Henley Royal Regatta has reached finals day. Just after 4:30pm, tomorrow's racing will come to a close and the celebrations will all have begun. There will be 23 races tomorrow, all set to deliver some of the fiercest gladiatorial racing in the world. There will be three races featuring crews from the United States of America, two of which are in the recently added Women's events.
Live feeds, including the HRR's first-ever Facebook live feeds:
3:20 W4- New York Athletic Club, USA v Hollandia Roeiclub, NED
Tomorrow's final will see New York go head to head with the provisionally named Netherlands U23 coxless four. This crew already has international experience, with three of the crew racing in the Women's Eight that won silver in the European Championships. That being said the members of the New York crew are no strangers to International racing. This crew contains 13 World Championship medals between them, along with three Henley medals. Having the experience of winning Henley is vital in match racing. The question is whether or not the young guns from Holland can overturn the more experienced crew from The USA.
3:40 W2- G.E Prendergast & K.L. Gowler, NZL v M.E. Kalmoe & T.E. Eisser, USA
The American girls are the quickest pair in the States having won the US Trial Speed Order. That being said, they did place second behind their opponents at the most recent World Cup in Poznan. Both Megan Kalmoe and Tracy Eisser raced in Rio last year, ultimately finishing fifth in the final of Women's Quads, having won the World Championships the year before. However, the New Zealanders are hot favourites for this event. They won the most recent World Cup and set a new World Record in the process.
4:20: Diamonds: J.H. Graves, USA vs M.R.G. Dunham, NZL
The Diamonds has been an odd one this year; with the withdrawal of newly-minted world record holder Robbie Manson prior to the event, and the spectacle of Australian Rio M4x silver medallist Cameron Girdlestone folding mid-race while leading his semifinal on Saturday, it will be NZ lightweight sculler Matt Dunham vs John Graves in what could be a streetfight for at least a fair amount of the way.
More races to watch:
12:10 Temple Challenge Cup University of London 'A' v Oxford Brookes University 'A'
This Oxford Brookes crew is effectively the second VIII from the university, as their first boat is racing in the Ladies' Challenge Cup. Nevertheless, these two crews are fiercely competitive and will provide a cracking finale to the Temple. The boat from Oxford has finished second to their 1st VIII at all the major regattas, meaning UL are hungry to get one over their rivals. This is possible. UL beat this Brookes crew into bronze medal position in Championship VIIIs at BUCS regatta back in April.
12:50 Ladies' Challenge Cup Oxford Brookes University and Taurus v Molesey B.C & London R.C
This showdown will see the fastest non-international crew in Britain ever recorded go up against ,what is likely to be, the Great Britain U23 crew. Brookes recently posted a 5:30 at Marlow regatta, just over a week before the start of Henley. The vast majority of this crew won the Temple Challenge Cup last year and coach Henry Bailhache-Webb has done an awesome job to take this programme from strength to strength. That being said, the GB crew will be Brookes' toughest competition to date. Packed with talent, most notably David Bewicke-Copley an U23 silver medallist whilst still at school, this crew is favourite to carry off the Ladies' Challenge Cup.
2:40 Princess Elizabeth: Scotch College, Melbourne, AUS vs Radley College
Having knocked out the fastest Schoolboy Eights in the country in the form of St Pauls and Eton College, Scotch College can now be considered favourites for the event. Their 5:40 at the recent Holland Becker shows they are on fine form. Radley College have shown significant improvement since their National Schools performance, and will be giving it their best shot after coming in Fair Mile Road to Henley, bringing local supporters with them.
2:50 Princess Royal Challenge Cup V.L. Thornley v A.K. Thiele, GER
Having beaten her opponent every time they have raced this season, Thornley of Great Britain should feel confident going into this race. Thiele has been on the international circuit since she first raced as a junior in 2005. She has struggled to match the speed of Thornley this season and that combined with a home-water advantage should mean Thornley comes away with the red box.
3:00: Remenham Cup: Leander Club & University of London vs Waiariki R.C., NZL
Don't let the club names fool you; this is the Poznan World Cup silver medal GB women's eight vs the Poznan World Cup gold medal New Zealand women's eight. Rarely do you see the top two-ranked crews in the world at any given moment in a dual race; with the added home crew incentive for the GB crew, this should be great.
3:30 Grand Challenge Cup Leander Club & Newcastle University v Passau & Treviris Trier, GER
The British national Eight has their work cut out. They are going up against the German crew who recently set a World Record at the most recent World Cup and thus they should be considered favourites. The British crew was affected by both injury and illness when they raced last and a solid few weeks of training should have helped to bring the crew together. This is all set to be another classic final of the Grand Challenge Cup.
4:00 Thames Challenge Cup Thames R.C. 'B' v Thames R.C. 'A'
Thames Rowing Club will win the Thames Challenge Cup tomorrow as both their 'A' boat and 'B' boat have won their respective finals. Thames 'A' looked imperious as they took apart home favourites Leander Club. Their club mates beat Agecroft Rowing Club just over an hour earlier.
4:10 Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup Gloucester R.C. v Isle of Ely R.C.
Following a grudge match against National Champions, Headington School, Gloucester return to the final to potentially walk away with the Cup for the fourth year in a row. In their way however, is Isle of Ely R.C. These two crews met in the final of Junior Quads at the very recent Henley Women's Regatta, with Gloucester coming out on top. This race should be another cracker.
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