READING HEAD

Henley Rowing Club crews produced some superb performances at Saturdays Reading Head winning Men's S2 eights and Women's Senior 2 eights. The Men's eight were the third fastest eight being beaten only by Isis BC (supposedly the Boat Race crew) and Leander Club. The Women were the fastest women's crew in the afternoon division.

The race is held over a 41/4 kilometre course downstream from The Roebuck Ferry to just below Caversham Bridge. The course includes some difficult bends and some particularly narrow sections at Rat Island Gut and the Fisheries were no overtaking is allowed making the race a particularly stretching one for the coxes. 

The men's senior 2 crew started in eighth position but powered through the field to finish third overall beating elite crews from top clubs Molesey, Thames Tradesmen and local rivals Upper Thames. 

The Women's Senior 2 crew finished 10 seconds clear of their nearest rivals Eton Excelsior and 20 seconds clear of local rivals Marlow. Marlow had originally given the Henley girls a scare in the first 500 metres of the race when they appeared to be closing on the Henley crew but after Rat Island gut the Henley girls pulled away with some powerful rowing at a good 33 and finished the last 250 at even more powerful 36. 

The men's crew comprised R Wilson, I Cassells, A Jones, S Brown, D Read, R Coombes, J Hasell, R Guiver and Cox J Brind. 

The womens crew which was a 50:50 mix of Juniors girls and Senior Women comprised H Davis, H Smith Willis, R Griffiths, N Robinson, C Hocking, E Dingley, L Lewington, K Pankhurst and cox H Boyd. 

Both crews are competing in the main heads the Womens Head this weekend and the men's on 20th March and will be looking to attain a top finish position if not a win in these premier events.