It is testament to how far Henley Royal Regatta has pushed the envelope regarding rowing coverage that the drone, which felt like a very new and exciting feature just a decade ago, is now a staple part of so much televised rowing.
The operation to bring the Regatta to a wider and more internationally diverse audience began in 2015 with the inaugural broadcast (a commentary project in which yours truly was privileged to play – and continue to play – a role). Given we missed a year due to COVID-19, 2025 will be both the ten-year anniversary of the first broadcast and the tenth occasion it has been streamed for free on YouTube. Under the leadership and guidance of the Stewards and Sunset & Vine – who have been the broadcast partner since inception – the Regatta coverage has blossomed into one of the sport’s leading examples of what rowing can be when presented in the right way.
To commemorate this occasion – and because June wouldn’t feel right without some Henley-related hyperbole – we’re going to release a series of article highlighting what we believe are some of the best races to have been broadcast on the big screen. See below for the ‘Intermediate’ categories, often home to some of the most compelling combinations and competitive contests.
#5 Leander v Nereus, Ladies Challenge Plate (2016)
Is it even Henley Royal Regatta if you haven’t had your fair share of steering controversies? This final was a brilliant exhibition of eights rowing but will be remembered by most for the interventions of Umpire Boris Rankov. The eccentric former Boat Race winner was often at the centre of contentious moments and the 2016 final of The Ladies Challenge Plate between Nereus, carrying a strong core of athletes who had won The Temple Challenge Cup the year before, and Leander, home favourites and whose colour was adorned across Rankov’s tie that day, much to the dismay of the Nereus coaches. The race ended with Nereus beating out Leander by a matter of inches but the real narrative was dominated by the frequent and vocal warnings being given to the crew by Rankov. In the end, coach Diederik Simon was seen on the live pictures gesticulating for his boat to move over, something the committee took a dim over. Nereus were disqualified and Leander were given the win.
#4 Thames v California Berkeley, Visitors’ Challenge Cup (2016)
Another classic for all the wrong reasons, this race is still one of the most-watched YouTube clips on the Henley Royal Regatta channel. With just metres remaining in the final of this event, the University of California, Berkeley – whose crew featured several members of their IRA National Championship-winning crew – were in complete control. Their opponents from Thames were stepping up into this category after winning The Thames Challenge Cup in 2015 and seemed outgunned from start to, well, finish. That, though, does not take into account the foil of many a best-laid plan at Henley Royal Regatta – the booms. In a moment storied in infamy, the Cal crew rowed nearly headlong into the booms with about 25m left to row; their shell drifted agonisingly towards the line, as if reaching for that which it would never find, leaving Thames to cross the line first.
#3 Schuylkill Navy v Leander ‘A’, The Prince of Wales Challenge Cup (2016)
In defence of my choosing three races from the same year to open this piece, we did have a brilliant Regatta in 2016. So many of the finals were classics and this one did not disappoint. Leander arrived on a six-year winning streak (a period of dominance they’re looking to build in this era too). The Americans from Schuylkill Navy were not to be trifled with, though – their crew contained a host of talented scullers, whose fast-starting pace established nearly a length’s lead in the first half of the course. Leander mounted the classic Henley charge in the closing moments, reducing the US lead down to just four feet at the finish line. This was aggressive quad sculling at its best.
#2 Oxford Brookes University ‘A’ v Leander Club, The Ladies Challenge Plate (2023)
A rivalry that has defined the last decade of rowing in the UK, the arms race for Henley Royal Regatta has never been hotter than between Oxford Brookes and Leander. All season, the two will duel across various boat classes, often separated by inches and seconds over courses up and down the country. All this leads to showdowns at Henley Royal Regatta and their scrap in the final of The Ladies Challenge Plate in 2023 was perhaps the finest indication of just how far these boat clubs have raised the bar. Brookes led throughout but were hounded continually by a Leander boat that just wouldn’t let go, chasing them down to a three-feat margin at the line.
#1 University of Washington v Tideway Scullers’/Molesey, The Visitors’ Challenge Cup (2022)
Another example of a very fast US collegiate crew pitching up to take on all-comers on the Henley Royal Regatta straights. Unlike their fierce West Coast rivals from California, the Huskies fared a little better in their Visitors’ final, seeing off an immensely talented combination from the UK in a classic contest. The overhead camera, which stepped in to compensate for the fact that there was no drone footage in 2022, illustrated how much rudder the UK composite applied throughout the race, whereas Washington stayed true to their course, a strategy that paid dividends. The Scullers/Molesey crew led until the final strokes, whereupon Washington launched their fearsome closing sprint to win by a mere three feet.
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