Henley Rowing Club

Founded 1839

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Reading Amateur Regatta took place on Saturday and Sunday last week with Henley Rowing Club represented in several junior events.

The Men's J15 coxed quad, with Scott Anthony at bow, Tom Hope, Isaac Gatley, George Arnold, stroke and Mary Arnold, cox raced extremely well over the long, 1500 metre course on Saturday. In the semi-final, a shipwreck soon after the start left them 1 ½ lengths down on a very powerful Hampton School crew, but the Henley Crew pulled back gradually over the course to win by ½ length. In the final another Hampton crew proved too powerful as, helped by a possibly over-generous 2/3 length stagger on the start, they opened up a 1 ½ length lead, which, despite a succession of determined attacks, the much lighter Henley crew could make little impression on, Hampton going on to win by 1 ½ lengths. .

On Sunday, Tom Hope and George Arnold, at opposite ends of the draw, were hoping to meet in the final of J15 single sculls, but George was unfortunate to race a very strong sculler, Sexton from Kings College School in the first round and in a close race, he lost by ½ length. Tom though proved much too fast for all his opponents, beating another Kings College School sculler in the first round easily, a Hampton sculler in the semi-final by 5 lengths and Sexton easily in the final to win the event. His final time of 4:12 minutes was closely comparable to scullers in the senior events - an outstanding performance by any measure.

Meanwhile in other action on Sunday the WJ14 Quad Scull of Charlotte Mills (stroke), Becci Norman, Bryony Stephens, Amy Fitzgibbon and Olivia Corbridge (cox) won both their semi-final and final by a very large distance, beating Kingston Grammar School A in the final.

Honourable mention should also go to Laura-Jane Robinson in the WJ14 single, who won a close semi-final against fellow Henley sculler Hannah Baker and then lost a close race in the final against a strong local sculler from Reading RC.

The boys J14 Quad of Rory Wilson (stroke), Jonny Casey, Guy Whittaker, Alex Spink and Hayze Clements (cox) won their semi-final but then unfortunately lost a close final against Avon County.

The Henley girls WJ15 squad continued their successful season with a comfortable win in the WJ16 Coxles Quad category. With a bye to the final, the crew of Haley Lloyd, Gemma Hall, Lizzie Blair and Abi Stephens quickly established a lead over Avon County and went on to win by 2 1/2 lengths. Given the girls were rowing up an age group, this was an excellent result.

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