George Washington University Athletics
GW Men's Rowing Concludes Racing at Henley Royal Regatta
7/1/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Rowing
Official Results | A4 Replay: George Washington vs. Thames Rowing Club
HENLEY-ON-THAMES - The George Washington men's rowing team concluded competition at the 2016 Henley Royal Regatta on Friday as the Colonials' A4 was defeated by Thames Rowing Club in the quarterfinals of the Visitors' Challenge Club on the River Thames.
Thames Rowing Club worked out to a 2.05-second advantage at the barrier (2,089 feet into course) and extended the lead to 3.30 seconds at the fawley (3,435 feet). Thames then pulled ahead by 1-1/4 boat lengths at the finish to win by a margin of 7.31 seconds and eliminate the Colonials from the bracket.
"There were windier conditions today for our race with a strong headwind so the times were a bit slower and the conditions a bit rougher," said head coach Mark Davis. "We didn't have a good start so that kind of set the tone for the race. We didn't find a rhythm until about midway through the course and by that time Thames had about a one-length lead. We were able to keep it close but unable to gain any traction and get back in it. We showed good fight and had a good row. Our opponents in the Thames Rowing Club, these guys are 25-30 years old and have a lot more rowing and racing experience in these types of boats."
Thus concludes GW's first-ever trip to the Henley Royal Regatta and it was a momentous and successful journey to the most famous event in the sport.
"It has been a great experience for our guys to get to this level of rowing, especially in the straight four," said Coach Davis. "Now our guys are excited to take part in the festivities and watch the rest of the regatta before we head back home. And then we are right back to work in preparation for next fall."
Men's rowing alum Trofym Anderson '14 and his team, Canada's Victoria City Rowing Club, will compete in the Grand Challenge Cup later this afternoon.
Players Mentioned
