Henley Royal Regatta 2021: Day 4

LEANDER CLUB raced in 15 out of 47 races on the fourth day of this year’s Henley Royal Regatta.

It has so far won most of today's events while Henley Rowing Club lost against Headington School in the Junior Women’s Eights and is due to compete in the Thames Challenge Cup this afternoon. 

At 9.50am, Leander's Seb Devereux was up against Dara Alizadeh, of Cambridge University, in the Diamond Challenge Sculls and won his race easily. 

At 10.30am, Leander’s A crew won by three and three-quarter lengths race against a composite crew from Nottingham Rowing Club and Leander, which included the latter’s Olivia Caesar at stroke, in the Town Challenge Cup for women’s fours.

Ten minutes later, Henley Rowing Club was defeated by Headington School in the Junior Women’s Eights by two and a half lengths. Their rivals stole an early lead in the race and the Henley crew, most of whom were racing at the regatta for the first time, were unable to close the gap.

Their coach Leon Redman said: "They did incredibly well and stepped up to the plate, leaving everything out on the course and doing the best they could.

"It was difficult training during the lockdown but we got them all the equipment that we could, like light weights and ergos, and trained via Zoom.

"They're proud of themselves and can see the improvements they've made throughout the season but Headington put in a strong performance and that's just the way it goes.

"The girls will be staying on site to watch the men's eight racing and can just enjoy the rest of the regatta now. They're happy to have raced at Henley as it's the one event we all look forward to."

At 10.50am, a Leander Club men’s quad won by two lengths against the Tideway Scullers’ School in the Prince of Wales Challenge Cup.

At 11.20am, Leander’s Sam Redgrave and its vice-captain Susie Dear won by two and a quarter lengths against Sophie Payne, also of Leander, and Megan Slabbert, of the University of London, in the Hambleden Challenge Trophy for women’s pairs.

The following race at 11.30am saw Leander’s eight clash defeated by Oxford Brookes University’s A crew in the Ladies’ Challenge Plate. The crews were close for much of the race but Brookes ultimately forged ahead to seize victory by two-thirds of a length.

Cox Wilf Le Brocq said: "We had a good race and always knew we were up against a strong opposition so it was good to be able to push them all the way.

"We'd obviously have preferred a different outcome but we can be happy that we never gave up and we're happy with our progress in training - a few months ago, the Brookes crew would have been much further ahead.

"Despite a tough headwind, our time wasn't too slow and it's just great to be racing at Henley after missing last year's regatta - I'll be spending the rest of it cheering on the other Leander crews.

"Training was difficult in the build-up to this week and we were struggling to get everything together for a while but really stepped up in the last few months and couldn't have pushed harder.

"We managed to get a decent time on the water when the restrictions lifted in April and were able to stay motivated during the lockdown."

Then at 11.40am, Leander Club’s B crew beat the Tideway Scullers’ School in the Town Challenge Cup for women’s fours by two and two-thirds of a length.

The final local race before lunch was at 12.10pm, when Georgie Brayshaw and Jess Leyden, of Leander Club, defeated their rivals from Hollandia Roeiclub, Netherlands in the Stonor Challenge Trophy for women’s double sculls by one a half lengths.

Following the lunch break, a University of London and Cambridge University composite crew featuring world champion and GB sculler Emily Craig, who lives in Abrahams Road, Henley, beat a University of Worcester and Warrington Rowing Club by four lengths.

At 3pm, Shiplake College’s A crew beat Peterborough in the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup for junior women’s quad sculls by three and three quarter lengths.

But ten minutes later, Henley Rowing Club’s men’s coxed eight lost to Thames Rowing Club’s A crew in the Thames Challenge Cup by one and a half lengths.

In the next race at 3.20pm, Leander Club beat Oxford Brookes University in the Princess Grace Challenge Cup for women’s quad sculls by two and a half lengths

At 4pm, a Leander men’s four beat Oxford University in the Visitors’ Challenge Cup by one and three quarter lengths.

Lola Anderson, also of Leander, then easily beat Lydia Heaphy, of University College, Cork, Ireland, in the Princess Royal Challenge Cup for women’s single sculls at 4.10pm.

At 5.30pm, following the tea interval, Leander’s women’s coxed eight is up against Tyne Amateur Rowing Club in the Wargrave Challenge Cup.

A Leander men’s four then faces Hollandie Roeiclub, Netherlands in the Stewards’ Challenge Cup at 5.40pm.

Leander’s Matthew Peters and Joe Willis are then up against a Cambridge University men’s pair in the Silver Goblets and Nickalls’ Challenge Cup at 6.30pm.

At 7pm, a Leander junior men’s quad will face Windsor Boys School’s A crew in the Fawley Challenge Cup.

Finally, a Leander Club women’s eight will go up against a Molesey Boat Club and Leander Club composite crew in the Remenham Challenge Cup at 7.10pm.