Henley Royal Regatta 2024: Day 1

5.45pm:

SHIPLAKE College beat Belen Jesuit Prep School, U.S.A. in the Fawley Challenge Cup by two and a quarter of a length in a time of seven minutes and three seconds.

The race judge said: “Shiplake started fast and quickly gained a decisive lead.” They described the school’s opponents as sculling “tenaciously” throughout” never letting Shiplake drop their stroke rate.

Shiplake three seat Oliver Nash, 17, from Sonning, said: “It was brilliant. I was a bit stressed before, we were kind of stalking the opposition on the internet trying to find stuff on them so we went into it quite confident but you never know what's going to happen.

“It was nice to have a tailwind but it was so washy. I think we managed it quite well though and beacuse we were ahead we could focus on our technique a bit more.

“We pre-qualified which we didn’t expect but we did a good job and it's a good atmosphere.

“We haven't had long together as a crew. We are a second boat so people have been coming from the first eight.

“We have had three different people in the boat in the last three weeks and we have only had a week and a half together. So considering what little time we have had together I think we have done a pretty good job.”

2.00pm:

SHIPLAKE College beat Shawnigan Lake School, Canada in The Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup by three and a half of a length in a time of seven minutes and 55 seconds.

The race judge said that the Shawnigan held and “early lead” but the Shiplake crew “towed steadily” to a “comfortable win”.

Shiplake headteacher, Tyrone Howe, said: “It’s just amazing. We qualified on Friday evening, and they just couldn’t believe that they were going to be racing. So, to come through and win in Henley is just a complete thrill.

“It’s just great and puts big smiles on everybody’s faces. I see how hard they work, and when they do and come through, it’s brilliant. It’s a real high at the end of the year. I’m really pleased for them, because you don’t prepare in a week, a month or even six months, a lot of effort goes into it, and everybody’s putting effort into it.

“It’s a big thing for us, so when it does come through and you have to enjoy it when it does come along because you could easily go out in the first round or you could easily not qualify, so you just have to enjoy it and not take anything for granted.”

Sophia McDavid, 18, said: “It feels amazing. We barely expected to qualify, so it’s a really good feeling. We were training a lot and getting as ready for it as possible. It was windier than expected, but it wasn’t too bad, but we’ve rowed in these conditions before, so we were all prepared. The race was different than expected and we were all both excited and nervous. Now we just have to stay relaxed and well recovered and get ready for the next one.”

11.30am:

UPPER Thames Rowing Club beat City of Bristol Rowing Club in the Wyfold Challenge Cup by two lengths in a time of seven minutes and five seconds.

The race judge said Upper Thames took an early lead but was warned at the half mile. The club then built a substantial lead until the Stewards’ enclosure where they dropped their seating.

Coach David Lister said: "The race went to plan, they are a fairly strong crew so they went out hard, settled into a good rhythm and then as soon as they had got some clear water they got into a nice economical paddle. It's a sort of gusty cross tail and there is a bit of swell on the water so its not ideak but its very managble.

“From the races we have had against Bristol previously at Dorney and in Marlow we were expecting [the lead] to be around that, a bit less probably. You have to take each race as it comes at Henley. Its a strange event so you need to treat every race as a final beacuse if you loose you are out."

10.35am:

SHIPLAKE College beat Latymer Upper School in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup by one and one-quarter of a length in a time of six minutes and 29 seconds.

The race judge said that the Shiplake crew was “always in control” although they had to be warned for their steering near the mid-point of the course.

Henry Day-Clark, 17, said: “It was pretty good. The water was pretty flat and I just felt zoned out during the race. I was really nervous going into it but it’s a massive relief to have won.”

10.05am:

UPPER Thames Rowing Club lost to London Rowing Club in the Britannia Challenge Cup by 1ft in a time of seven minutes and 13 seconds.

The Henley club had been leading at the Barrier and Fawley checkpoints along the route before being overtaken at the finish line.

9.10am:

READING Blue Coat School in Sonning beat Winchester College in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup by two and three-quarter lengths in a time of six minutes and 50 seconds.

The crews were well matched for the first quarter mile before Blue Coat began to edge ahead and, eventually drew comfortably ahead.

Sam Deacon, 18, from Wargrave, said: "It was a pretty good race. We were expecting Winchester to stay with us and they did at the start but we had put our backs into it.

"Last year, we lost on say two. We hope to go further this year."

5am:

THOUSANDS of spectators will arrive in Henley today (Tuesday) for the start of this year’s royal regatta.

Eighty-two races will take place in the heats of eight events. starting at 9am, with the final contest at 7.35pm.

Crews from Upper Thames Rowing Club in Henley, Shiplake College and Reading Blue Coat School in Sonning are all in action.

The weather forecast is dry but cloudy with a maximum temperature of 19c in the afternoon.

Reading Blue Coat School in Sonning take to the water against Winchester College at 9.10am in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup, for school first eights.

Upper Thames Rowing Club face London Rowing Club at 10.05am in the Britannia Challenge Cup, for men’s coxed fours.

Shiplake College meet Latymer Upper School in the Princess Elizabeth at 10.35am.

Upper Thames face City of Bristol Rowing Club at 11.30am in the Wyfold Challenge Cup, for men’s coxless fours.

Shiplake take to the water in the first race after the luncheon interval against Shawnigan Lake School, Canada, at 2pm in the Jubilee Challenge Cup, for women’s junior quadruple sculls.

The college feature again at 5.45pm against Belen Jesuit Prep School, USA, in the Fawley Challenge Cup, for junior boys’ quadruple sculls.

Its coxed fours crew will then face a composite crew comprising Godolphin and Latymer School in the penultimate race at of the day, at 7.30pm.

This page will be updated with results and reaction throughout the day.