Henley Rowing Club

Founded 1839

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One of Henley Rowing Club's newer member's is the junior sculler Tom Hope who moved to Henley from the west of England in the last year. He is an exceptional young sculler and as shown by his recent regatta successes. At Reading Town Regatta last Saturday Tom Hope entered Novice Sculls rather than his usual J15 Single Sculls, in a field of 15 including competitors from Australia, South Africa and the US, who were over here for Henley Royal Regatta.

He won his first two rounds of the 3 lane 800 meter upstream races. In doing so he beat scullers from Radley College, Oxford Academicals, Miami Beach RC, USA and Carlow RC, Ireland. In both heats Tom was drawn in the worst lane in the middle of the river where the stream was strongest.

In the final he came up against another sculler from Miami Beach and an Australian from St Ignatius College. Drawn once again in the worst lane with the strongest stream, Tom was winning with 100metres to go but with tired legs eventually lost to the Auusralian by the narrowest margin, a verdict of 1 foot.

This was a great performance for his first adult event and followed on from wins in the J15 Single Scull at the Reading Amateur and Thames Valley Park Regattas on the two previous week-ends.

Tom then teamed up with Isaac Gatly to compete in the Senior 2 Double Sculls. Once again in the worst of the three lanes the boys fought hard against expereinced, adult opposition eventually losing in the straight final to the Windsor Boys School by about 4 lengths.

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