The build up is done. This weekend, the eyes of the rowing world turn to the most famous stretch of water in the sport. The 37th Henley Women’s Regatta opens the Henley summer, with the first 1500 metrest of the course hosting some of the foremost female athletes in the country – and the world.
The Bourne Cup, competed among championship quads, has attracted a strong entry with top domestic crews, those seeking international representation, as well as a crew from the Netherlands.
Leander Club
On home water, Leander Club have been dominant in this event in recent history. Over the past four editions of the event, the pink palace has had at least one member of three of the winning crews, with the 2022 and 2023 winners being entirely in-house. However, in 2024 they stumbled, losing in the final by one quarter of a length. Back for revenge this year, they have a strong crew. Headlined by Katie Mole, the University of Birmingham student has become one of the biggest names in British sculling, finishing second across the season at both the Wingfield Sculls and BUCS Regatta. Joining Mole is two-time Bourne Cup victor Rosa Thomson, plus Franny Hunt-Davis and the South African standout Danelia Price-Hughes. Together they will try to reclaim the title on home water as they demonstrate the sharp edge of the deepest squad in the country.
Reading University
Since focussing solely on sculling in 2015, Reading University Boat Club has grown to dominate the sculling scene in the UK, with only one notable exception: the Henley stretch. The trophy cabinet in their Caversham-based boathouse is notably missing a win in a quad at either Henley Women’s or Henley Royal Regatta. This year, however, the clams may have assembled a crew capable of winning. At BUCS Regatta, they were ten seconds clear of their closest opposition and Metropolitan Regatta only narrowed that margin to seven seconds against a full-strength Leander lineup. Not only are the results impressive, so too are the athletes as all four were invited to final trials for the GB team, with three members of last summer’s under-23 bronze medal-winning lineup. This crew will take some beating with unmatched pedigree within the entry.
A.G.S.R. Gyas, Netherlands
Coming across the North Sea is Algemene Groningen Studenten Roeivereniging Gyas, from the north of the Netherlands. This crew made up of members of three different organisations was assembled earlier in the season, debuting at the Northwave Regatta, where they competed for the national championship. Unsuccessful in that endeavour as their third place in the time trial left them three seconds away from a race in the head-to-head final. With talented development rowers, this crew could pull off a shock, but as Rowin Morsinkhof’s World University Games appearance in 2023 is the most international experience in the crew, it would be a real upset if Gyas were to lift the Bourne Cup on Sunday.
British U23 Composite
From the Caversham U23 group, this strong composite has united those based in the UK with the best scullers in the US Collegiate system. From the former group comes Hartpury University’s Ellie Dash and Nottingham Rowing Club’s Poppy Baker, while the latter is represented by Matilda Drewett and Heather Taylor from the first eights of Stanford and Northeastern respectively. A similar development crew (including Baker) won this event last year but with no US representation. This year, with the powerful rowers and distinguished junior careers of Drewett and Taylor adding to the mix, will this crew be able to overcome the limitations of time together and sweeping for much of the season? If so, this crew will be a tough competitor to crack for the more established lineups.
Prediction
With the lower entry numbers, this draw has already been published for this event.
In the first semi final, I would pick the composite over the Dutch crew. On the other side of the draw, Reading University have showed the speed to defeat Leander.
Ultimately, I’m going to pick Reading to win in the final as well, picking up their first quads victory on the famous stretch.
About The Author
Discover more from JRN
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
