Records tumble at Henley Royal Regatta

It was a very successful weekend for British crews, clinching five victories out of seven finals. The most stunning was perhaps the British men’s quadruple sculls who lead from the start over World Champions, Croatia. Despite a late surge from Croatia in the last 500m in this two-boat race, Great Britain weren’t to be beaten on home water and they stormed home in a time of 6.17, a length and a quarter clear of Croatia to win the Queen Mother Challenge Cup.

Martin Sinkovic of Croatia said of the loss: “Things will be different in Lucerne (Samsung World Rowing Cup III). Maybe we just aren’t supposed to win on British water.”

In the men’s Double Sculls Challenge Cup, Marcus Bateman and Matthew Wells of Great Britain broke British five-time Olympic Champion Sir Steve Redgrave’s longest-standing record to the barrier, in 1.56, before breaking the course record on Saturday against the USA, recording a time of 6.50 and smashing Redgrave’s record by five seconds. The double then faced the Australian Olympic Champions, David Crawshay and Scott Brennan in the final on Sunday and finished two and a half lengths clear. Though they had absolute control, the British double remain realistic.
Wells said: “It’s only their (Australia’s) second race back since Beijing. They have got a lot more to come but what we wanted to do was tell them we’re ruling this event. If you want to become part of it, you have to beat us.”

Peter Reed and Andrew Triggs-Hodge faced the Greek national pair, brothers Aspotolos and Nikolaos Gkountoulas and then the Italian national pair, Lorenza Carboncini and Niccolo Mornati in the men’s pair, but beat them with little trouble to win the Silver Goblets and Nickalls Challenge Cup. In doing so, Reed and Triggs-Hodge broke the course record to the barrier and equalled the course record of 6.56 set by Redgrave and Matthew Pinsent in 1995.

The British men’s four in the Stewards Challenge Cup seemed to be in a league of their own. Beating the USA in the final by two and three quarter lengths. The four broke the overall course record twice, lowering it by three seconds to 6.19. On their way to the final, USA beat off Australian Institute of Sport, Australia’s national boat stroked by Drew Ginn, three-time Olympic Champion, by three quarters of a length.

Even home water advantage could not deny World Champions Germany from snatching glory from the British men’s eight. The German crew took a length’s lead in the first two minutes of the race but steered aggressively and were warned five times for crowding the British. An appeal was launched, but to no avail, and Germany took the Grand Challenge Cup home along with a course record of 5.57.

World Champion women’s eight USA made their 2011 debut in an international event, and they were impressive, taking the honours in the Remenham Challenge Cup by winning over Great Britain. USA were unstoppable, setting a new course record of 6.38 in the process and they looked to be in excellent shape to reign supreme at Samsung World Rowing Cup III in Lucerne.

Alan Campbell (GBR) won the Diamond Sculls Challenge Cup for the men’s single sculls, Mirka Knapkova (CZE) won the the Princess Royal Challenge Cup for the women’s single sculls and Princeton Training Centre, USA’s national quad beat Australia’s quad in the Princess Grace Challenge Cup for the women’s quadruple sculls.

Overseas crews competing in the intermediate and club events outshone domestic crews, including wins for University of California of USA, Banks Rowing Club, Upper Yara Rowing Club and Sydney Rowing Club of Australia and Berliner and Rostock Rowing Club of Germany.