Saturday saw over two hundred crews taking part in the Henley Fours and Eights Head organised by Henley Rowing Club. The course is normally run over 3000 metres from above Hambleden lock to the regatta finish. However this year for safety reasons due to the strong stream the start was moved upstream to nearer the Henley Management College. For the fastest boat the Oxford Brookes University Senior 1 eight this meant a course time of 9.21 mins. The day was a successful one for Henley Rowing Club crews with the juniors winning two events, the senior women placing third in one event and the senior men coming second in four events.

The boys under 14 quad of Simon Jones, Andrew Ford, Peter Wagner, Chris Clark and cox Kate Thomas maintained their unbeaten record winning their division by 51 secs from Walton "A". The girls under 18 quad also had a comfortable win beating their nearest rivals by 18 secs. This was a good win for the scratch crew of Hannah Read, Melanie Gilson, Natalie McIntosh and Lucy Darke even more so as Hannah is J16 and Natalie J15. Second in this division was the Henley J16 quad of Kaye Davies, Natalie Robinson, Hannah Smith Willis and Lucy Lewington. The girls had a disappointing row and returned a slower time than expected after being forced into the stream by a Sir William Borlase crew who failed to give away and who where lucky not to have been disqualified.

Competing above their status where the girls J13 crew of Hannah Blair, Ellen Anthony, Jenny Arnold, Sarah Bennet and Cox Kelley Doward who raced in the J14 category. The girls returned a fine performance to finish second behind Evesham but ahead of local rivals Sir William Borlase. Also competing in a higher category where the Junior girls four of Hannah Boyd, Gemma Johnson, Caroline Green, Elley Lewis and cox Alice Skinner. These girls competed in the Womens Senior 3 division that always has a wide standard. The winning Imperial College crew winning in a time that would have seen them in second place in Womens Senior 1 coxless fours division. The Henley girls did well to finish in the middle of the senior 3 division beating inter alia crews from Oxford University and Westminster School.

Kate Pankhurst, Caroline Hocking, Helen Davis and Laura Leonoiades made up the womens Senior 1 coxless four, who against tough competition placed third in their division, in 12.28 mins. This followed an earlier race which saw Kate Pankhurst, Laura Leonoiades, Caroline Hocking, Sarah Fellows and cox Louise Lothian in their first outing as a Senior 2 coxed four, achieving a time of 13.09, just one second behind Furnivall.

In the men’s events Henley Rowing Club had a day to be proud of. In the coxless fours the mens Senior 1 of Sutherland, Jennings, Brown and Hasell came second to Oxford Brookes University in a time of 10.43 mins, while the Senior 2 crew of Read, Friend, Guiver and Jones produced an excellent performance in a time of 10.52 mins giving them second place to Oxford Brookes University who were only three seconds ahead. The men’s form continued in the men’s Senior 3 coxed fours when Thompson, Coombes, Wiseman and Bennet came home in second place behind Upper Thames in a time of 10.47 mins. The event was drawn to a close by the Senior men’s eight of Jones, Brown, Hasell, Coombes, Jennings, Read, Friend, Guiver and cox Lucy Mills rowing the third fastest time of the day of 9.50 mins and gaining second place, it was their day’s rival Oxford Brookes University (Senior 2) who beat them to first place.

Whilst their team mates where competing at Henley Bethan Thomas and Becci Griffiths where taking part in selection trials for the Great Britain junior squad. In the sculling trials on Saturday Becci finished in 19 place and Bethan 24. On Sunday Bethan partnered Alex Nye of Pangbourne in a pair that has been asked to continue training together for further trials.

Henley Rowing Club would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to all the behind the scenes people; the organisers, the marshals, the timekeepers and those providing refreshments, who made the day the success it was.