Henley Rowing Club

Founded 1839

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Last Saturday and Sunday the Metropolitan regatta, one of the most important in the calendar, was held at Dorney Lake in fine, sunny weather with light winds in total contrast to the appalling conditions at the National Schools regatta at Nottingham, the previous week end.

The MET was first held in 1866 on a course between Putney and Hammersmith and continued there until 1977. The regatta was moved to a multi-lane 1,500 metres course at Thorpe Park and from there it returned to the Metropolis in 1988 - to the Royal Albert Dock on a seven lane course and a racing distance of 1,750 metres.

In 2001 the Regatta was re-locate to Eton Colleges partially constructed, but purpose-built, rowing course at Dorney and the MET became one of the first open regattas to be held on the new course. Now completed, the international-standard course at Dorney Lake has eight racing lanes over 2,000m and a separate channel for crews proceeding to the start. Dorney Lake was the venue for the 2006 World Rowing Championships and will be the venue for the 2012 Olympics.

Henley RC's Robert Kenedy, John Gelling, Nigel Maynard, Ross Barnes and cox Michelle Tipping that won the Mens Coxed Fours Gold medal at Ghent regatta continued their success by winning Elite Coxed Fours on saturday beating York City RC, last years Britannia Cup finalists, with Oxford-Brookes in third position. Henley started well and took an early lead but York City fought hard the length of the course putting in several pushes, answered each time by Henley but it was in the last few hundred metres that Henley put in its own push to which York could not respond and Henley crossed the line a length and a half ahead of York.

This same crew was in action again on sunday in Elite Coxed Fours but came second, losing by under a length to a very strong Oxford-Brookes crew that included some of last years winners of the Visitors cup at Henley. The coach, Ian Desmond was very satisfied with the result saying the four had not only beaten all club crews but also the '1829' Boat Club of former full Oxford & Cambridge Blues.

Henley was also represented by Drew Ford and Alex Walker, winners of Championship Double Sculls at the National Schools Regatta, in a Junior Composite Quad Scull along with juniors from Maidenhead and Tideway Scullers. They are seeking full selection for the GB Junior Squad for the World Junior Championships in Beijing this August. With Alex at stroke and Drew at bow, they won both Elite and Senior 1 Quad Sculls on saturday.

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