George Washington University Athletics
About the Henley Royal Regatta
6/23/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Rowing
| 2016 Henley Royal Regatta | |
| Coverage | Official Announcement |
| Henley Havoc Blog | |
| Coach Davis' Training Report | |
| In Their Own Words: GW Men's Rowing on the Henley Royal Regatta | |
This post was written by Lauren Shear
The George Washington men's rowing team will make history when it becomes the first from Foggy Bottom to compete at the Henley Royal Regatta over the next week.
GW will compete two fours in the Visitor Challenge Cup. One boat has automatically qualified while the Colonials' B4 will compete in time trials on Friday for a chance to advance to the bracket-style competition.
History
The Henley Royal Regatta was first held in 1839 and has been held annually ever since, except during the two World Wars. Originally staged by the people of Henley as a public attraction with a fair and other amusements, the emphasis rapidly changed so that competitive rowing became its main purpose.
Famous both as a great sporting occasion and as a social event, people come from all over the world to attend, either as competitors or as spectators. Recent years have seen entries from Australia, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Poland, the Netherlands, the U.S.A., Germany, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, South Africa, Slovenia, Greece, China, and Great Britain.
Throughout the event, teams compete for a total of 20 separate trophies, the most prestigious being the Grand Challenge Cup.
The entries for 2016 have shattered previous records, as 616 total crews will compete at the event, including 464 from overseas. Additionally, 27 different nations from around the world will be represented.
Format
The Henley Royal Regatta runs from June 29-July 1 and features a unique match-race format with two boats racing side-by-side with the winner advancing to the next round and the loser eliminated from the competition. This bracketed tournament of dual races features two-to-five rounds for each of the 20 events.
The one-mile, 550-yard (2,112 meter) Thames River Course, used since 1924, is slightly longer than the traditional 2,000-meter racing distance. Oarsmen start from just below the Berkshire side of Temple Island and row to a straight finish at Popular Point.
The GW men's rowing team has split their Varsity 8 boat into two fours that will compete for the Visitors' Challenge Cup, an intermediate level event open to clubs and students. Recent winners of the Visitors' Challenge Cup include University of California, Berkley in 2015 and Harvard University in 2013 and 2014.
There are 22 entries into the Visitors Challenge Cup, a number that will be reduced to 16 following qualifying races on June 24. The Henley Royal Regatta opens with preliminary heats on June 29-30.
Legacy and Significance
The deep history rooted in the Henley Royal Regatta makes winning an event considered one of the greatest achievements of a rower's career, even amongst those who have become world champions.
Although rowing alumni have competed at the Henley Royal Regatta, most notably former Olympian and GW Athletic Hall of Famer Aquil Abdullah ('96), this will be the first time that the GW rowing program will compete.
"We all view this as the next step for the program," said head coach Mark Davis. "It just helps get our name out so more people know about us. People are excited."
The Henley Royal Regatta will be televised on BBC and live streamed through the Regatta's official YouTube channel. GW Alumni at Henley Robert Bartlett '88, a member of the 1992 Great Britain Olympic Rowing Team, represented Great Britain at Henley in 1986 and helped his nation to the Grand Challenge Cup.
Recent graduate Trofym Anderson '14 is set to compete at the 2016 Henley Royal Regatta when he represents his native Canada and the Victoria City Rowing Club in the Grand Challenge Cup.
Additionally, Alex DeSordo '07 will also compete at this year's event when he rows for the Baltimore Rowing Club in the Britannia Challenge Cup.
GW Athletic Hall of Famer and former Olympian Aquil Abdullah '95 became the first African American man in the history of the Royal Henley Regatta to win the Diamond Challenge Sculls in 2000. The event, which is open to male single scullers from all eligible rowing clubs, was first contested in 1844.
Players Mentioned
