Thursday: Canadian National Team member Stacey Norwood, representing Kennebecasis Rowing Club (New Brunswick), won her first-round race today at the prestigious Henley Royal in England.
Norwood, of St. John, easily beat N.C. Absolom of the Wallingford Rowing Club in a time of 9:15. Norwood, 29, advances to tomorrow's quarter finals of the Princess Royal Challenge.
Unlike multi-lane international regattas, Henley operates a knock-out draw with only two boats racing in each heat. The length of the Henley course is one mile 550 yards (2112m), which is longer than the standard international distance of 2000 metres.
An event for women's singles was first introduced in 1993. In 1996, regatta organizers purchased a silver cup as a challenge trophy and obtained the approval of H.M. The Queen for this trophy to be called the Princess Royal Challenge Cup, which was presented for the first time in 1997.
Canadian Team fours and women's eights begin racing tomorrow, and the men's eight races a top U.S. crew on Sunday for the Grand Challenge Cup.