Henley Update - Sunday

Apologies for the lack of a Saturday update - it seems not to have uploaded for some reason.

In yesterday's final The VIII beat Kent School, USA by four lengths.  They went for it right from the start, very quickly moving out to a three-quarter length lead.  The time to the Barrier (1.55 in a very stiff headwind) was really very fast, quicker in fact than the University of Washington's Varsity crew and only a second off Harvard's Varsity in the Ladies'.  There were some sharp intakes of breath amongst the sages on the floating grandstand when it was announced.  From then on the result was not in doubt and The VIII's technique held up very well in the difficult conditions, allowing them to move steadily out to an overwhelming lead.  Congratulations to the boys and to Alex on completing the treble for the second year running.

Freddie Foks won the Brit with Tideway Scullers, and Ant Locke and Nick Jordan got the better of Matt Evans in the close final of the Ladies.  Commiserations to Matt on what has been a tough year for him.  Ben Bathurst's Exeter crew missed out in the Prince Albert, but he confessed himself pleased to have made the final.

Henley Update - Friday

This afternoon The VIII raced Abingdon and again established an early lead from the start.  This was stretched to 2 lengths by Fawley, and they then rowed in controlled fashion (rating 30 past the enclosures) to maintain this lead, allowing Abingdon to close the gap to a length and a quarter at the line.  A visit from HRH The Princess Royal soon after the race will hopefully spur the boys on to even better things over the weekend.

Shrewsbury beat Radley in quite convincing style (3 lengths and rating 33 past the enclosures) so it seems likely that they will bring the sternest test so far in the semi-final at 2-20pm tomorrow.

Elsewhere in the regatta the Harvard crew with Ant Locke, and Nick Jordan (CMJ 08) whom I failed to mention yesterday, went through, as did the Oxford composite with Matt Evans.  Freddie Foks and Ben Bathurst are also through to their semi-finals.  Ian Lawson unfortunately went out to Howard of Canada, and I should have mentioned yesterday that Steve Hermes (JCB coach) rowed in his double, going out to the Portuguese lightweight crew.

Henley Update - Thursday

This morning the 2nd VIII raced University of Victoria, Canada who were a selected crew and who clearly mean business, having come a fair way to be here.  The 2nd VIII rowed well, but this would always be a bridge too far and the Canadians won by 4.5 lengths.  Still, with no other school crews in this event, to reach Thursday was an excellent achievement, last done by our 2nd VIII in 2007, and this crew can now claim to be up there with the best of our 2nd VIIIs.

The VIII raced Bedford Modern School this afternoon, establishing a lead early on, and stretching this out considerably between the Barrier and Fawley.  By the time of the enclosures they were rowing at 24 strokes a minute, and maintaining their lead.  Another fairly clinical performance; so far so good.

Elsewhere in the event, Shrewsbury went fast and race Radley tomorrow at 4pm; it should be a great one to watch.  The foreign competition continues to progress; the jury is out on whether they are quicker than our domestic rivals.

Tomorrow The VIII will race Abingdon, who beat Dulwich School today, but perhaps not as comfortably as they would have liked.  The race is at 3-20pm

Amongst OEs racing, Freddie Foks (DMG 08) is going well in the Britannia Challenge Cup (club coxed fours) coxing Tideway Scullers - expect to see him in the final.  Henry Goodier (RPDF 08) today lost to Ben Bathurst (CMJ 08) in the Prince Albert Challenge Cup (university coxed fours); they were rowing for Imperial College and Univ of Bristol respectively.  Ant Locke (CWM 07) will start to race later in the week for Harvard's Varsity crew and may well meet Matt Evans (RPDF 05) in an Oxford Univ/ Brookes composite in the Ladies Plate (second most prestigious eights).  From more vintage times, Hugh Mackworth-Praed today lost to Ian Lawson (2nd VIII coach) in the Diamond sculls.  Ian won the event in 2008.

Henley Update - Wednesday

The VIII raced Latymer Upper School this afternoon.  An effective start to the campaign saw them half a length up by the end of the start, and they soon developed this into a commanding lead.  By the enclosures they were to take the rate of striking down to 26, winning by 2.5 lengths in a time of 6.44.  The time to the Barrier was 1.50 (3 seconds outside our own record last year) and to Fawley 3.06 (also 3 seconds off last year's record, which means they were travelling very well between the two markers).

The 2nd VIII raced Cambridge Lightweights just after the tea interval in what was always going to be a gripping encounter.  Eton took a narrow lead off the start, then extending this to half a length and then three quarters.  Coming into the enclosures Cambridge attacked hard, closing the gap back to a quarter of a length.  The 2nd VIII then responded well, and when they raised their rate of striking for the line they increased their lead to two thirds of a length.

Tomorrow The VIII race Bedford Modern School at 1505, the 2nd VIII race University of Victoria, Canada at 1100.