And so racing commenced on Friday at Henley Royal Regatta. (Quote from a coxswain in a four going past the Regatta Enclosure.) Reporting from Henley has been very much like live footage on location for the weather channel: horrible conditions and a pronouncement of the obvious. Yes, weather has been a player here in the enclosures and in the water, at least today the unhappy trio (wind, rain, cold) is reduced to a lone unwanted guest--and it showed up without a badge: wind. As with the Brits, rowers are coping.
At the opening of the day, Potomac Boat Club was knocked out of the racing by a technically brilliant Tideways Scullers School eight by only one length. It was a good race, with crews really building into the finish, Potomac just ran out of race course.
Hillary Gehman, in a race for the first time since Athens Olympics, lead O'Hanlon of Sydney University Rowing Club in Australia off the start, and held her off at a lower rating until the Stewards Enclosure, when she got hit by a gust of wind and lowered her rating, while O'Hanlon at Berks put her port oar near the boom and followed the stream at a 36 to win over Gehman easily. Gehman had a bit of a pained expression as she passed, tough race for her.
The school boys/scholastic scene is really getting interesting, with a few US crews taking their last rows on the course, some advancing. Malvern Prep School was 1 and 1, with their "B" quad falling to Maritime Boat Club in the Fawley Challenge, who, (not coincidentally) won the quad event at Cincinnati/Youth Nationals at Harsha Lake a few weeks ago. Malvern Prep's "A" boat, with a Miami Rowing Club rower helping out, won by 3 and a half lengths. They had some steering problems now and again, but simply out powered a crew from Windsor Boys' School.
Coach Craig Hoffman says that Robin Prendes from Miami was on the US Junior Worlds team last year with Malvern Prep rower Carter Lindborg, thus the skilled competition they provide. Both crews raced at Reading Regatta last week as a warm-up.
Malvern Prep has historically been a sculling program, Hoffman says that with the lower numbers (about 25, at any time 10 are novice); it gives the kids the best competition to race in smaller boats.
Hoffman credits assistant coaches Brandon O'Brien and Nate O'Connor, Art Post and Vic Maggitti, for the success of the program. O'Brien and O'Connor raced in a pair against the Polish team yesterday, but were knocked out. O'Connor was here last year in the Cornell 8, who was in the final draw with Oxford Brookes last year.
"The kids are responding well to difficult conditions…" concluded Hoffman.
Thomas Jefferson has had the leisure of winning "easily" for the first two rounds of racing here at Henley. This was not the case today. Although the kids "felt like they had a good performance" out there, according to Coach Jim Granger, they lost control of the race around Remenham Farm. Racing against Brentwood College School, the Canadian Schoolboys Champion, they were evenly matched for the first 3/4 mile. The coxswain confirmed the coach's assessment that they spent the middle part of the race playing catch-up, not an enjoyable situation. However, as row2k reported yesterday, these boys are all going to college next year for rowing. This boat of 8 seniors will be in freshman programs at some of the best schools in the country, their coxswain, a junior, will likely be steering incoming varsity from this deep program. Henley next year?
Belmont Hill, after battling and winning against two St. Paul's teams (US and UK) for the first two rounds of the Prince Elizabeth Challenge, gave a go at another skirmish but lost by just 1/4 length to Radley College form the UK. They hit the rating hard, but struggled with collecting themselves first so they could deliver results from that rating.
The US colleges! How they have gotten the attention of the Stewards enclosure! Here's how they did it (and I'm sure this was planned): they save they massive bit of excitement for the end.
Cornell wins the award for this. After two races that were not easy by any stretch, they had University of Bristol at their starboard side for the entire race in The Temple Cup this morning. "It seemed like all the crews are going after it in the first 1000 (Yank distance assessment), said Emily Baines, coxswain, "we knew this was going to be one heck of a race." We got out by about 6 seats at Fawley and made a move but they matched it." It came down to a 1/4 length and a mad sprint to the finish, a testament to this lightweight crew who overpowered a heavy crew.
Cornell Heavyweight Coach Dan Roock, standing in for Todd Kennett, stateside with an expectant wife, said, "This was the toughest go of Henley…the other races were close but we were in charge, could control the cadence, but conditions were favorable at the end for us to do well from Berks (they had rowed from Bucks in first two races)." Roock says they have practiced this stretch with some other crews over the last week, seems to have paid off. When I mentioned that, Roock added, "These guys really are on autopilot." He admits to feeling like a substitute teacher at the beginning of the week, and that with each passing race he is getting more involved, more excited for the outcome. He also credits Henley host family the Gouges who have provided well for his crew.
Colgate took their turn as Steward's amusement for The Temple Challenge Cup against Trinity College, Dublin later, finally winning by just over a length. During their journey they got quite a few warning for steering, this kept racing interesting during an aggressive coxswain's race. Colgate has had some impressive races so far, match-ups tomorrow should be interesting. Take a look, Stewards!
The Diamond Challenge Cup for Men's single scullers had a second round today, American Jamie Schroeder setting a pattern for the elites: go out hard, settle low, win easily. Schroeder, Drysdale (NZ) and Hacker (Germany) all performed in this manner. "The first few rounds you have to look after yourself," said Drysdale, "likely I'll have to face Hacker, and this will be neck and neck all the way like Worlds" he adds. He felt that there is no need for four hard races, and that they are surely happening in the next day. As for the conditions? He says he has rowed a good bit in the tideways, which goes even faster that this course. Drysdale, I noticed, went out to train right after his race after downing a small amount of chow. Go for it Mahe. Drysdale raced Hoodless of Upper Thames Rowing Club.
Marcel Hacker, with the help of an interpreter, says he like the format because "everyone has a chance to go one-on-one, there are steps for each rower, no one is better." Hacker has been in UK for one week, is heading out to the Lucerne World Cup next week, then home to train for Worlds in Munich in August. He says, of Henley, "there are no tactics; it is a very simple system." Hacker raced Coombes of Huon Rowing Club, winning easily. The very sportsmanlike Hacker helped him get out of his boat (despite the fact that his boat almost lost an oar while he helped his opponent).
Jamie Schroeder had command of his race as well, taking an easy early lead on a very straight course (not the norm in this wind, for anyone). He was racing Kris Coventry, racing for Mercantile Rowing Club in Australia, though he has been at Cambridge for his PhD and was in the Cambridge Blue boat last year. It turns out Coventry hurt his thumb playing net ball two weeks ago and has only placed hand to oar in the past few days. His parents David and Margaret (who I was lucky to meet) were in town for his graduation, they said, "Henley is a bonus." Kris seemed to be having a good time; he had a beaming smile when he stopped two strokes from the finish. Now on to graduation! Schroeder looks to be stiff competition for the big guys here, can't wait for these next races. If you are out there Jamie, can I have your extra launch tickets?
More later! Cheers from England.
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