Record-breaking crew to reunite

A LEANDER Club crew which set a record finish time at Henley Royal Regatta will return to row the course to mark 40 years since they won a trophy.

The men’s eight beat Ireland’s Garda Síochána Boat Club with a time of six minutes and 26 seconds in the 1985 final of the Ladies’ Challenge Plate.

It was the first eight-oared victory for Leander at Henley since the Seventies.

The crew was three seconds faster than the winning time in the Grand Challenge Cup for men’s eights, making them the fastest boat of the regatta.

It was the first time in 36 years that this record was achieved.

The crew comprised Andy Peach, Mike Chapman, Roger Stevens, Julian Gallivan, from Frieth, Paul Wright and former Olympians Steve Turner and Simon Berrisford, who are both from Henley.

They were coxed by Guy Rees, from Beaconsfield, who went on to represent Team GB, and coached by John Pilgrim-Morris. To mark the 40th anniversary of the win, the crew will reunite to row the course next Saturday, during the lunch interval.

Berrisford, of Greys Road, was selected to row for Great Britain following the crew’s victory and went on to compete in the World Rowing Championships in Hazelwinkle, Belgium.

Four years later, he won a silver medal at the 1989 World Rowing Championships in the coxless pairs with Sir Steve Redgrave.

Berrisford, 61, recalled: “In 1984, when the crew was struggling, they put an eight together which lost in the final that year but the basis of that eight went on to 1985 for the Ladies’ Challenge Plate and eventually we went through all the different stages and won.

“We were rowing in flood stream conditions and there was a lot of stream because it had been raining but we had a race plan and we stuck to it. The Irish club were leading most of the way but we got them at the end.

“Up through the Stewards’ Enclosure, the support from the crowds was amazing and uplifting. The roar of the crowd is like nothing else in the world.

“For me, winning your first regatta in an eight and breaking the record was super special and it was for our club. It put Leander back on the map.”

Following their success, Leander Club saw the “Pink Revolution” as a new committee took over under the chairmanship of Tom Boswell, with Jeremy “Rass” Randall as the new honorary secretary and Ivor Lloyd as captain.

Berrisford, who started rowing aged 13 for Shiplake College, put down the crew’s achievement to their coaches, John Pilgrim-Morris and John Peters, who has since died.

Berrisford, who is 6ft 6in tall and coxed for Henley Rowing Club, said: “The season was a bit up and down all the way through but we came together and John Peters was the finishing coach and he got everyone motivated.

“It was a really exciting time. I was the only one from the eight who went for selections for GB.”

After missing the row over for the crew’s 20th anniversary, Berrisford, who runs Wayahead Services, a painting and decorating company, said he is looking forward to the rowpast.

He said: “I haven’t been in a boat for about 11 years. It’s a bit daunting but I relented and said I would do it this time.

“It’s a really special occasion. I’ve never done a row over before. It will make the regatta a bit more special.

“I was quite surprised when I found out we would be doing this. It wasn’t until Leander put out a newsletter that it jogged my memory. It was an exciting time.”