No Jacket Required on a day of 80 races
2nd July 2009A crowd-appealing Princess Elizabeth contest for school eights was amongst the 80 races contested at Henley Royal Regatta today on a day when soaring temperatures prompted event organisers to allow gentlemen to remove their jackets in the Stewards’ Enclosure for the first time since 1976.
The first selected (or seeded) crew to depart became the Mosman RC coxed four from Australia, beaten by Vesta in the opening round.
The men of Glasgow RC made history by winning their first round heats in both the Britannia and the Wyfold coxless fours, the first time a Scottish club has won two first day heats. Local club Henley also really caught the eye with a “hat trick” of first day wins and London RC and Molesey were in similar mode.
Eton College looked exceptional in the Princess Elizabeth Cup, beating two marker records in their row to half way before dropping the rate.
Tomorrow the big Olympic names start their 2009 campaigns. The seven Beijing Olympic medallists competing here include Olaf Tufte of Norway who contests the Diamond Sculls event for single scullers alongside World Champion Mahe Drysdale, of New Zealand. Britain’s Alan Campbell also features in this event and has the opportunity to take a hat-trick of titles in an event he has previously won twice.
Andrew Triggs Hodge and Peter Reed, also gold medallists in Beijing, open their campaign at just after midday tomorrow against American opposition in the men’s pair.
Racing starts at 9am and finishes at 7.20pm.