Results from World Cup II and Henley Women's Regatta

It was a busy weekend across the pond. The Marlow Regatta (nowadays at Dorney Lake) and the Henley Women's Regatta were held in England, while FISA World Cup II was organised on Lake Aiguebelette, France. Unfortunately, at the time of posting this blog post, the results from Marlow have not yet been posted on the regatta's website, therefore, below you will only find the results from the two other regattas:

Results at Henley Women's Regatta, here.

World Rowing Cup II in Aiguebelette, here.

2014 Henley Women’s Regatta Starts Today!

Photo:  HWR.org.uk

Today, the Henley Women’s Regatta starts and goes on until 22 June. Though living in the shade of the Henley Royal Regatta (which will be held in two weeks), the Women’s Henley is the largest regatta in England for women. This weekend more than one thousand six hundred women – on an international level, Senior and Intermediate level for clubs and universities, and race experience and development for Schools, Juniors and Under-16s – are expected to race. Crews are coming from all around Great Britain, Ireland, France, New Zealand and the U.S. From the latter country, I was happy to read that Bowdoin College, Maine, is sending two coxed fours. Bowdoin actually started their rowing programme (for men) already in 1858, but after a couple of decades the programme died, but was brought to life again in 1986.

Bowdoin’s Women’s Varsity 1 boat, called the Gibbons, with Katie Ross ’14, Emily Martin ’15, Courtney Payne ’15, Mary Bryan Barksdale ’15 and coxswain Sophie Berubé ’16 won the Reading Amateur Regatta last weekend.

Read more about Henley Women’s Regatta here.

No light Blues – the Boat Race Crews weigh-in

The traditional challenge from the previous year’s losers.

Tim Koch writes:

The BNY Mellon Boat Race and the Newton Women’s Boat Race weigh-in and announcement of the crews were held on 10 March. The combined event was part of the move towards parity between the two Races by 2015.

In the background, the ‘5’ men, Helge Gruetjen from Cambridge and Malcolm Howard from Oxford weigh in. In the foreground is the trophy that both hope to lift on 6 April.

The weigh-in is a mildly undignified affair with the slightly bemused athletes paraded before the assembled press and sponsors, rather incongruously wearing rowing kit the City of London offices of sponsors, BNY Mellon. The occasion produces all sorts of statistics about weight, height and age (and that are probably ultimately meaningless) plus lots of sound bites, all of them resolutely positive. It is difficult to think of an original question to ask the coaches on such an occasion and I suspect that it is not their favourite event, perhaps they are fearful that they should reveal their tactics or any doubts that they may have.

Oxford coach, Sean Bowden. He has coached eleven Boat Race victories, two for Cambridge and nine for Oxford. Clearly he has already earned his place amongst the legendary Varsity coaches – and he has not finished yet.

The weigh-in is not, however, without its uses. For the non-rowing media it is the first indicator that the Boat Race is near, for the athletes it is an affirmation that their hard work has paid off and for the sponsors it is a manifestation of their investment.

Cambridge President and ‘4’ man, Steve Dudek as I see him.

Oxford stroke, Constantine Louloudis, known to his crew mates as ‘Stan’.

The statistics showed that the Cambridge men have a height and weight advantage and coach Steve Trapmore says that it is his best CUBC squad yet, but their opponents boat an intimidating three Olympic medallists. Oxford have Malcolm Howard (Gold in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and Silver in the London 2012 Games), Storm Uru (World Champion and Olympic Bronze medallist from London 2012) and Constantine Louloudis (Bronze at London 2012, looking for his third Boat Race win). Karl Hudspith and Michael DiSanto have both rowed for GB and the USA, respectively, at senior international level, while New Zealander Sam O’Connor was a Junior World Champion.

OUWBC President and ‘3’ woman, Maxie Scheske.

The biggest person in the race, Oxford ‘5’ man, Malcolm Howard.

Who will win? For a ‘two horse race’, the outcome of the Boat Race is surprisingly difficult to predict. I think it could be Oxford – but perhaps it will be Cambridge.....?

The Men. Photo: Getty Images.

CUBC  (Average weight excluding cox: 92.3kg)
Bow: Michael Thorp – British (Blue)
2: Luke Juckett – American
3: Ivo Dawkins – British
4: Steve Dudek – American (Blue/President)
5: Helge Gruetjen – German
6: Matthew Jackson – American
7: Joshua Hooper – Australian
Stroke: Henry Hoffstot – American
Cox: Ian Middleton – British

OUBC (Average weight excluding cox: 89.7kg)
Bow: Storm Uru – New Zealander
2: Chris Fairweather – British
3: Karl Hudspith – British (Blue)
4: Thomas Swartz – American/Canadian
5: Malcolm Howard – British/Canadian (Blue/President)
6: Michael DiSanto – American
7: Sam O’Connor – New Zealander (Blue)
Stroke: Constantine Louloudis – British (Blue)
Cox: Laurence Harvey - British

The Women. Cambridge give a smile. Oxford say ‘Are you looking at me.....?’ Photo: Getty Images.

CUWBC (Average weight excluding cox: 73.2kg)
Bow: Caroline Reid – British (Blue)
2: Kate Ashley – British
3: Holly Game – British (Blue)
4: Isabella Vyvyan – British
5: Catherine Foot – British
6: Melissa Wilson – British (Blue)
7: Claire Watkins – British (Blue)
Stroke: Emily Day – British (Blue)
Cox: Esther Momcilovic – British (Blue/President)

OUWBC (Average weight excluding cox: 69.2kg)
Bow: Elizabeth Fenje – Canadian
2: Alice Carrington Windo – British/German (Blue)
3: Maxie Scheske – British/German (Blue/President)
4: Nadine Graedel Iberg – Swiss
5: Anastasia Chitty – British (Blue)
6: Lauren Kedar – British
7: Amber De Vere – British
Stroke: Laura Savarese – American
Cox: Erin Wysocki Jones – British

Earlier in the day the crews visited the flagship store of one of the sponsors, Hackett, for publicity photographs. The last time that I saw a shop window full of women, it was in Amsterdam.... Photo: @theboatrace

There was some nice media coverage of the story in the London Evening Standard and The Guardian. Independent Television produced this video (not sure this video will work in all countries outside the UK).

Photographs from 2013 Henley Women's Regatta

A heat of the Senior 4x. Molesey BC lost to Nottingham RC.

HTBS's Tim Koch went to Henley Women's Regatta where he took some lovely photographs (©). Full list of race results at the bottom of this page.

The course from start to finish. The long lens makes it look less than its 1500m.

A heat of Adaptive Trunk & Arms 1x. Guildford RC (Birkinshaw) beat Oundle RC (Connon).

A heat of the School Junior 4x, Eton Excelsior v Gloucester. The Umpire’s view.

Eton Excelsior v Gloucester. EEBC initially take the lead.

Eton Excelsior v Gloucester. GRC go through EEBC to win the heat. They went on to win the final.

Elite Lwt 2- won by Durham University over Mortlake, Anglian and Alpah BC.

Senior Lwt 2x won by Mortlake, Anglian and Alpha Boat Club over Wallingford RC.

Academic 4+ won by Exeter University over Manchester University.

Club Eights won by Lea RC over Galway RC.

Academic 8+ won by University of London over Reading University.

Senior 4x won by Nottingham RC over Wallingford RC.

J16 4x won my Marlow RC over Tideway Scullers School.

J16 4+ won by Weybridge RC over Sir William Borlase’s Grammer School BC.

School Junior 2x won by Norske Studenter of Norway over Nottingham RC.

You will find all the results here.

Henley Women's Regatta - Results 2013

From the 2011 HWR. Photo: Tim Koch.

You will find all the results from the 2013 Henley Women's Regatta here.

Today is Dorney Day!

Today, the second round of FISA's World Cup starts at Eton Dorney in England. Among the forty nations that will compete today and this weekend, many took medals at the 2012 Olympic rowing regatta at Dorney Lake, or at the first round of the World Cup regatta in Sydney earlier this summer, or only a couple of weeks ago at the European Championships in Sevilla. Strangely, no women's eights have signed up for this second Cup at Dorney.

FISA's World Rowing website posted an article about who to watch. Read it here. All around the web, you will find rowing experts giving you their view on whom is going to medal at Eton Dorney. HTBS has decided to stay out of trying to stare into the crystal ball. We would, however, like to express that we think it is unfortunate that Women's Henley is arranged at the same weekend...

Buy This Book!

Yesterday, HTBS received a nice e-mail from Irish oarsman and poet Barry Currivan of Neptune Rowing Club, whom Tim Koch wrote about in an entry on 30 April, 2012. Barry is the creator of memorable verse lines like:

Approaching Remenham Club
We could hear the clink of glasses
Of ancient oarsmen
Drinking Pimms
And talking through their asses.

From his poem “High Noon: Henley” in Inside Rowing The Outside Handbook.

Barry writes that he just donates copies of his funny collection of poems to Oxfam Bookshop in 14 Duke Street, Henley-on-Thames. Good to know for those of you who are planning to visit Henley Women’s Regatta this weekend or the upcoming Henley Royal Regatta in the beginning of July.

HTBS's Greg Denieffe pointed out this video with Barry, who is reading his "High Noon: Henley":



HTBS warmly recommend you to purchase several copies of Barry’s Inside Rowing The Outside Handbook – it is a great present to give to both rowers and non-rowers in your life.

Henley: On Thames and On Line

Henley’s First Lady – the statue on Temple Island.

Tim Koch writes,

Rowing’s spiritual home, Henley-on-Thames, will see the 26th Henley Women’s Regatta running from Friday 21 to Sunday 23 June, 2013, on a 1,500m course from Temple Island to Remenham Club. From HWR’s start in 1988, the organisers consciously decided not to be a ‘poor (wo)man’s Henley Royal Regatta’. There were to be no entrance fees and no dress code. All efforts were put into establishing the first (and still only) international women’s regatta in the world. Henley Royal did not offer any women’s events at the time and, while the Stewards did nothing to hinder the fledgling event, they were clear that HWR could not use HRR land (HTBS has previously written about The Royal’s difficult relationship with women.

From the 2011 HWR.

Lack of support from the older event was probably beneficial to the new regatta as, if there was ever any doubt, it was clear that HWR had to establish its own identity, forge its own traditions and establish its own organisation. The fact that Henley Women’s Regatta has grown in strength from year to year proves that the organisers have succeeded in all this. In this tradition of innovation, the 2013 regatta sees an exciting new element. According to the HWR Facebook page:

We are delighted to announce a ‘Henley First’, that being we will have a LIVE WEBCAST for our 2013 regatta. In HD via Satellite uplink including among other provisions: Event graphics, Pre and Post race interviews, Integration of sponsor graphics and adverts and a Highlights Package after the event in the HWR YouTube Channel.

This will surely encourage more foreign entries in the future. HTBS will publish details of this pioneering move closer to the time.

‘I’m ready for my close up...’Reading University on the start, HWR 2011.

The coverage of women’s rowing by the latest media methods is not new. In 1922 British Pathe cameras filmed the ‘Ladies Fours’ at Hammersmith Regatta for inclusion in their cinema newsreels. In an attempt to be humorous by posing a clearly ridiculous question, the title of the silent film read:

London. The Ladies Fours provided spirited contests at Hammersmith Regatta. Will the Ladies invade Henley?

THE LADIES FOURS

Clean Sweep for Oxford

Photo: www.theboatrace.org

Despite bad weather, the Henley Boat Races were held this past Saturday, but not on the usual Henley Course. Instead, the races had been moved to Dorney Lake as mentioned before by Tim Koch. The whole affair – four races – ended with a clean sweep for Oxford. Read the report on The Boat Race website here, and the article by Rachel Quarrell of the Daily Telegraph, here. Quarrell also has a little sprinkle of news from this year’s first World Cup regatta in Sydney, Australia.

A more detailed report from Tim Koch will follow.

CUWBC On Training Camp

On 27 March, Tim Koch briefly mentioned the results for this year’s Henley Boat Races (and provided a link with more details about the races). Cambridge’s women won the heavyweight race, and yesterday I came across a film clip from their training camp in France in January. It’s a beautiful and funny video, shot by lightweight coach and professional photographer, James Appleton. Enjoy!

Light Blues V. Black Death

CUBC v. MBC from Putney Bridge.

HTBS’s Tim Koch writes,

Following the previous day’s race between Oxford and Leander,
 Sunday 25 March saw Cambridge race Molesey Boat Club (a.k.a. ‘Black
 Death’). Peter 
McConnell’s race report is on the Boat Race website.
 In 
it he writes:



Racing a crew from Molesey who were 3rd in last week’s Head of the 
River Race but were defeated in two hard races by Oxford a fortnight
 ago, it was important for Cambridge to put down an emphatic marker
 during this fixture.



CUBC bow and 3 on stroke (port side), 2 and 4 on bow (starboard side). See more here.

In a busy race for the umpire, the Light Blues led Molesey by 1 ½ 
lengths at the St Paul’s School finish (just through Hammersmith
 Bridge). There followed a second race starting below Chiswick Eyot. At 
the Boat Race finish near Chiswick Bridge, Molesey won by ¼ length but
 Cambridge had earlier been obstructed by a cruiser near the Bandstand.



American Jack Lindeman, who once was struck by lightning.

Looking at McConnell’s report
 for the Molesey–Oxford race two weeks ago it seems that the Dark
 Blues won by greater margins on that occasion. How much significance 
can be read into this is debatable.



Thirty miles away, the ‘Henley Boat Races’ were held on the same day.
 The Heavyweight Women’s Race and Lightweight Men’s Race were won by
 Cambridge while Oxford’s Lightweight Women and Heavyweight Reserve
 Women were victorious in their events. Details are here.

Tim Koch: The First Of The Henleys

Henley has started. Not ‘The Royal’ but the 24th Henley Women’s Regatta which this year runs from Friday 17 to the Sunday 19 June. It will be followed by the original Henley (29 June - 3 July) and then the Henley Masters (8 - 9 July).

Briefing

As I write on Saturday evening, I am damp and steaming as I have just returned from Henley on Thames having experienced a day of heavy showers. I am keen to get this posted before Göran (Mr HTBS) leaves for Sweden (and then onto England) so I am going to be very lazy and direct those who are interested to this press release stating that the 2011 Regatta 'promises to be most hotly contested for years’ and this nice history of the event. Beyond that I will only offer some of my pictures showing the day.

The picture above gives evidence of the strong head winds suffered on Saturday as it shows a boat that attempted to cross in a gap between the booms but was blown onto one of the piles that secure the booms.

The picture just above shows the bow women lying on the canvas, holding the boat off the pile and out of the racing lane while a race went past. A safety boat pulled them free. I have every sympathy for the coxswains and steers in such conditions, especially on the Henley course, which is marked, not by forgiving buoys, but by unyielding lengths of timber. They are one of the more dubious things that make racing at Henley ‘special’.

On the start

Near the finish

Stonington Rower Wins At Henley

Although, I know it is very late to write about the Henley Women’s Regatta of 2010 (held 18-20 June 2010), the local newspaper The Day, which covers the south-east corner of Connecticut, had a very nice article today about a local rower, Candice Webb of Stonington. A couple of years back, being a freshman at Stonington High School she did not know a lot about rowing, but now a senior at Drexel University, she and her crew mates in the eight took a prestigious cup at the Henley Women’s. In The Day Alex Teixeira writes

“Drexel’s varsity eight won the Elite 8 championship and the Sports Council Cup on June 20 at the prestigious Henley Women’s Regatta on England’s Thames River. The Dragons were recently honored for that achievement in a celebration attended by Drexel president John Fry and U.S. congressman Patrick Kennedy. Drexel became just one of four American schools to win the regatta, joining Yale, Brown and Radcliffe.”

To read this article in The Day, click here. To read the results from the Henley Women’s Regatta, click here.