Saturday is semifinal day – not to mention the biggest social day – at Henley Royal Regatta, and despite the footie competing for British hearts and attention, Henley Saturday is the place to be in July. You can see it all live from the banks and from the sky thanks to heaps of cameras on land, boats, and drones over the length of the course. Here is a rundown of Day Four highlights - all times are local.
Remember, Henley-on-Thames is five hours ahead of EDT in the US.
More info:
11:20am, Wyfold Challenge Cup: Upper Yarra vs Molesey Boat Club
The last time Upper Yarra won at Henley was 2011 but they'll be hard pushed to claim silverware this year as they face the might of a Molesey Boat Club crew well-fancied amongst punters. With three-times Henley finalist Ollie Knight on-board, Molesey dispatched Star Club in quietly dominant fashion to set up a semi-final showdown with their antipodean rivals.
11:30am, Remenham Challenge Cup: University of Washington USA vs Leander & University of London
Having taken apart a crew of American U23 athletes, The Huskies from Seattle will now turn their attention to the British National boat. The Brits sailed through their race against SilVia from the Netherlands and will look to do the same against Washington with one eye on Sunday's final. Following a controlled race today, Washington can expect a much tougher challenge from The British Squad Eight.
11:50am, Leander Club vs Cambridge University & Leander Club
Bowman for Leander is David Bewicke-Copley, rising junior for Princeton and has been featured on row2k for some extreme endurance feats.
12:10pm, Thames Challenge Cup: Montclair Mounties vs Thames A
The holders, Thames, come up against a superb Montclair crew in what promises to be a compelling contest. Montclair, who were originally slated to race in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup before late substitutions made them ineligible, looked sharp in beating Cork Boat Club, Ireland – it would have been interesting to have seen them compete against St Paul's School. As it is, they'll face Thames, who are looking for their third win in a row.
2pm, Princess Grace Challenge Cup: CUWBC & Imperial vs. Edinburgh & Leander
Seniors meet understudies, as the current GB quad meet the prospective U23 outfit. Saskia Budgett and Kyra Edwards are two rising stars of the student rowing scene, and will want to lay down a marker against classy opponents on the Saturday of Henley. Edinburgh & Leander has three Pac-12 athletes in it; Budgett and Edwards are rising seniors for UCLA, while Zoe Adamson is an incoming freshman for Oregon State.
2:30pm, Remenham Challenge Cup: Yale University vs National Training Centre, Australia
It was another great row from the women from Connecticut, which saw A.S.R. Nereus, NED fall to the mighty Yale University. Their opposition from National Training Centre, Australia will look to add another American feather to their cap, following their dismantling of the University of Iowa earlier today. The relatively new Australian combination will provide incredibly tough opposition for this student crew from Yale.
2:40pm, Visitors Challenge Cup: Wairau and Petone Rowing Club vs University of London
The composite crew from New Zealand ran matters close to the wire this morning against Oxford Brookes, as they defeated the student crew by three feet. A combination who have come together to win Henley, they face the University of London's top-ranked boat with several former Henley winners on-board. If the Kiwis can pass this test, you'd be foolish to bet against them on Sunday.
2:50pm, Stonor Challenge Trophy: K.A. Waltar & K. Grube, USA vs S.C. Duncan & D.F.M. Semple
Waltar and Grube are the Washington entry in the double to round out their three entries in the eight, quad, and double.
3pm, Grand Challenge Cup: Leander Club and Molesey Boat Club vs. National Training Centre, Australia
GB's top-ranked men's crew face up against an all-star Australian outfit, containing their hugely impressive coxless four. GB, racing under Molesey and Leander club colours, will be desperate not to be beaten on home turf, having lost out to the German national eight last year. This could be one of the races of the day, as two of the world's fastest eights go head-to-head on the straights of Henley.
3:40pm, Diamond Challenge Sculls: K.Borch vs. C.Cousins
On the comeback trail, Charles Cousins has made light work of all his opposition to this point, remaining undefeated on the domestic circuit. His toughest test comes tomorrow though, as he faces down Kjetil Borch of Norway. Fifth at last year's world championships in the double and fourth in the most recent world cup in the single, Borch would be a mighty scalp for Cousins to take on his path to the Diamond Challenge Sculls.
4pm, Ladies Challenge Plate; Berliner Ruderclub, GER vs Oxford Brookes University
Following a close encounter with umpire Boris Rankov in today's race against the composite crew from Australia, Berliner Ruderlcub will have to keep a sharp eye on their steering as they take on the flagship crew from Oxford Brookes University. This is the fastest crew Oxford Brookes has ever put together.
5:30pm, Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup: St Paul's School vs Radley College
On paper, this looks like mouth-watering. The top two from the National Schools' Regatta have another crack at each other in the altogether different environment that Henley Royal Regatta presents. In reality though, this could well be cut and dry – St Paul's are the dominant force in junior rowing at the moment, unbeaten aside from a felling from Leander Club's Ladies Plate crew, and are looking to progress into junior rowing folklore.
5:40pm, Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup: Y Quad Cities R.A. USA vs Latymer Upper School 'A'
This all-conquering crew from Y Quad Cities R.A. continue their dominant run at Henley. The US Rowing Youth Champions saw off the challenge from arguably the best crew Britain has to offer in the shape of Henley Rowing Club. Latymer Upper School fought their way through an incredibly close race, eventually beating their German opposition by one foot in what could be considered the race of the day.
6:10pm, Temple Challenge Cup: University of Washington vs. Yale University
A proper heavyweight tussle between two of the finest collegiate rowing systems in the world. The Huskies have looked superb every time they've taken to the water, defeating A.S.R Nereus today in impressive style. Yale had a tougher time of it, edging Princeton University by a canvas but have got the better of Washington University on multiple occasions in the USA. Prepare for a cracker.
6:20pm, Fawley Challenge Cup: Windsor Boys School vs Sydney Rowing Club The holders face the international cohort's strongest challengers. Sydney last won this event in 2011, and made the semi-finals in 2012, so know what it takes to progress to the latter stages. Rumour has it that the Windsor Boys crew have gained a lot of speed in the past few weeks since a silver medal at the National Schools' Regatta, so expect them to be gunning for a seat next to either Maidenhead or Leander at junior sculling's top table.
6:40pm, Hambleden Pairs Challenge Cup: An all Leander Club affair, as Harris & White and McKellar and Taylor (Mckellar is a recent grad from Cal, Taylor recent grad from Syracuse) face up in the second of two Hambleden Pair semi-finals. The event for women’s pairs was introduced at the Regatta last year, and the current holders are the world champion Kiwi pair - there are no crews of that pedigree in this event but there will be boats looking to stake a claim for senior berths.
6:50pm, Temple Challenge Cup: Oxford Brookes A vs Newcastle University
A proper English grudge match, pitting North against South and holder against challenger. With the other side of the draw an all-American affair, these two boats will be desperate to represent not only their club but their country in the final of the Temple Challenge Cup.
7:10pm, Britannia Challenge Cup: Thames Rowing Club vs Sydney Rowing Club, AUS
Sydney Rowing Club took apart Greenbank Falmouth R.C. in one of the most one-sided races we've seen this regatta. Thames will look to build upon momentum gained from wins at Ghent and Metropolitan Regattas and their current run of success so far at the regatta.
Comments | Log in to comment |
There are no Comments yet
|