Named after a trailblazer of the sport, Rosie Mayglothling was the first winner of the invitational women’s double sculls at Henley Royal Regatta and thereafter led change through the British Rowing system.
A packed-out event in 2025, 34 entries will have to be cut to 16 by the end of the time trial, making it challenging even to make it to the knockout stages. For many crews, Henley Women’s Regatta is the pinnacle of their rowing careers. Racing between the booms has its own history and prestige, so seeing so many crews enter this weekend is hugely exciting and should make the racing more unpredictable.
Warwick Boat Club (O Joyce and M Lack)
Joyce and Lack have had multiple outings at bigger regattas this season, placing fourth at Nottingham City Regatta, fifth at Wallingford, and eighth at the Metropolitan Regatta. With so many races under their belts, they will likely be one of the best-prepared crews out there and should be ready for more close racing.
Upper Thames (N Holland and T. Tijssen)
Holland and Tijssen will likewise be confident about reaching the latter rounds. Fourth at Wallingford and fifth at the Metropolitan Regatta, this home crew will know this course and booms better than any other – something that will no doubt play to their advantage.
Leicester (E Gough and L Webster), (N Wadowska and K Duffy)
Leicester have two crews entered. Their ‘A’ crew (Gough and Webster) could be favourites this weekend, finishing highest at the Metropolitan Regatta in sixth. This followed a win at Nottingham City Regatta earlier in the season. They will undoubtedly have improved every race, boding well for a victory this weekend. Their B boat (Wadowska and Duffy) have also been going strongly. They were seventh in the B-final at the Metropolitan Regatta, where they beat several ‘A’ crews in the Henley Women’s Regatta draw, which should give them tremendous confidence to qualify and progress through to the knockouts.
Mortlake Anglian and Alpha (R Campbell and H Marescalchi)
Campbell and Marescalchi have had an intense few weeks, placing fifth in the B-final on the Saturday of the Metropolitan Regatta and making the final at Reading Amateur Regatta just days ago. Undoubtedly, they will be ready for the one-on-one format over the 1400-metre course.
Warrington (E Stanhope and M Jones)
Warrington’s Stanhope and Jones are another crew that will be in the mix and likely to make the later stages of the knockouts. With years of experience in this crew, Henley Women’s Regatta will be a familiar setting. First in the B-final at the Metropolitan Regatta, they should be one of the top boats in the time trial, seeding them well for the knockouts.
Reading University (L. Jarvis and H. Krautkraemer)
The success and pedigree of Reading University’s sculling means this double cannot go through the rounds unseen. The programme’s success this season is impressive and should extend to all levels of their squad. It would, therefore, be no surprise to see the black and purple progressing through to the later rounds of this competition.
International Entrants
Entrants from further afield are hard to predict, and little is known about their form. Limerick University/Queens University raced at the Metropolitan Regatta, placing seventh in the B-final, so they will know some of these domestic crews well. International crews have a history of winning this event, and it is unlikely they will have travelled all this way if they don’t have high hopes of winning. The Australian crew, in particular, could be one to look out for.
Prediction
A win could come from anywhere in this field with so many tightly ranked crews. On previous results and form, Leicester could be the pick of the bunch, which would certainly be an impressive victory for the club. Again, the international entrants cannot be ruled out, so seeing one of these crews in the final would be no surprise. Upper Thames and Warwick are also ones to look out for and could at least make it to the semifinals. Whatever happens, Henley Women’s Regatta promises to be a memorable weekend.
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