Top-flight entry anticipated for 160th Henley Royal Regatta
10th June 2009There are just three weeks until the 160th annual Henley Royal Regatta gets under way (Wednesday 1 July to Sunday 5 July). Organisers are anticipating a top-flight entry from around the globe for an event that attracted over 1,600 rowers a year ago.
The List of Entries will be announced on Thursday 18th June and the official Draw takes place on Saturday 27 June.
Speculation is high, however, that a strong international and UK entry can be expected – more so than in 2008 when many rowers were focusing on the Olympic Games.
“I am delighted to see that the attraction of Henley is still powerful amongst top rowers around the world”, said Henley Royal Regatta Chairman Mike Sweeney today. “We are looking forward to a top quality entry”.
The Diamond Challenge Sculls should prove one of the more exciting contests of this year’s Regatta. Mahe Drysdale, the reigning world champion, looks set to be part of the New Zealand squad. He raced in two mouth-watering finals in 2006 and 2007 against Great Britain’s Alan Campbell. During the world cup in Spain, two weeks ago, Norway’s double Olympic champion, Olaf Tufte, also announced his intention to race.
Both Drysdale and Campbell have made no secret of their passion for racing at Henley.
“I love racing at Henley”, said Campbell recently. “You can’t beat the atmosphere and the crowds. Without doubt, my win over Mahe two years ago was the best win of my career so far”.
It is the first time that a full NZ squad has contested the Regatta which is a five-day event, featuring intense side-by-side racing, as well as being part of the established British summer season of sports and social occasions.
South Africa, who were a close second to GB in the recent world cup, have vowed openly to defend their title in the Silver Goblets, the men’s pair event.
US Olympian Megan Kalmoe has also revealed her intention to race at this year’s Regatta through US press reports.
In recent years crews representing Harvard, Princeton and the University of California, Berkeley, have all competed at Henley Royal as have crews from the top British “rowing” Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Oxford Brookes and Reading.
We wait to see whether most of the top GB crews will enter. Indications are strong that several of the leading GB men’s crews, including the men’s pair of Olympic gold medallists Andrew Triggs Hodge and Peter Reed, will take part but GB Rowing has made no official announcements yet.
It is not just in elite events that the Regatta attracts the cream of British and international rowing. Henley features racing in University, club and junior events, with strong overseas contingents expected to race in all these categories.
There are 19 events in total at the Regatta which last year featured crews from 18 nations.