire station. They are in a race for sure. University of Bristol who are now on the nearest side uh against Princeton University and they have a race. They are trading blows stroke for stroke and it’s all about now getting that right balance the psychology of this as well because the Tigers have got a little bit of momentum and Bristol need to feel that they’ve got to move ready to execute and they’re going to have to probably move some of their race plan forward because you don’t want to let the Princeton Coup get ahead and that’s what they’re doing. They’re going to hold a push and then go and the cops is going to want to see some feedback. One thing I would say, C, from this overhead shot we’ve got from the drone, they’re really close in the center of the of the racing lane, right in between the booms, we’ve got both Princeton and Bristol getting right over to the center of the course, which actually might be disturbing both of them ever so slightly. But it also means that they the athletes can feel how close they are in the race. They feel how close they are and they feel when things are working or not. You know, you can’t help but be aware if you’re moving up or if the others are moving up on you. Gosh, the blades are very close at the moment, uncomfortably close. But it also means in the middle of the Bristol crew, you can hear the American But as they as we look at it now, Bristol are they’re coming back. They are making a push again. Something has rounded there. The little sharper in, little sharper on, and then when you feel it’s working, the momentum swings to you. And now the pressure comes back from these girls in Bristol putting their pressure back onto the Princeton Tigers. This is phenomenal from Bristol. They’ve really stepped on. And they were only sixth in intermediate eights at Bucks which is the British University Championships. They’re going up against an undefeated lightweight crew from Princeton University. And they’re drawing battle for Val. Look at that steering there from Princeton. That will really have hurt their chances here, Kath gaining some more advantage in these closing stages. And that’s a moment for uh the Cox of the Bristol to to realize the break just went on. So, you know, go again, try and hurt them again. It also suggests perhaps there’s big washes coming in. Perhaps the boat isn’t quite going straight as they try and put more effort in there. It looks like Princeton heading into the middle again. We can see that the umpire has the flag up warning both crews wanting both crews to move apart. It is so tight. The blades are really close. The athletes are going to be into their sprint now. You can start to hear the crowds cheering them as they come to the line. You still just got an advantage in that Finston crew. Oh, the tables turned there and Bristol drifted out into the center of the river and I think that’s a chances. Look at these blades. They’re waving in about. This is like the boat race camp. This is amazing. This isn’t Oxford versus Cambridge. This is Princeton versus Bristol in the Island Challenge Cup. And Princeton, no, they they have just nudged it head, haven’t they? They’ve just done enough, I think, here. My goodness, that was a lung buster. And we see the crews come past. They are exhausted. They gave everything. Fantastic sprint into the line. So we have a shot there. Matthew Pinson who is umpiring that race. Well, I think maybe just looking to see whether any challenges to the steering there.
He’s just checking and we’re waiting for the white flag to come out and he confirms that is a clean result. So, just to confirm that Princeton University have beaten the University of Bristol in that round of the Island Challenge Cup and my goodness, that was an incredible race in the Student Women’s Eight event. What a great race we’ve just had. And we’re back up the start for the next round of the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup. Claire’s Court School are on the left of your screen and they are up against Camber Girls Grammar School from Australia. It’s another international race. I feel like we’re saying it time and time again here Cath this year in 2025. A huge international contingent here and in the Diamond Jubilee. Well, we’re going to have to watch out for the steering of CRA Girls Grammar who’ve come a long long way and they will not want to be getting into the waters of Cla’s Court School here into the island. And it’s so tricky to master this course. Uh cath is one of the trickiest in the world despite it being so straight. If you’ve come from an international sort of set of waters getting to know this bit via the island and look at this camera really overcorrecting here and could find themselves in tricky spirits with the booms. So the umpire there, I think it was John Hedger, was warning them for a long time. And of course, the island is so dominant in that on the left side of your sight as you’re coming along. And you don’t want to be too near to that. But it pushes the other crew over and I think it hasn’t helped CLA’s court either who are very close to the booms. And we can actually see the camera girls grammar school despite that steering, they are edging ahead. They are edging ahead. And uh again, just such an unknown component, isn’t it? uh Camber Grammar School. Uh they’ve got a good set of results, you know, a few first places at the Australian Nationals in the school girl quads, at the head of the river in school girl quads as well. So, they’ll be coming here with confidence that they can beat their own on home soil down under. Um but CLA’s caught they’ve got pedigree in the Diamond Jubilee as well. They last won this event back in 2022. You know, perhaps not quite as strong a campaign this year. Uh but you know again they’ve got a a Diamond Jubilee winner on board uh in the stroke seat in Jamaim Madon. That’s right. So we’re looking now at the crew from Cla’s Court. Arabella Betts at bow. Clearly Gator at two, Lexi Hobbs at three and the experienced Jamaima Madon at stroke who’s also steering the crew.
Yeah, there they are just coming into shot there on the bottom side with Jamaimon closest to us. and uh they’ve still got that overlap. And as we saw in uh in previous races today, not only the one that Cath and I just commentated on in the island, that could still mean that we’re on for a really good race here in this uh school girl quad event. It’s been tight, hasn’t it? Claire’s Court have have showed that they actually came through in the middle there. So, great job by Arabella, Lily, Lexi, and Jamaima. Perhaps also being on on waters that they know, that they’re familiar with. Um and we can see the Camber Girls Grammar School there. Sophie Frost, Emily Walker, Charlotte Bow, and Isabelle King who had some challenges at Henry Women’s Regata as well, went out to the eventual winners, Wickliffe in the quarterfinals. Um, so they had that experience to help them. Uh, but at this point, they’re finding they’re going a little hot against this very neat Claire’s Court School crew who look like they’ve got it under control. The rate has dropped down a bit here and we can see from the shot here really relaxed in the shoulders, very horizontal and a sense now that they can see where the camera girls grammar school is and relaxing a little more compared with at the start where it’s a little more frantic and full on. Yeah, very much so. And they’ll have heard the the warnings going from the umpire to the opposing crew. They’ll have had to lock themselves in in their boat, kept themselves cool and calm and uh created their own uh start out of the blocks here. But um yeah, they’re looking really good there. And this these great shots from our drone as always just give you this one of my favorite shots of the entire regata here as we pan up towards the church. Cla’s Court School looking to progress uh a little bit further than they have done in the past. And I can see here Lexi Hobbs in the three seat for CLA’s Court. Got to the Thursday in the Diamond Jubilee last time around. Well, we’re looking like fingers crossed for them that it’s going to be one better at least this year. So coached by Jack Jessimon just up the road court. really looking relaxed, confident, and uh heading very impressively into the next round. There’s a great cohesion in that crew as they calmly go through the enclosures whilst the camera girls grammar school are in. Yeah, it’s their last moments now. They’ve got to throw it all in. They’ve got to chuck it all in. They’ve come a very long way to race. They’ve been uh you know pretty much undefeated for a lot of the season but they’ve come against come up against a very good players court school crew. So there we see the result confirmed that CLA’s court beat camera’s grammar school in this round of the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup. So, it’s a race that everyone’s talking about on the banks. We’re in the heat of the diamond challenge skulls and we have Olympic champion Ollie Zidler on the right of our screens and on the other side Edward Gardner on the left of your screen. This race is kicking off. This event has had such a huge entry this year and it is always a joy and a privilege to see Ollie Zidler racing at Henley. He has such incredible history here and he wants more. But of course, he hasn’t been seen since the Olympics racing and so, you know, we don’t really know quite how fit he is. We don’t really know. He hasn’t been uh at all the World Cups. And uh Edward Gardner wants to test him and has gone out really in a such a feisty manner. I’m loving seeing this from Ed Gardner. Actually, Kath, I’m uh on the Durham alumni WhatsApp group and Ed himself, a member of the Durham alumni contingent and everyone was very excited to see this race with him against Zidler today, but knew it was going to be a pretty tough mountain to climb and he is a bit of a man mounting. Is he Ollie Zidler? Look, he’s really getting into his stride now. That rating rocketing up through the roof. But like you say, I I think we’re not going to get much of a benchmark today from Zidler, but I am so intrigued given the year that he’s had. Not off fully. I know he’s been training but not racing on the international circuit as to where he’s going to match up.
Yeah, it’s an interesting one and he’ll be learning a lot. He’ll be finding that as well. I mean, he knows what it’s like to race here, but there are no real easy races and he’s like have had that lung burning sense as he came out of the island. But, you know, he always loves coming here because of the technical challenge, but also the feel of the riata. Coached by his father, often his grandfather accompanies him as well. his grandfather who’s Olympic champion in 1972 and he’s connected with where he always stays a little place up the lane and uh you know it’s brilliant that for him if he was going to race somewhere it had to be Henley and look at that supreme supreme view of an Olympic champion on the waters at Henley I think it just goes to show the importance that this rigata holds in a lot of people’s hearts including Olympic champions and all the way through from Olympic champions down to firsttime rowers beginners noviceses who have this in their sights um that you you know keep coming back for more and more there on on screen. Well, that is Ed Gardner of City of Cambridge, the 27year-old who this is his sixth time racing at Henley Royal Riata. He represented England uh in the men’s single at the home international regata back in 2019. So that’s the sort of race between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Um and also competed here in the Prince Albert for Durham University back in 2019. So, lots of pedigree himself, but uh my word, you know, again, when you talk about luck of the draw, drawing Ollie Zidler, both a blessing, a privilege, I guess, to line up on the start line next to someone like him, but yeah, pretty tough challenge.
So, I think it’s a major life moment, major life opportunity, and City of Cambridge Club will be cheering Ed on as I’m sure there’ll be so many fans and supporters of Ollie Zidler cheering him on. Uh, representing here the Frankfurt, Ruda, Gazelle, Sha Gammania, I can see Nigel Longley from Frankfurt are on the launch following Ollie Didley. He’d be very pleased and impressed, Kath, that you were addressing our German listeners who are tuning in to watch Zidler, you know, walking this uh heat of the diamond challenge skulls. But that’s what you’d expect from an Olympic champion, I guess. And well done to Ed Gardner for qualifying through to this round of the competition. Such an impressive athlete. And in fact, in a way, what impressed me is almost how he handled the disappointment of Tokyo where things didn’t go to plan and how he was able to keep a perspective on that actually, you know, say there’s more to life than this and regroup and have that campaign and then such an unbelievable race with Simon Van Dorp who we’ve seen earlier this afternoon. So, we could well get a rematch of the Paris final almost uh on the waters in a few days time. Uh you know, he’s such an impressive more than an athlete. More than an athlete. Totally. And I had the privilege of speaking to him at head of the Charles regata back in October where he was racing with his partner Sophia Mikin in the mixed double skulls and also single. And um he was saying that his life has changed since winning the Olympics. He said it’s like nothing else. He feels like he’s more of a celebrity than he’s ever been. And you could see it. He was walking around in Boston with school kids coming up to him asking for photos and he really did say that, you know, it’s a seismic shift once you’ve won the Olympics that you become this figure, this idol, this figurehead that um yeah, like I say, lots of people will be crowned the banks to watch him here at Henley.
An interesting even such pedigree, such an incredible athlete, transcends our sport. You know, he’s wobbling on the water here, right? Because it’s difficult at Henley and and one of the reasons that he came was to challenge himself. He used to find the rougher water, the more challenging uh in in the international races and deliberately sort out the challenge of the water at Henley to keep himself uh at the highest level. Yeah. And uh he’s got a couple of days, like you say, to shake out some of these little twitches against the the competition that isn’t at that Olympic level, but he would face Van Dorp on Saturday in the semi-final if both progress as expected, C. So, he needs to do that. But again, I just want to shout out Ed Gardner one more time. He was so unexpected to qualify here in the diamonds which was an absolute ambition of his and here he is racing Ollie Zidler. He’s
done a great job. There he is. Ollie Zidler Olympic champion and Royal Henley favorite. Uh who the enclosures have cheered Ollie Zidler and the everyone in the enclosures has also cheered just as heartily for Ed Gardner who rode a brilliant race down there too. So to confirm that in that heat of the Diamond Skulls, Oliver Zidler from Germany beat Edwood Gardner. So we are up at the start for the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup and we have Kingston and Nonsuch up against a Dutch crew. Manchester Edoy Fen Skull. Welcome to all the Dutch crews who are with us. We’ll describe you as the Dutch crew from here on in. I was very impressed by that still Kath. I think that’s a a great rendition of the the Dutch composite crew who aren’t currently leading off the end of the island. Yeah, really strong start from both crews, but already we’ve got the bow showing of the Dutch crew. A little livelier, little higher rate at the moment. So, we’ll see what happens when they settle, but they are inching with every stroke at the minute. a little bit sharper on uh those extra pips on the rate, the number of strokes they’re taking per minute definitely helping them get more power on and edge away from this crew from Kingston and Non-Such. I’ve seen a few posts about this crew from Kingston and Nonsuch who are trailing at the moment, but uh they entered this crew on the very last day of entries being open with no expectation to qualify whatsoever. They’ve all come together having rode together as juniors and uh they’re back here this crew now in their sort of late 20s and early 30s. Uh you know I know Andrew Bedford in the bow seat possibly his last ever Henley with uh getting married next week and a child on the way. It’s uh this is a proper swan song for him going up against these the Dutch crew in the Prince of Walden. Look at this. The the Dutch always enter brilliant crews here into this intermediate quads event and this crew uh from Newordan Algammena and Skull is no exception. Really impressive. We’ve got Maxim Mayorink, Martinez Vanderis, Tigo Rompa and Peter Yongapier who are giving us a masterclass in skulling. A lot of experience lightweight medals at the Dutch National Championships. Uh so you know again there’s a lot of skill in that crew. They’re in we can see from their profile how much they’ve braced how much they are able to yeah get that cohesion in the crew that’s probably a little more of a struggle from Kingston but I’m just loving reading how Andrew Bedford Callum Gather George Stewart Oliver Knight in the Kingston non-such boat club have come together and uh yes how Andrew Bedford decided to enter them on the last day and he accidentally qualified that’s such a such a lovely happy happy uh way to end up at Henley isn’t it? Yeah. And uh I notice as well stroke by Ollie Knight um who’s been rowing at Henley for a very very long time as as such has the rest of the crew. Nine Henley’s 10th Henley here and about same for George Stewart. And then in the bowels Cam Callum Gather and Andrew Bedford. Well you know 10 and 11 Henley’s between them. Um this really is a sort of you know venture into the double digits for Stern pair at this famous riata and they are loving being in the riata. uh it’s been part of their lives for the last decade or more than that and uh they’ll have had a fantastic road down the course but it is a supreme Dutch crew from Neword and Skull who we can see there have beaten Kingston and nonsuch in this heat of the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup. So, a massive thank you to Camila. Um, it has been brilliant to have you back with us and I’m delighted to welcome Baroness Granger Olympic champion. Too many titles for me to give an old crew mate, my old pairs made. Lovely to have you with us for this heat of the bridge. The new event this year at Henley, the bridge challenge club. We’ve got Temp’s Rowing Club and Mosley Boat Club on the left of the screen and Tame’s Rowing Club and Henley on the right of our screen. And there’s a real excitement about this event.
Isn’t it brilliant? I think we all every every day so far we’ve seen this event, you can just see the standard. You also know speaking to any of the athletes. They are so passionate to be part of this event. It’s a really one that’s going to I think has transformed this regata. Something I think people are very proud of. Yeah, we’ve there’s been a call you know from clubs from coaches saying there’s a gap here and we as a regata and we as steward the regata are listening all the time to the clubs. Par is the aim. We’re inching closer, more than inching. We’re getting much closer every day. And these crews are composite crews. Again, putting together, thinking, can we get our names engraved on that first beautiful trophy that’s been made for it. Um, but at the moment, it’s the Tempame’s and Henley Rowing Club composite who are on the right. No, it’s the Yes, Tame’s and Mosy, uh, who are now on the right of your screen here who have actually managed to get quite a quite a lead on Tames and Henley. Yeah, that definitely that big shining M sign and that bow is the sign that Moy is thundering down the course along with Tams. They’re in a really lovely rhythm. It’s got that eights are amazing, isn’t it? When you get that rhythm right and you’ve got that little bit of a lead, you get that you can relax into it. You can see the length they’re taking and every every stroke they can just move out a little bit further down the course. So, a lot of the athletes in the Tens and Moy boat crew, it’s a under 23 development crew. So, these are our future Olympians. These are our future GB team potentially in this crew of Lola Krampen, Nin Cford, Flyn Green, Lily Abbott, Harriet Noise, Leicia O’Don, Rian Luke, and Tess Peak Cox by Charlie Watkins. And they’re looking at control there, aren’t they? They really are. And they’re all quite experienced. A lot of them, although they’re under 23 um sort of development crew, they’ve come to Henley quite a few times between them and they will know this course well. They’ll have enjoyed racing down this course before, but as we say, this is a new event for them to experience. So beautiful view there. We can see how they’ll be grooving in the styles that come from the different C clubs. Part of the reason they want to do an event like this is because these are people who will be racing together in combinations triing for the British team in future years. So it’s important to bring them together to get them rowing together to shaping their development, their technique, their style of racing all the time. Um and you know the Temps and Hemi crew are a new composite. They haven’t raced. They haven’t been uh training together o through the season, but they’ve done an amazing job. We’ve got Caitlyn Kickham at bow, Ellis Kne at two, Fiona Shields at three, Charlotte Connell at four, Abigail Adabe at five, Natasha Carry at six, Olivia Cassidy at seven, Cena Schaefer at stroke, and they are cocked by Charlotte Pone who is in her at her seventh Henley Royal Regata. and and Charlotte will be, you know, in that Cox’s seat, even when there’s a big gap against the crew ahead of you. You know, it’s really about how much of a performance they can put in. You know, it’s unlikely they’re now going to overtake that margin, but they can still put on a great show. It’s brilliant. They’re at the Thursday of Henley. It’s a big event to get to. And there’s a lot of pride in how you race and how you compete right down to the last stroke. And these are people who will want to make their mark on this moment in time down this course. In our sport run, you can’t actually change how fast the other crew go. And so, a lot of it is about laying your neck on the line and really testing yourself and your crew together. What’s possible? Can you walk away and say, “We absolutely gave everything. What else can you try out?” And, you know, how can you enjoy it? Have an incredible race where you feel you leave you left everything out there and also want to come back next year and do it all over again. Train even harder in the winter. Maybe you go another round next year. That’s how it all starts. The bug, the rowing bug that we’re all completely trapped by, whether we’re in the commentary box, in the boats, on the side watching, or at home watching the YouTube. And uh yeah, we’re so excited to have so much support on the banks and watching our live stream. And these are fantastic angles we’re getting as well from the overhead shot. You can see the angles, you know, the angles of those eight blades. They’re really synchronous, really synchronized. They’re not changing as they come through the water when they’re on that that sort of feather and release point. They’re just timing that beautifully. And again, when you have this sort of lead, you can relax into it. You can almost bring out the best in yourself and your crew mates. The cops will just be making sure they they’re calm, they’re in control, but you don’t want it to drop too low. You still want the standard to be high, especially coming back in front of these grand stands where the crowds are still here till the end of the day to support you. Yeah, they’re putting on a show for the crowds. And you’re right, you got a lovely combination of huge focus because you’re in a race. That adrenaline means everybody’s really on their game. So you can often actually build in, you know, refine that technique, uh, groove in patterns at a really high level that will then be there when you’ve maybe got more pressure later in the event. And also because we have increasingly live stream different ways to capture this moment, you also know you’ll be sitting down with your coach later on to look at exactly what has been left out there and what can be improved on.
Drone is the coach’s dream as well as the audience’s dream. And uh there we see a very supreme impressive Ten’s Rang Club and Mosy Boat Club crew cross the line first whilst Tens and Henley finish their race. They race it in. They try and take the rate up making sure they give as good a count as they possibly can for themselves. And here we see them in the lovely sunshine at Henley this afternoon coming up to the line having taken place in this historic first round of the first ever bridge challenge plate trophy. So I have the pleasure of handing over to Jess Eddie for the rest of the evening. It’s been my pleasure to be with you. Enjoy the rest of the racing. Thank you to Cath Bishop. It’s been a while since we’re in a boat together. It’s lovely to share commentary together. And now here’s someone else I’ve sat in a boat many times with, but now we get to share microphones. Jess Eddie, welcome to the room. Many thanks, Kevin. That’s big shoes to fill, your test partner, world champion. Try my best. Look at that. What a glorious afternoon here at Henley. Everyone’s enjoying the sunshine. Absolutely packed. Few boats still getting ready to race today. But I think everyone’s had a great day here on day three. The regatasa temperatures have been soaring this week. We hope it stays the same. But look, the bank is excited for the last hour of racing. And what a lot they’ve got ahead of them. But it’s a beautiful time to race actually. Even as an athlete, it’s the the heat has come out of the sun. The river looks relatively calm. It’s calm as it gets here. And uh just that time of night where the temperatures just perfect to put on a show.
Yeah, barely any wind at the start line there. You can see the flags just fluttering, but nothing really too significant. Excited for this race here. Thursday, the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup. They’re sitting at the start line, very quiet, ready to get going. See that clock there? 1759. This race will start any moment now. You join us at the start line of the Women’s Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup. Off they go. Wliff College B on the left of your screen. The white boat. Try Skull School in that yellow boat at the right of your screen. And they’re powering off there. It’s great, isn’t that first stroke out of the blocks. It’s just that squeeze as you pick up the work. And then in the quad, you can accelerate so fast between the four of you. Both crews got away nice and clean, nice and fast. Looks like Skull’s slightly got the jump ahead. You move from that quiet that moment before the start line. Nothing’s happening. You’re so loose to absolute 100 miles an hour. And Tyrus Skull is here excited to see what they can do. National Schoolsman, one of the very favorites in this event. And there you go. The length up down the island over Wickliff. This is also such a crucial part because the steering is often harder at the start. You’ve got you’ve got the bank coming in and out. You’ve got the island on your other side and you just want to get that dead straight line down the course. Now tailor getting out ahead. They’ll have the whole river opening up ahead of them. And it’s hard. They’ve gone into this race, you know, this crew here. We looking at Wickliff right now. So this is the B crew. Incredible to qualify two crews in this regata. The purple blades of Wickliff over in Glosta doing a really good job there. But they know on the start line they’re against the national schools champions, the schools head champions, one of the hot favorites this event. What do you do in that situation, Catherine?
I think you know you know you’re the opposition you’re up against. We always talk about this match racing only two boats in the race. So it’s just you and this and the faster boat in theory on on paper ahead of you. So usually what happens is at the start you try want to give everything you can because you want to unsettle the opposition. You want to unsettle the favorites and see if you can make a mark at that point. So for tideway scholar school to already get that jump out and to get that sort of almost comfortable lead. It’s very early on but they’ve got into the rhythm they want and they’re moving away from their opposition away from Wikliff. And now for Wikliffe it’s how can you respond? And actually the main thing is again they want to put on a really good strong competitive race. They’re on the Thursday of Henley. It’s a big day to get through to. They want to go as fast and as strong as they can down that course. You want to shut the door on the crew behind you. This one-on-one race. It’s you know it’s like a gladiatorial race. It’s it’s like a a boxing match. You want to really really hammer that home by this point here, the barrier. But Wigliff a really strong start from them there. As we’re looking down the boat, Georgin joy the stroke there. She’s say a good rhythm for her crew. Nice and relaxed, nice and powerful. But at the moment, Tyrus Skulls have got a couple of lengths in them by the barrier. Again, like we said, these are good conditions for especially sort of the the the quad boats. There eight blades powering through the water very very quickly. You want to have the water conditions in your favor. And Wickliff is quick glance over the shoulder there just to see what distance it is. Obviously, in the strange sport of rowing, you’re going backwards. You can’t really get an idea, especially in these coxes boats, exactly where the opposition is. So, it’s often just a sense check of just how far ahead have they moved.
Yeah. And Ted Scullars base down the river there near Chisy Bridge. People are watching or might have watched the boat race. This club is right at the finish line in the boat race. You’ll see that club as the crews cross the finish line. So, they roam tideway talle bit of temps clip up on a canal in glost. So both crews used a very different water and tonight they’ve got an absolute perfect conditions here at Henley. Wickliff is still keeping their hand in this but quite dominating race through the middle of the course here. So we see both crews roaring down through the middle of the course there. And both crews actually in a really lovely rhythm. Both crews have settled exactly where they want to be rhythm wise. What you can see from Tug Skulls is just the blade work is slightly cleaner. It’s just that and it can be small margins at this point in a race that can start to make differences and gaps. So, if you look to the blades, they are coming in and out really neatly. There’s not too much splash around them. And again, we see how well that water is right now. You want to take advantage of the fast and flat conditions while you have them. You can see just their spoon covering there. It’s really easy to lift your hands really high and cover that entire row. Right now, the Tyro Skull School here are showing us how to just cover that spoon. It’s about efficiency, isn’t it? It is. And what you can see again from those those angles sort of front and back is as you say when you’re when you’re coming down in a race that’s as important as this it’s quite easy to let the tension creep in. And what you often see is shoulders starting to rise lifting up towards the ears and that often deepens the blade. So the blade actually goes further into the water. What tiar schools are doing beautifully is keeping it very horizontal very flat through the water and that makes it much more efficient. See Wickliff still skulling nicely there. Uh fours are looking nice. You can say slight little bit of splash there from the crew and exactly that is a long race 2,112 m. It’s about being that little bit more efficient from the crew next to you all the way down the course. But good rowing here by the B crew, we must point out. So they’re doing a really good job to be here to be up against one of the favorites and they’re going to hopefully enjoy this little bit of the race here now as they come back through Remnum and they’re going to come to a quiet patch and then it’s going to be the roar of the crowds. Yes. And we’re clipping that bit closer to the crowd on their right hand side. You really do get a lift from you know the crowds are so um respectful here as well. They’ll be they’ll be shouting down every crew that comes past. deservedly so. So they’ve done brilliant to get to this point in the regata and they deserve the roar of that crowd to lift them as fatigue starts really sitting in. We look at the leaders here in the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup tied with Skull School, the Junior Women’s Quads, the standout crews in this race this week and they’ll be looking to get the job done today on Thursday. They’ve got a busy few days ahead of them, but still keeping that rate of striking quite high, still being aggressive into these final stages.
It’s always an interesting decision, isn’t it? But and and again, you know, Coxless boat, you have to make the decision between you, one of the athletes who is still powering out, all that energy and effort has to make a decision. At what point do you maybe bring the either the rate down or the power down to just conserve some energy for racing tomorrow without letting the opposition think the doors opened and they’re coming back? Yeah. What will happen after this race tonight? I’m sure all the people that have got through to tomorrow will look at the speeds and the times, the different markers. So, Wlip, they’re still putting some pressure on this tiny skill school. looking very neat and tidy being outclassed by what is one of the fastest crews in the in the country right now. This tide sculler school that famous yellow and red tide skulls looking very textbook there as they’re coming to the closing stages down the enclosures moment to enjoy the race maybe. Now again you get you get the noise of the crowd lifting at this point and you know you know they’re they’re sort of calling you into that finish line. It’s a long race even in good condition. So they’ll want to enjoy it as much as you can. You’re under a lot of physical strain by this point, but you want to enjoy these these moments do not come around often enough, do they? When you’re an athlete and so these crowds, these weather, these conditions, this this incredible historic regata, you want to soak all that up in this last few meters. A bit of practice about keeping calm under pressure, about the technique. See there how loose and low they are, this crew in the shoulders. It’s really easy in the closing stage of a race to really start grabbing at it. What I mean by that is bending the arms or jumping at the catch. And right now they’re in position to be long, loose, and relaxed as they come towards the finish line. [Music] [Applause] Wickliff come down the closing stages past the grand stands back towards the town of Henley on temps. Great race from Wickliffe there. But again, one of the favorites of the entire race. That’s a win in the Diamond Jubilee for Highway Scholar School of Wickliff College B. [Applause] On to one of our international races today. It’s just going off the start line, the Stone Challenge Trophy for International Women’s Double Skills. We’ve got Spain on the left hand side of our screen, and we’ve got Whiting and Mattham’s Robroy Boat Club on the right hand side of our screen. This is one of the joys of of Henry Regata, isn’t it? You go from a a sort of junior development sculling race up to the international uh standard and it’s just brilliant. You know, one race after another, you get the real extremes of that of just how good the standard is across the age range and development range of this sport. Yes, some of these crews will want to try and qualify and that’s what’s happened here with the Robroy crew and they’ve got a little bit of dramatic steering happening right now. This ideally shouldn’t be happening between two. could catch Catherine. She looked down for one second and they veered off course quite strongly there.
As we know, these are these are cocksless boats which means the athletes within them will be steering the boats. Now in a double skull, there’s usually not a rudder. So it’s not someone with actually a steering foot. It’s actually on pressure left and right side. That’s how you steer the boat. And what can happen is again in that very very fast adrenalinefilled point of going from standing still in a start to flat out full speed is it you can get the imbalance. And what we saw there was the crews moving towards each other.
And also for those of you that might have roen this course or with those you haven’t, you’re starting behind this island here. You can see Temple Island there. That’s an island in the middle of the temps. So you’re going from a very quiet spot alongside the island and you’re coming out and then suddenly the bank moves away from you and maybe if you’ve not picked a good spot on the horizon, you have no idea where you are. So Rob Roy are moving over again. I think they’re not impeding anyone cuz they’re behind, but the Spanish crew have gone out hard and they are going to control this race from the front.
And again, in this match racing, it’s it is one of the advantages. We talk a lot obviously about the sort of psychological advantage of getting ahead and watching the opposition behind you, but actually what you also get is you sort of stay out of trouble. So if there’s any risk of the boats coming together and usually like most rowing races, there’s no line of boys between the two competitors. So the the crews can come together more than other normal races. is and actually what the Spanish have done brilliantly is just get out of trouble. And they really are a classy crew. This Spanish crew here you’re seeing on the left hand side of your screen there as we look down the course. They are came six the European Championships this year. They’re one of the standout crews of of the world really. So we’re looking at an incredibly experienced stroke person um a bow person there seed centellasa. She has raced at actually she’s she’s in the bow seat. That’s incorrect on she’s in the bow seats in Telas and she has raced at the last three Olympic games in the pair. So that’s with one or she switched back to sculling which is what she did earlier on her career at the junior world championships and jumped back into this double now and really really leading light of Spanish rowing. She’s been there. She’s been consistent and trying a hand at sculling. Well, it’s interesting. We see the Robroy crew again. I mean, they’re moving almost slightly to the opposite side of the center from where they normally have been. So, I think there is a little bit of a steering issue there. Just giving themselves a bit more work to do. Again, like the race before, we talked about how efficient you can make any boat feel. And you and the more you have to steer, the more it sort of takes a little bit of energy and time away from your focus. But Rob have got into a very good rhythm. They’ve really settled. They know again they’ve got a big gap to try and make up and it’s going to become harder as they get closer towards the end. But they’ve got a lovely rhythm there. They’re moving very well together. I do I do have a soft boat for watching doubles. I won’t lie.
She wasn’t banned in a double skull, Katherine Granger. That’s for sure.
It was a while ago now. But it’s um you know there is this wonderful thing about small boats and you know it’s timing and it’s rhythm and it’s just getting that teamwork just perfectly right in this very kind of intimate very you know interdependent the two of athletes together. And you have to be of the same mindset and inv you know one or two words be able to communicate everything you need to when you’re coming down this sort of race to make decisions and and to react in the way you need to. And what we’ve got two outstanding crews showing us how it’s done. It’s great to see the Spanish double here. Sentellis in the bow seat giving some of that knowledge to her younger counterpart Jarama Das there in the stroke seat and hopefully we’re going to see more of them this year in the international seat. If you want to see a little bit more, then tell us. She actually appeared on Crossy’s Corner, Martin Cross told me earlier. So, there’s a long in-depth interview of her. We might hear more from her this week cuz we love to see these international crews here and great opportunity for this Rob Roy double to come up and try their hand against them. But the moment completely outclassed by this international crew [Music] and all the angles we’re seeing, it’s just a really good insight into how we can move these small boats so well. There’s hardly any dip um at the edge when you’re looking at the bio ball there coming towards us that end of the boat. It’s running really quite smoothly. The trim is running nicely with the water. So, they’re not, you know, as they’re moving forward and back, they’re not dropping the boat up and down. They’re just keeping that speed very consistent, very smooth, not interrupting the flow of the boat, and that’s what’s creating this incredible efficiency as well.
It looks easy, doesn’t it, when it’s done really well. There’s barely any effort, but they put a lot of effort in down those boats. It’s incredible, isn’t it? All sport should look easy when it’s done very well. We don’t always make it look easy. I do not like the end of double skull, let me tell you that. But yeah, very classy rowing from the Spanish here. I think probably get to enjoy a little bit. A few claps down the enclosures. You know, they’ve done what they should have done today and taken Robroy out on that Thursday of any regata. But great fight from Roboy. They’re still absolutely blazing it to the finish line. So great to see keep that distance as small as possible cuz that’s what’s going to be written down in the history books. Lovely fight there from Martha Whiting and Lara Matams. So that’s a win in the Stoner Challenge trophy for Spain over Robroy. So we saw the clap out of Durham University a little bit earlier on and this is the Island Challenge Trophy Cup. Durham University in that purple or platinate they like to call it on the right of your screen against Ruters University B of USA. And we go from this sort of almost silence of the double skulls. You know, very little noise between the two athletes. Suddenly nine athletes charging down in each boat here with the eight and the and the noise and the fury and the sound and the speed immediate in the eight. Nice start there from Junior University. Always a bit of an unknown when you’re racing against a crew that’s come across from America. They would have raced against Ruters so far this year again. Rickers B crew. So I think Durham the form but will be with them and quite a lot of confidence on that start line is paying off now. They’re almost half length up. Yeah, you just saw the look across to the left from the Darham Cox there. Alexander Gentry and just she knows exactly what she has to do to get ahead. She wants a length. We’ve all been those seats, haven’t we? When the they want the length. They want the full length ahead of the crew opposition. And to get it at this point in the race is a very strong start from Darham. Yeah. You want to keep moving, don’t you? Because the boat’s so big. If you’re up in the stern, you have no idea. You almost feel really close to that boat. But if you’re in the bow seat, that the front of the boat you can see there, the back of the the bow seat, you think you’re miles up. So it’s very different along that boat where you are. And you’re probably just thinking to the keep moving, keep screaming at us to move away. This is not a done deal yet. you want to kind of close that door on them and in these opening stages they’re doing a pretty good job here at D University.
They are doing a good job but none of this will feel comfortable for either crew yet. They’ll very much feel like you know that that’s a sense of anything could happen. So although you need to be relaxed, you need to be in that rhythm, the the length is moving out. You want to start moving away almost an inch at a time, but it still has to feel like you are going almost, you know, as fast as you can in that comfortable rhythm to really try and make that distance you need over the opposition. Joining us now from New Jersey. Look at my clock. It’s just after quarter 1 in the afternoon. Hope you’re logging on from work or enjoying this from somewhere more leisurely. But your B crew here is doing a good job holding on to Durham University. purple of Durham University is coming out as a little bit faster than the Rutgers dark red at the moment.
It felt like Darham almost got that length really quickly almost by the end of the island. They really leapt out and and Ruters is doing a good job to try and limit that gap that that they’ve been created by Darham. They really want to stay as close as they can to see if there’s any opportunity. I thought the Durham University crew could be quite fast cuz I did pieces against them a couple of weeks ago and they absolutely whooped me. So, my money’s on them. They’re doing a good job there. And did you you still have loyalty to Durham, I’m guessing? Well, they’re not my university is UL, but um D I’m from Durham, so I always like to have a bit of a soft spot for them. Doing very good job there. Rudas are still giving it some there, Catherine, though. I wouldn’t say they’re out of touch. Really aggressive. We see that from a lot of the American crews. They really don’t ever stop during that stroke. You see how hard they grip to the front and look at those elbows drawing through. They’ve got such leverage on the spoons. Yeah. And you can see they’re keeping the tempo high, aren’t they? That that rate is still nice and pacy. They’re going to keep the fight going and and you know, why wouldn’t you? Of course you’re going to. This is Thursday of Henley. You’re in front of those incredible crowds. This could be the way through to the the next round or it could be the last race you do here. So, you’re going to give it absolutely everything. I tell you what, they’re putting them under pressure. They’re keeping that distance small. That’s not comfortable for Durham University. They are coming to the very closing stages here. But Ruters B, I would like to see how fast Razers A are because right now they’re closing that gap to about a length of Durham University. Yeah, they’ve just managed to get that overlap Ruters and that’s an impressive move they’ve made up past the enclosures. They are absolutely tearing through the seats, but they’re running out of river here as Durham University cross the line. A really valiant effort from Rutgers B to close that gap to as small as possible. But in the island, it was Durham University A today with a win over Rutgers University B USA. We’re at the start of the Bratannia Challenge Cup, the Open Cox fours. You see Marlo Rowing Club the left of your screen, the yellow boat against age rowing club in the right of your screen in that white boat. Now they’ve got a Cox. You can’t see them cuz they’re actually in the boughels of the boat. So they’re steering from the front of the boat. So there shouldn’t be too many clashes here. But Edgecraft quite aggressively at the start. Move right into the middle of the course. And it’s always interesting and it’s impossible to know from where we stand. Is it a deliberate move or is something happened in the boat to sort of skew the boat that direction. But often crews put a little bit of pressure trying to be respectful of the umpire clearly, but put a little bit of pressure to your opposition by coming close to them. Because again with no boy line separating you, it can feel it can bring in tension. It can bring in a tightness. I mean, this is a really great start from both crews. And with that overlap, you want to whether you’re ahead, you want to keep moving out. If you’re slightly behind, you’re going to keep moving back up to try and keep it as tight as possible. Yeah, the Marlo crew down the top of your screen. That yellow boat just moving away, aren’t they? Edging it over this crew from Manchester, the Edgecraft crew. And they look really powerful sitting about a length up there as they come through halfway mark of the course. Both crews here are the bucket rigged. That means the the two people in the middle are on the same side of the boat. Um a whole lot of theories about why that happens about who you’ve got and how you can keep the boat straight and as powerful as possible, but they’re obviously on opposite sides of the bucket here. Um, but it also means when you’re on that leaning into the opposition, it feels like you can be even closer in distance. Still quite tight through the middle of this race there to be honest. Look at that overlap. What we say in rowing is you kind of want to break the chain. You want to have clear water between your stern, the end of the boat, and the bowels of the next boat. Right now, I think a Gford just doing a good job of clinging on to that stern as we’re coming through Reminum. So, we’re coming through about 1500 meters here. Just touching. Nice stuff from Adri staying in touch. Cam Marlo move away now. And this is the thing, isn’t it? It’s always a decision in rowing. Do you want to do you stick to your race plan as you’ve got it? If it’s going to plan, do you try and change and do something dramatically different to either upset the opposition or unsettle people? Can that unsettle your own crew? I mean, these decisions are happening all the time at sort of lightning fast pace. And some of it will been rehearsed over and over again in training and some will be happening as the race unfolds. The Marlo crew looking a little bit tidier there for me over the edge of crew. My coach Jeremy Axton has done a good job there of making his crew sit still, get the work down in the water where it belongs. There’s a lot about confidence, isn’t it? When you want, we talk a lot about how relaxed the shoulders look, how confident almost you sit physically in the boat. Even as the exhaustion starts creeping in, you still want to be holding the form, holding the, you know, chest up and heads up and just feeling you are in control of that rhythm as it powers down the boat. Great shot there. The bouncy Joel Evans from Marlo. He said this is fifth Henry Waratus. The experienced crew. A lot of this crew have raced several times here before, but on paper this is the faster crew of the day. But you still got to come out, don’t you, and do the race and do the business. And what we’ve just seen now is is Marlo without any sort of any dramatic changes have just moved out on HCraft. So, as we were saying, while Hoft had that overlap, that that idea of overlap, they felt there was still somewhere to go, whereas Marlo will have just moved away and feel more confident now. So, we see the slight difference there. I was talking about Marlo being neat and tidy. Everyone’s still, you want to move around the boat as little as possible. The bow seat there, the Aircraft crew, although they’re keeping in contact just a little bit leaning out the boat. You want to keep that weight down the boat or into your rigger at least, not away from your rig. paying off for Marlo here over the Hoff crew and they’re going to enjoy this now sitting a couple of lengths up heavy boat the Cox for we’ve got to carry along a Cox who’s you don’t have to worry too much about the steering cuz someone’s doing it for you but the payoff is the extra weight they’re sort of heavy boats to get up to pace as well but once they stay at pace you know you need to keep that that rhythm that tempo tapping along so you can’t let it drop too low so even if you’ve got a comfortable lead you want to keep it at a pace that you could react if you needed to cuz these These the boats with copses do take longer to react. Probably rate a little bit lower than the cops boats, would you say?
Uh yeah, I think it probably would less strokes per minute. Got that extra bit of boat. The boat boats are slightly bit bigger and you got to for now Marlo coming towards his finish line. Bit textbook going with the form book. Going with the form of the season. Tidy, neat rowing. A little breath in them. a little look around of their cockway to just double check the time and they’re pleased with that. There’s a win in the Bratannia Challenge Cup for Mara Run Club over Agecraft. Attention the start of the Temple Challenge Cup Ed University versus Oxford Brooks Diversity Men’s Ed. And they’re roaring off the start line. Nice clean start from both crews. Again, that that real intensity that that eight races brings. Just just absolute sheer force and power and and the the sort of real drive to try and get that slight advantage right from the start. Oh, the camera angles are so hard. I mean, that’s pretty bad ball to ball. Yeah, it is. It’s quite incredible the depth of this boat club. Got D crew. That’s one, two, three, four crews that are racing here. Edinburgh might think they could have the edge over a decoup box of Brooks, but the might of this big university might mean the confidence might sit with Brooks. But right now, it’s almost bad to babble off the end of the island. I mean, this is the sort of Did you enjoy when you were racing? You wasted a lot of in your time, Jess. I mean, that that sense of being right almost stroke for stroke with the opposition. Does that give an extra level of excitement racing? Yeah, because the end of the game is just like get your bang ball ahead. And I think when you’re stroke by stroke alongside someone that actual kind of guttural energy and drive and aggression is just going to come out you and right now it’s coming out of Edinburgh. I think they’ve slipped a couple of seats on this Oxen Brooks Drew and again it’s that thing isn’t it is and again you know it’s a really impressive role for the Cox to play is when do you call your crew down to that rhythm and pace that you know will carry them through the length of the course? Now, do you stay up a bit longer when it’s that tight to just try and get that extra lead? Edinburgh seems to have led out and they’ve settled down to that rhythm. Still not going to be a comfortable margin, but they have got an advantage. Yeah. And look, it’s really close here still, but Edinburgh probably have a little bit of confidence coming into this. They’ve had a really good season. They’ve done pretty well in terms of university rowing. So, I think they’ll be wanted to race the A crew with Brooks and not just the D crew. But look at the depth of this boat club as the the D crew is staying in touch overlap there. So I was saying before if you’re in the stroke seat you do not feel comfortable with the bow man of the Brooks crew pretty much within smelling distance.
No it’s it’s close isn’t it and again you know because of where the sits in these boats it means that the the of Edinburgh University will be very conscious of where Brooks are quite aggressive steering that I think Edinburgh a little bit far over to the middle of the course and Brooks are seem very close to that boom. Would that be making you nervous? It would be me. Yeah. But I would always shout at my many Zod to um tell her to move over. But you weren’t allowed to do that in the middle of the night.
Would she move over for you?
Absolutely not.
No. There you go.
Coxes generally know what they’re doing and they have to believe it because it’s such an important role, isn’t it? I mean, they they we always discuss like what a difference a Cox can make. But it’s it is motivation, but it’s decision making. It’s steering. It’s, you know, they it’s knowing what to say to the crew in the right way at the right time that’s going to lift them that little bit more without adding too much stress on them.
Yeah, you saw Lucy Evans there sitting in that Edinburgh University, the Lightbe University. She had a little look around there. She doesn’t want to move around too much. You don’t want to disrupt the boat, but you are basically the master in charge of that boat. You got to tell your crew how well you’re doing. Tell them the race plan and steer as well. It’s absolute chaos if you have a bad So, she’s doing a good job here. The crew look confident. They’re still moving away, it seems, from this Brooks D crew. Nice stuff from Edinburgh. Yeah, lovely angles as well, isn’t it? You get You see the pick up. You feel the quick pick up that hard connection. But it’s not over yet. This is about 2/3 of a length. So, you know, again, in the seat, in the the stern pair of that Edinburgh 8, you’re going to very much feel the overlap. Yeah, just staring at my boxy. There’s still a way to go. So if Brooks can get a little sniff of this, do you know what? I think the race could be on. And that’s what you want to do, isn’t it? If you’re if you’re the chasing crew, you just want to unsettle the people ahead of you. You want to put as a little bit of doubt in their mind. Sometimes you can put in a big like 10 strokes or something and see if you can start shifting the the game. And that’s what we’re seeing from Oxford Brooks. Whether this is a new sustained speed or they’re putting in a short burst, they’ve taken another seat or two of Edinburgh.
I think they have, Captain. I was just trying to have a look at my pictures here on my screen. I think Brooks have taken a seat and that is going to be a little bit soul destroying that ees away at the crew in front but Brooks got enough to keep moving now and this is what you get this is the brilliant moment as an athlete you get asked these questions can you soak up that pressure that’s coming at you and then deliver more because there’s still a long bit of the race to go and there’s going to be this intensity right down to the wire Edinburgh can you hang on you’ve got about 600 m down the enclosures you’re going to have every madness dog shouting for you down Here, Brooks are going to have their entire university shout for you. Which crew is going to hold on through these last 100 meters? They’ve just absorbed that push, haven’t they? I think they have. I think Edinburgh’s held the gap actually. I think I think they’ve absorbed the push and if anything are slacking to move on. And again, this is a, you know, there’s a psychological lift. If you can soak up the the speed, the new speed that your opposition has created and then move move out on them, you know, Oxy Brooks will know they’ve tried their move and maybe it hasn’t entirely worked and then you’ve got to deal with that as well. So, so much of this sport as all sport is, isn’t it? This incredible balance of the physical side and the technical and tactical, but also that psychological how do you cope in these moments? Well, what a bru a brave move there from Edinburgh. Brooks threw everything at them and we thought they were moving but Edinburgh had a response and look at this now they squeezed out their last couple of seats. This is painful that hurt but you did the job there and really held your heads to get your bows ahead as they coming past the last seating stands past the floating grand stand and then Cox is telling them two more strokes guys cuz we’re going to get through to Friday. What a race there. Well done Edinburgh. Questions were asked, but you had an answer. That’s a win in the Temple Challenge Cup for Edinburgh University over Oxford Brooks D. Start line of Prince of Wales Challenge Cup and Intermediate Courts. Reading University C against some of their colleagues from Reading University A. It always feels a hard thing, isn’t it, when the draw works out and it is the luck of the draw, isn’t it? Who when you end up next to people that you are at university with and train and race alongside.
Well, Ren University, a purely a skulling university program. So, it’s no it’s no surprise that you’ve got two of the crews here racing each other. Um, they decided a few years ago just to go to skulling. You’ll never see them in the temple in those sweet boats here and they’ll know exactly how fast each other are. I’m going to say the form books with the air crew, but let’s see what happens in this Thursday race in the Prince of Wales challenge. Got Reading University C left hand side of your screen. Reading University A on the right hand side of your screen and both crews going to power off for a grudge match and they’re going to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses as well. So again, it’s the decision making about can you just play to your own strengths or can you do something to unself your opposition? Go down the island. It looks like the air crew might have got a slight slip on the C crew. They’ll know exactly what to do. They want to close the door on this. We’ll see both crews absolutely racing out. This is the big race for their season. This is the end of their season. They’ll both be gunning for it and the C crew going to put as much pressure as humanly possible on their A crew. I have no doubt. Well, absolutely. This is the thing, isn’t it? If you if you’re the sort of on paper uh the C crew versus the A, then you want to see if you could just make a point and make a stand and at least take a scalp at a part of the race. If you’re the A crew, the pressure does absolutely fall on you, but you have the pride of of proving why you’re on the A crew. Very relaxed look there. The C crew Charlie Ing seat. That was an amazing skill of letting go of a blade and catching again. I’ve only seen that done once for international levels and that was that matched that equally. I was just reading a name out and I caught my breath there. So yeah,
I mean this is the thing with with quad skulls obviously you know you’ve got a blade in each hand and it’s a very fastmoving boat. There’s a lot happening very very quickly and the biggest fear of anyone is what happens if you let go of a blade or you catch the water and it can happen and usually it would be a boat stopping moment. So to be able to have dropped it and caught it in the same stroke is super impressive. You’re looking there at the handles the end of the or they’re normally kind of fairly grippy but they’re also get wet. also sweat on them. It’s a hot day out there. It’s really easy to lose that grip. You want to be loose in your hands, don’t you? As well, you don’t want to hold on to that or all for dear life because that could bring tension to the shoulders. So, very easily done.
And like any racing, isn’t it? You’ve got adrenaline flowing. And as much as you practice in other events, when you get on your start line at Henry, it can feel very different. Some great skill there. The Crew on the right of your screen from Reading University in the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup. This intermediate open quad. Running University A on the left of your screen as we’re looking at now as they’ve come past the barrier. That’s the first 600 meters of the race. Everybody knows that’s the opening stages. You want to get out to the barrier as fast as possible. And then this is really the meaty body of the race here. They’re going to be tearing up past all the spectators that are hanging around on the bank, dipping their feet in the water. These guys will keep their heads in the game, keep doing the job. Very good looking at them now. Yeah, it’s a lovely lively pace from that A crew and university. It’s you they’re keeping the rate high. They’ve got a nice move out on their C crew, but they’re keeping that that pace, that energy, that liveless in the boat. And and in a quad, it can feel light. You can really make this this, you know, big fastoving boat feel quite light as you go down the course. So, they’ve they’ve kept that pace up and they will see if they can maintain it throughout the race. Yes. So punchy, these quad skulls, aren’t they? Look at them. We have a little look at them losing their roar there. We’re going to see it quickly again. Blinking blinking on missing. Look at that. What a recovery there. Ethan Walters in the stroke. He just caught the water. It’s really bobbly here at Henley. There is a lot of launches going down the side. They’re on a river that’s got stream going against them. Easily done. Great Katherine Buran who multiple multiple German Olympic and world champion. Uh, it’s the only person I’ve seen do that and survive well in a race. And so, Ethan, you’re in good company.
Wow. Esteemed company. Yeah. She also used to bend her arms, didn’t she, quite a lot, Kathine Boron?
Yeah. She got in very quick catches because of it. We weren’t allowed to do that.
Okay. We’re never allowed to. Our coach never let me. Anyway, she beat me in a skulling boat. So, I can’t say anything about her, but looking here at Bring University air crew coached by Will Rand, Chris Bartley, a fellow colleague of ours in the national team. They know what they’re doing. They put these crews together and they look powerful there with that purple tips of reading resource. Not very far from just just further upstream of where we’re sitting at Henley. Now this is such a lovely angle to watch a quad. I mean again you just move through that the angles and the timing and the relaxation. and the whole thing’s come together and they’re the rates come down slightly so they can run it out a little bit more but the boats moving just beautifully underneath them and it’s just we keep talking about just how efficient you can make these boats run and they’re going to save energy for the next races coming ahead of them but they want to still make sure that they are working together as a unit that the timing is spoton so even when you’re taking the pressure off actually from racing you still want to use every event you’re here to move your crew on to move your standards up Again, again, here’s the incredible ore catchers. We’ll rename them now. Reading University C working hard keeping that gap as close as possible. Good job here from this crew, but being slightly outclassed by what I’m sure they know is their air crew from their own boat club, Reading University A. Nicely tapping it along a little bit too much to do. As we look at the Reading University air crew there, taking the stroke of rating down. It’s absolutely stacked, isn’t it, Katherine? This crew, it’s absolutely wallto-wall internationals. Yeah, it’s just it’s just a real pleasure to watch people who are just doing their job brilliantly, isn’t it? This is how you can move a quad and make it look comfortable and easy. And, you know, the timing and the angles and everything is just right. Incredibly good coaching, you know, eye for that as well to make sure that’s all working together. And this is the privilege. This is the payoff. You get to Thursday of Henry Reata, you get in front of these great grand stands and the actual pressure is lifted slightly. You you know it’s what you see now is the water coming across. So they’ve a lot of river traffic you can see in the right of the picture now will cause waves coming across. So even when you’re in this nice relaxed flow as they are both crews are what you will get is the odd uh unexpected wave or bounce and that’s that’s part of the joy and the the frustration of Henry Ro regata at times and actually again it’s a very good challenge to you as an athlete is how do you cope with these moments that you’re not expecting and this doesn’t happen in most races you’re in but suddenly you can get a wash you can get a change of conditions a change of water and it cannot throw you off this lovely rhythm they’ve settled into. We were going to the start earlier and Ensukas, the Olympic champion of Tokyo, was trying to get to the start and he wasn’t having a fun time. It’s quite washy out there. Yeah, it’s it’s a good personal challenge. Not all of us rise to it well.
No, thanks. But look at this Reading Universe. Do you a little look around there from Matthew Long in the battle seat checking how far they’ve got coming past the progress ball? He’s going to tell his crew, “Tap it along. Heads up, breathe up, sit tall. There’s not many chances you get to enjoy these closing stages, the claps of the crowd. They were all packed on the banks this afternoon to enjoy this high level of rowing. This is the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup. Men’s intermediate quads as they cross the line ahead of their counterparts from their own club university reading university. It’s a win in the Prince of Wales Reading University A over Reading University C. Attention. Excited to be at the start of the Diamond Skulls, the Twickenham Rowan Club. Aiden Thompson on the left of your screen versus Tom Bars on the right of your screen. This is an absolutely stacked event and we cannot wait to watch it. Yeah, every round of the Diamond Skulls has has got something brilliant to watch and admire and be inspired by and this will be no different. Bars is Olympic silver medalist from Tokyo, men’s court. what he’s done. He’s dabbled in the double, dabbled in the single a bit this year, so doing a very good job there. But Aiden Thompson also part of the GB team. They’ll know each other well. And both graduates of great Welsh universities, I believe, Swansea and Cardiff being represented here. Some good knowledge there. A little bow ball ahead there for Bars here in this blue and yellow striped Lycra over the Twicken Row at the top of your screen, but that is really pretty much bow to bow ball. And again, we we’ve talked about how that feels in an eight when you’ve got that noise and fury sort of side by side. And what we’re getting now is this, you know, the single skulls. It’s much more silent and there’s a different intensity when there’s two singles. You know, there’s nothing else. There’s no other noise apart from almost the breathing in the sound of the water of your opposition right next to you. Right next to you. And Thompson has kept the pressure on Bars here. Two mates that be racing against the down came away far from here in the British team. And I think it’s pretty much neck and neck. Now we talked about being gladatorial, but the single skull is probably the ultimate gladatorial race, isn’t it?
It really is. And it’s again it’s it you know when there’s two boats in it there’s I mean this is this is a fantastic move actually. It’s really hard to tell some of these angles especially in the small boats exactly what’s happened there but it does look like Thompson’s just moved out and has got a little bit of a lead over Tom Bars as we come further down the course. Just come through the half mile and Thompson’s actually taken a length lead in the single school here as we come through the middle of the course. But you know what? You can never write anyone off in a single skull. What does Tom Bars have to do now to stay in this game? It it’s always going to be hard to comment from here because you don’t know what’s going through that and especially in a single skull. You know, sometimes you can be feeling within yourself. You might know that, you know, you’re a natural sprinter and actually the the best part of the race is still to come for you. Sometimes something might have happened or unexpected thing and it’s all about how you react. I think for Tom, there’s still a a big long part of this course to do. There’s plenty of time to make up the distance if you need to. It’s whether again if you just make small adjustments to start narrowing down the gap almost stroke by stroke or you want to do put in a move change the rate more dramatically to see if you can just make a big impact and move ahead or move alongside your opposition because what you also never know and we never can is how the opposition is feeling what what has your opposition done to get you know ahead of you and could you do something to sort of pull them in if they’ve almost got to their own limit. So Tom Bars here has got to think that his colleague, he just a little over his shoulder there. He’s got to think he’s used up all his beans already and he’s got to keep steady, got to keep long and hope he’s got a good finish in him. But at the moment, it’s all going Thompson’s way as he’s sitting pretty about a length and a half up. I love this with the single skills as well. You see both both athletes glancing over at each other trying to get a sort of read of just the gap and the margin, but also how they’re doing. And you know, you get a you get a feel of how maybe how high the rate is. Has someone done something to move away or is it just they’re you know pulling out by by just sheer speed without end doing anything totally different? And Thompson’s made a very strong move through the middle of this. Again, not a showy reaction, just a a very just an increase in speed to get that length he needs over Bars. You only need to be fractionally faster than the person next to you all the way down the course. And this is what they’ve done here. And it’s a moment for Tom to either decide he wants to have a go at this or is he has Thompson shut the door? That’s the point right now I think. Yeah, I think Bars is taking the rate up a little bit. Just see if he can start moving up closing that gap again. You see in these small boats, you know, just how narrow that is under your hips and actually, you know, the shoulders of the athletes are wider than the boat itself. They’re very light, fragile boats, but it means you can get a good turn of speed in them because they are they are fast reacting boats. So if you have the energy, the power, the technique, then you can change the speed quite quickly. But this is still for Tom Bars is quite a big margin to start closing down. Well, Baris, the twotime Olympian, the Olympic silver medalist right now, is coming through the enclosures and he’s getting beaten by a fellow GB rower Thompson. He looks a little bit more in control. I’m not sure Bars going to have an answer here as we coming up to the final few hundred meters. It looks very strong from this Twickeningham rower in the navy blue and pink of Twickenham and Aiden Thompson’s shoulders there again from behind. You can always see a good sort of chance to check that relaxation. Now there’ll be a little adjustments as that water moves around underneath him, but he has timed and paced this race absolutely perfectly. Nice rain there. Tom Baris there’s giving it a bit of toot towards the finish line. He’s trying to see if he can put Aiden Thompson under a little bit of pressure, but I think it’s too little too late in this Thursday race with the Diamond Challenge Skulls. You hear the beep at the finish line, the sweet relief of that beef, that beep knowing you’re ahead. And Bars crosses the line in second place. There’s a win for Thompson in the Diamond Skulls over Bars. Join us for a heat of the stoner challenge trophy. The premier women’s double skulls. You have Twig and Cipher of Sydney Run Club and Hawks Bay running from the left hand side of your screen. The the not the yellow boat, the white boat, and you have good and me in that yellow boat on the right hand side of your screen. We see the boats starting to move towards each other. Again, those angles are really hard in the Cox’s boats being warned now by Gwinbat and the umpire just to move away and give each other a bit of space at this this very fast beginnings of this race. Two international boats there that right hand side of your screen and Meik is German. Mean is Swiss just about half a length up there off the end of the island. The second boat, the white boat you see in the top of your screen, Twig of New Zealand and Cipher of Australia. So, we have got four brilliant international athletes uh to witness here. Again, really lovely to see the combinations coming together. Obviously, usually they’d be competing for their own country, but here at Henley, they get to come together, two nations united in each boat there. Yeah, it’s a nice part of international rowing, isn’t it? People have a chat, say who’s who wants to get together, who wants to race at Henley. Um now, these aren’t just your run-of-the-mill club rowers. You’re looking there in the bow seat of Lisa Guptles of Germany. She’s just returned days ago from gold medal at the Lucern World Cup in the women’s quadruple school for Germany. And Meik raced internationally for Swiss quad. So they’re they’re not too bad. They’re looking pretty good there as they’re moving away. It seems a little bit more aggressive, but the second door behind them, they’re not too bad either, Catherine. Well, we’ve just se Emma Twig there in the bow seat of the white book glance across. She’s keeping a beady eye on the opposition and uh and that looks like in that cut that she’s just actually moved through. So, Emma Twig bouncy there has a little cross black and white of Hawks Bay. Don’t be fooled by that. She’s Olympic champion in the women’s single school, Olympic silver medalist swimmer school, fivetime Olympian. She knows what she’s doing. She’s won here in a single several times and I think she had a little look around and decided to actually start get going which she didn’t quite do off the start.
No, but what I love here is I mean both crews are keeping an eye on each other. Uh you know it’s it’s again it’s there’s not a big gap between these two crews either in you know distance from side to side but also in the gap between the two. So it does feel like again a double it’s a brilliant boat to move quickly. These are crews that won’t have spent a lot of time together. So again, when this sort of sideby-side battle, there’s also a sense of, you know, how do you how good is your communication got? How quick can you start responding in crews that that are sort of effectively scratch crews you haven’t raced a lot in together? In this moment in the spotlight, you know, all these crews have come to Henley for a reason. They want a title. They want to go through to the next round. We know only one can make it in the match racing. And it’s they’re both going to m the second half of the course. Everything will be asked of both crews. Emma there knows what she’s doing. She’s been down this course many times. The most experienced rower in this lineup right now. She’s actually been made a steward of Henny Roagata. So I think she’s actually been doing duties this morning. So she knows the course. She knows when to move. And right now tight race, but this white boat there, Cipher and Twig of Sydney Rowing Club and Hawks Rowing Club sitting just a length up on this Swiss Germany double. Yeah, that looks like they’ve moved out a nice distance then. And how much value do you think it is having someone as you said of Emma’s experience on this particular course in the bow seat giving the calls giving that reassuring voice in that sort of when those boats are so close together? Well, Henry is a strange one. We don’t have normally these crews you’re looking at here international rowers. They’re used to going down a 2,000 m course knowing exactly where they are. They get markers every 250 m. At Henley, we have very random things like the barrier and the foley and the remnant club. So you if you don’t know them, you almost could get lost on this course. So having that experience of the bounty, Emma’s just going to be saying to Grace, sing in front of her, we’ve got this. I know where we are. I know when to move. We’ve just moved through them. They’ve given everything they got off the end of the island. This is our race now. And there’s And what we’re seeing now is that experience is paying off, isn’t it? It’s just that confidence that exactly as you said, she’s glancing around. She knows the markers. She knows what there is still to come. You get that sense in the boat, isn’t it, of how much energy and you’ve used up and how much you still have to go. But again, all the angles we’re seeing, I’m really enjoying both of these doubles are really very high standard of sculling. We’re cipher in that light blue Sydney there. We can see her. She’s lightweight under 23 champion the single school. Emma, Olympic champion in the single school. It really shows here though that standing in the middle of the podium. You need something about you. You need to be decisive. You need to be aggressive. You need to be a champion. And right now, they’re showing us why they’re the winners. Emma, little round there to the progress boards. They’re still gunning it, but what a show there to come through this crew that were beating them. Goish and Megan, they were down, but they held their heads as they’re coming into the very closing stages knowing they’ve got another race tomorrow in this absolutely water-to-wall stacked event, the Stoner Challenge Trophy for the Open Women’s Doubles. Are they out of breath? A little bit. That’s a win in the stoner for Siphon Twig over Goofish and Meakin. Attention. With the start of the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup Junior Women’s Quads, you see Maiden Head Rank Club B on the left of your screen and Sir William Perkins School on the right hand side of your screen. Oh, and the three seat of Maiden Head’s just caught caught her blade twice now. And that’s just exactly what you do not want in the start line. It’s so hard. Again, we said in these quads, there is so much happening in a very quick space of time and it’s just unsettles the whole crew. And unfortunately, when you drop back like that at the start, it can mean you’re up against a big hill to climb to get back onto your opposition. A huge moment there in the opening stages. So, William Perkins really the form but goes with them. So maiden head B were up against it and it’s just the tiniest little of catches you can lose your all and you know it often comes from you know you want to give so much you want to give everything in that moment of the race you want the timing and the the workload to come on if you mist time it and if you just catch the water slightly wrongly it can upset everything. Now what Maiden has done brilliantly is come back and actually what you see is them working brilliantly together and very lovely rhythm and timing. But if William Perkins makes anything of it, they will jump on the opportunity they’ve just been given. See how bouncy that water is. Oh, how cataran takes a bounce. There we go. Oh, stroke two. Just caught the water. And they’re traveling so fast at that moment, Catherine, aren’t they?
It’s really hard. I mean, we’ve all I have to say, we’ve all done it at some point. We’ve all done it. And it and it’s just I have to say the way that they can get that back that quickly is really impressive and back into a rhythm but the adrenaline soarses at that point and you get this incredible rush and there’s a tension that can come into everyone. So well done to Maiden Edby B for recovering and so William Perkins almost also not need to watch not to react to that moment and just get into their rhythm and their plan and move away as they hope. When you’re in the the boat and that happens though, a little breath of relief. I mean you stay in your own race, don’t you? Would you have known that happened?
You usually can sense. Yeah, especially in this this event. There’s only two boats in it. You know what’s happened to your opposition. If it was a six lane course, sometimes things can get lost across those six lanes. When there’s two lanes and there’s nothing between you between the two crews, you’ll know instantly when something’s happened to the other side of the draw.
And you know, in those opening stages, you’re racing a B crew, but made a great job to recover there. Again, the standard of this event is absolutely outstanding, isn’t it? We’ve seen that. I think I’m I’m going to say this is our kind of 10th year of racing this event. The standard of the junior women’s chords is absolutely outstanding. Seeing this William Perkins crew come down here. He’s one of the very good crews at women’s Henley couple of weeks ago, but Maiden Head there not too far away from where we’re standing there, boat club. And good job to recover there. Still pretty punchy for this crew.
It is. And and the hard thing is, isn’t it when that something like that happens on the start line, you just have a massive thing to make up. But what you still have is you still have the full length of that Henley course to race down. You still have the crowds to race in front of. You still want to put on the best form and the best race you can as a crew. And they’ve got they’ve done so much training to get to this point. They’ve got to the Thursday of Henley. There’s a lot to be proud of. And you want to make sure you finish it off well today. So although it’s very unlikely they can now sort of make up that gap that’s been created, they they’re going to put in a good race as much as they can at this point, Dan. And that doesn’t take away anything for William Perkins. They have, you know, held their nerve through things happening in in the opposite boat and they’ve just be able to drop down into this lovely low rate, you know, long rhythmic move. And it’s almost, you know, you can almost work on things at this level of of competition when you have that margin. You can just work on your timing and and how you’re moving together and the calls you want to practice and just make sure you are keeping on top of all of it as they’re doing really well. very still, very little movement in the body and the shoulders. Rowing, it’s mainly about the leg drives. You can see through a nice drive of the legs and have a slingshot through. Leave those arms out and really lever the boat along. There’s lots of patience at that back turn to just tap the blades out and just just wait for the boat to react before they come forward down towards the finish line. Great stuff from Sir William Perkins there. That’s the reason why they’re in front. It’s technical rowing, powerful rowing, one of the standout crews in the last few weeks of racing. They could enjoy those last few strokes. There really strong fight from Maiden Head, a strong recovery. Great stuff from Maiden Head B there, but wasn’t a fight for them against the Diamond Jubilee. It’s a win for Sir William Perkins School of Maiden Head B. on attention.
Joining us at the start of the bridge challenge player, Ox Brooks University B in that yellow boat on the left hand side of the screen versus Cambridge University. Cambridge light blue on the right of your screen powering off there.
It’s beautiful, isn’t it? Last race of the day. The the sun, the heat of the sun is gone, but it’s still bright golden light coming right down this course. Super exciting today. First day of this new event for intermediate women’s aid. So, we like to say we’re bridging the gap between that club level, that university level, and giving a whole of rowers a vent to race in before the International. And Cambridge have got the slip over Brooks. Yeah, that’s already Cambridge moving out maybe half a length in those early first couple of hundred meters. And that’s again when you were in an eight, you want to feel that momentum. You want to feel you’re moving out. Every stroke you’re pushing away, pushing away, pushing away. Nice movement there from Cambridge. The winners of the boat race this year. Really so strong this boat. Look at that middle four. Absolutely powering it along. Looking like no match to the Brooks B crew as we see them the end of the island there. And as we come a bit further down the course, it looks like Cambridge has just used that gap, opened up further and got even more comfortable as they come down this course. actually went wrong with this crew yesterday, Catherine. So, I hope to give them a little bit of pizzazz, but I’m getting a bit old now, so I’m not sure. I think it was more of a a ride for me than it was for them.
Would you like to claim this victory as well as they come down this point of the course?
I’ll leave that to them. You can ask them at the finish line, but they’re looking very tidy, aren’t they? Very strong. Image and Grant there in the seven seat Olympic champion. She’s doubling up today. Raced a single this morning. Just jumped into this boat to help Cambridge out. Yeah, we know in between she went off and did her role as a doctor. So she’s kept herself busy today but is now keeping this crew very busy sitting in the seven seat and a crucial seat for rhythm and for timing. And actually what we see in Cambridge is although they have a a decent margin now they’ve got almost a length of clear water there. They’re still coming, you know, they’re coming down at full pace down this course. Yeah. And look, this Cambridge crew is kind of wallto-wall also superstars. You’ve got the middle of that boat there. Cla Collins in the six seats. She’s Olympian, two-time Olympian for USA. I rode behind her as I said yesterday. So strong that the people sitting in front of me. I felt like a little mino. We’ve got three Americans there in the middle of that boat. Annie Wimer, Sophia Han, and Cla Collins really bringing that power, that pizzazz to this crew. And so having been in that boat, what what is it that makes them I mean they are they are looking a very strong dominant crew at the moment. With all due respect, Dr. Brooks, it is Cambridge who are really sort of setting the standard in this race right now. What is it that made the Cambridge boat feel special when you sat in it?
They’re going to have some sort of confidence from winning the bow race this year. So, this crew is a crew that’s probably been through a lot together. They’re a unit. They’ve trained really hard. They had this huge big race, the boat race back in April, and they’re going to bring that into the summer. This is their last chance. A lot of them will be rowing for Cambridge. So, they’re going to have that within them burning, you know, somewhere. A lot of them will go off now and either get jobs or go off and maybe come back with different clubs in the future. But last time wearing be proud to wear that Cambridge blue. I’m sure they’ll be really excited to do that. They see the president there in the two seat Gemma King. She’s actually studying for PhD in stem cell biology which is actually very hard to do. So we’ve got some huge brains in this crew coming down this course as well as excellent rowers. Yeah. Yeah, and there must be something quite special about clearly winning the boat race, which is the big, you know, the big focus for all those athletes in that boat, but then moving on and potentially trying for a Henley title at the same time. This is the Brooks boat we’re seeing now as we move through the boat again, keeping that pace high, the work coming on, they’re just trying to make that quick pick up. Legs driving the boat through the water, but all must know and they must feel in an eight. sort of sense when that that boat was slipped away ahead of you. So again, it’s that decision between the crew and the about what they can do now to try and close that gap. Yeah, we said it all day, haven’t we? Want these crews to keep the gap as small as possible. This is the pinnacle of this year of their year. Their entire season has geared up to this point. They want to walk off these River TS here with their heads held high in the bridge challenge plates intermediate women’s eights. At the moment, it’s going all Cambridge way as they’re powering through this quiet spot on the course. There’s a bit of the course where actually there’s just a few trees and a few reads in between the Renom Club and the enclosures. It’s quite a nice moment in the course to actually gather your thoughts, breathe a bit. Don’t get me wrong, they’re going flat out, but just before those enclosures come hitting you. And again, I think it’s a really good point for decision- making for the Cox seat is that you almost have that silence around you to to talk to the crew and to tell them what they need before you get the lift of the crowd. So, they cop there. Jack Nicholas will be sitting in his boat. He might have a little peer around. Just tell his crew to maybe conserve a little bit of energy here. They’re still tapping it along, aren’t they? This Cambridge crew. They’re going to have some big old crews to race against coming into the weekend. First ever day of the bridge challenge play. I’m sure we’ll see a few records go because there were no records this morning. We’ll be excited to see the times that Cambridge managed to put down. We’ll have to have a look tonight and see how fast they went to the different markers as the wind has completely dropped. Look at that water. Gorgeous water to row and not too much of a bounce. Enjoy that down the enclosures. Cambridge. [Music] It’s a very good display of room from Cambridge University now as they come towards that finish line. Know that they can conserve what more they need for another race tomorrow. Clapped into the finish line. Two wins imaging in the seven seat. The first time some of these rowers are coming down this course. It’s great to see the international crew at Cambridge University in the bridge challenge plate. They wait for their crew behind them. You give them a clap. Give them three cheers to say well done.
Oxford Brooks still coming at good pace through that finish line. This is the last moment they’ll race down the course this year and they want to put out the as much as they can into that last stroke. That’s a win in the bridge challenge play for Cambridge University over Oxer Brooks University B. [Applause] What some cracking races we’ve had this evening. the bridge there with the intermediate women’s eight Cambridge running along two wins I imaging a little fist bump there we’ve seen some really classy Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup races we saw Tyrus Skull School early on in this stint coming through one of the favorites from that Diamond Jubilee Cup saw Durham University doing the business over Rutgers but Rutgers what a fine fine feisty finish in those final stages a really impressive mer crew in the Brit but right now we’re exced excited to draw an end to a magnificent day three here at Henry Roar Reata. What have you enjoyed, Catherine, today? What haven’t I enjoyed? I mean, just um we say this every year, but the the standard, the competition, the new events, the weather, you know, so much has come together today to make you I just feel it’s a privilege to spend an afternoon with you, Jess. I won’t lie, chatting about rowing rather than rowing ourselves. Um, but what a privilege to watch this level of competition. These crews, whether it’s the first time at this incredible regata or some massive champions trying to get another title, they are all doing an incredible job and just makes you very proud to be part of this. Fantastic. Thank you from us in the commentary box. We’re going to pass to Ali Vance who’s with Emma Twig and Grace Cipher. I certainly am. I’ve come down to the boat tents to grab a word with the pair because a fantastic victory in the stoner. Well done. Um, Emma, you came together with Grace. this weekend or just a few days ago.
Yeah, we’ve been together about a week now. So, um absolute pleasure to put together an Anzac double as Grace’s mom is is calling us. So, um Grace is from Sydney Row Club and I’m from Hawks Bay Ring Club in New Zealand. So, we thought, you know, why not hop hop in together and give it a go. And we had a great time out there today.
And it wasn’t an easy first round, was it?
Absolutely not. Um I’m blaming my fellow stewards for the draw and the time of day that we’re racing. Um but that’s a quality crew. Uh both international scholars won just off the back of winning a gold medal in Lucern.
They pushed you all the way, but nice to come clear in the end. Um Grace, you’re a lightweight world champion in your own right, but what’s it like rowing with alongside Emma?
Oh, it’s amazing. I’ve I’ve been very spoiled this year actually getting to row with a fellow New Zealander, Lucy Spores, from the Paris double. So yeah, I’ve been very spoiled with being able to row with these two.
And you enjoying your whole Henley experience?
It’s amazing. This is actually my first Henley. So, the club comes over every year, but this is my first experience and I’ve loved every minute of it so far.
Well, what a way to do it alongside a five-time Olympian and a legend of the sport. Thank you very much, guys. When are you racing tomorrow? Recovery time now.
Yeah, legs up now. A little bit of an urg and um hopefully the stewards will be nice to us tomorrow.
She’s a Henley Stewart, so I’m sure you can have a few words with some of your mates. But look, well done and thank you for taking some time to come and and talk to us before your cool down. Um it was it’s been another fantastic evening session. Oh, it’s been another fantastic day. That is day three done and dusted. We are at the halfway mark and it’s really noticeable just how much the boat tents are starting to empty out and it really is only going to get tougher for these crews now with three days remaining. Of course, those those finals on Sunday are looming over us. Looking forward to that. But we are going to be back with another 83 races on Friday. 83 races tomorrow and we’re on air at 8:50. Racing gets underway at 9:00. So, we hope to see you then. But thanks for watching. Heat. Heat. N. [Music] down. Heat. [Music]
1 Comment
Superb coverage