More success at Reading and Egham Regattas

Henley Rowing Club enjoyed another highly successful weekend of racing, recording victories across multiple age groups at both Reading Regatta on Saturday and Egham Regatta on Sunday.

The weekend began at Reading, where the J14 boys opened proceedings in the morning division. The octuple of Tom Leppard, William Cowburn, Ernest Sterjo, Ace Hawkins-Bekir, Wilf MacDonald, Zach Norman, Ben Freeman and Robert Finlaison, coxed by Nai Kennedy, took on two Radley College crews in a straight final. Henley raced strongly throughout but narrowly missed out, finishing just one length behind the leading Radley crew.

In the afternoon, the J14 Band 2 coxed quad of Nai Kennedy, Zach Norman, Tom Leppard and Wilf MacDonald, with Ben Freeman and cox Robert Finlaison, rowed well but were beaten by a strong Hinksey Sculling School crew. The Band 1 quad of Tom Leppard, William Cowburn, Ernest Sterjo and Ace Hawkins-Bekir, coxed by Austin Liddell, then produced one of the performances of the day. After defeating Radley College and Great Marlow School in their heat, they made a flying start in the final before pulling clear of Reading Blue Coat School and Great Marlow School to win by almost three lengths.

The J14 girls also enjoyed an outstanding day. Eliza Vann won the single sculls with convincing victories over Hinksey Sculling School in the semi-final and Agecroft Rowing Club in the final.

Henley's J14 girls also claimed victory in the octuple, defeating Maidenhead Rowing Club and Sir William Perkins School, before completing a hat-trick of wins by taking the coxed quadruple sculls. After beating Sir William Perkins School and Marlow Rowing Club in the semi-final, they overcame Henley's own second crew and Great Marlow School in the final.

The J15 boys' coxed quad of Charlie Chapman, Rohan Shanker, Henry Featherstone, Jonathon Paine and cox Dylan Smith enjoyed a closely fought victory over RGS High Wycombe, winning by three-quarters of a length.

Chapman also competed in the J15 single sculls, narrowly losing to scullers from Radley College and Shanklin Sandown. The J15 eight of Noah Cottam, Ed Jones, Jonathon Paine, Henry Featherstone, Finley Lea, Jack Elliott, Joe Gilbert, Oscar McKenzie-Smith and cox Sinan Girgin raced well against Radley College before finishing one length behind.

Further victories came in the Open coxless pairs, where Bartels Thiel and Diego Petrosillo recorded comfortable wins over Rob Roy in the semi-final and Radley College in the final. The Masters D double scull of Edmondson and Novikov also claimed an emphatic victory over Reading Rowing Club.

On Sunday, Henley travelled to Egham Regatta, raced over its challenging 400-metre upstream course.

Four Henley J14 boys competed in the single sculls. Nai Kennedy, Robert Finlaison and Ben Freeman all progressed through the opening round before being joined in the quarter-finals by Tom Leppard. Leppard continued his impressive form, defeating a Walton Rowing Club sculler in the semi-final before producing another composed performance to beat Burway Rowing Club by three lengths in the final.

Henley's J13 squad rounded off their final regatta before moving into the J14 age group in September with two more victories.

The WJ13 coxed quad of Ella Robinson, Matilda Woolford, Isla Boreham and Poppy Simmonds, coxed by Hadley McKean, maintained their unbeaten record for the season by defeating Walton Rowing Club and Radnor House School, winning the final by around three lengths.

The boys' J13 coxed quad of Josh Marett, Harry Buntine, Leon Hughes and Theo Wedd, coxed by Tim Lancaster, also enjoyed a memorable day. After progressing through three rounds against crews from Langley Academy, Bishopsgate School, Cranmore School and Walton Rowing Club, they claimed victory in the final by two and a half lengths.

Earlier success at Thames Valley Park

Earlier in the summer, the Henley J13 squad also enjoyed an excellent day's racing at Thames Valley Park Regatta, held in very warm but calm conditions.

Henley entered three crews. The two Open quads raced in the same division, with the all-boys crew defeating Molesey Rowing Club before losing to Maidenhead Rowing Club, while the mixed crew also reached the final before being beaten by the same Maidenhead crew.

The standout performance came from the girls' coxed quad of Ella Robinson, Matilda Woolford, Isla Boreham and Poppy Simmonds, coxed by Hadley McKean. The crew defeated Wimbledon High School, Lady Eleanor Holles School and Great Marlow School on their way to the final before producing another dominant display to beat Maidenhead Rowing Club by three and a half lengths.

The weekend, together with the earlier Thames Valley Park success, once again demonstrated the strength and depth of Henley Rowing Club's junior programme. From the club's youngest racers through to its experienced Masters athletes, Henley crews continue to produce outstanding performances across the summer regatta season, building confidence and momentum ahead of the remainder of the racing calendar.