Henley Royal Regatta 1934

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In any sport there are particularly significant events and venues which have great importance. For tennis junkies the venue is Wimbledon and the event the Lawn Tennis Association Championships. For National Hunt racing fans it is Aintree and the Grand National, whilst for Flat racing enthusiasts it is Epsom and The Derby. However, for rowing there are two events, the University Boat Race and the Royal Regatta, yet in the beginning just one important venue, Henley-on-Thames.
The inaugural University Boat race took place in 1829 at Henley-on-Thames. It was the brainchild of a Cambridge student, Charles Merivale who, at the time, was a student at St Johns College. His great friend Charles Wordsworth was a student at Christ Church College, Oxford and it was to be the dark blues of Oxford who easily defeated their light blue rivals. Today the race takes place between Putney and Mortlake and, to date, Cambridge have recorded more wins than Oxford.
The first Henley Regatta was held in 1839 when amateur rowers contested races on one afternoon. The day was so successful that in 1840 the event was extended to two days, and by 1851 it was so popular that Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, attended so enabling the annual event to be called Henley Royal Regatta for the first time. The event has grown in popularity ever since, and this site records the results of the main races since its inception.
STEWARDS CHALLENGE CUP GRAND CHALLENGE CUP QUEEN MOTHER CHALLENGE CUP
Pembroke College, Cambridge Leander Club This race was instituted in 1981.

London Rowing Club

7 mins 24 secs

Finished alone

Princeton Univ, USA

6 mins 45 secs

3/4 length

 The race is for Quadruple Scullers.
DOUBLE SCULLS CHALLENGE CUP DIAMOND CHALLENGE SCULLS SILVER GOBLET & NICKALLS´
This race was first instituted in 1939. H Buhtz, Berliner Ruder Club H Braun/H G Moller, Viking Germany

The race was introduced to mark the Centenary Regatta.

 

W Rutherford, Princeton Univ.

8 mins 10 secs 3 1/2 lengths

E F Bigland/T S Bigland, Royal Chester RC

8 min 9 secs 1 1/4 lengths
LADIES´ CHALLENGE PLATE VISITORS CHALLENGE CUP PRINCE OF WALES CHALLENGE CUP
Jesus College, Cambridge Trinity First,Cambridge In 2007 the trophy was donated by V G Saunders

Trinity College, Dublin

6 mins 48 secs 3 feet

University College, Oxford

7 mins 38 secs 2/3 length

 The race is for Men´s Quadruple Sculls.
THAMES CHALLENGE CUP WYFOLD CHALLENGE CUP BRITANNIA CHALLENGE CUP
Thames Rowing Club Reading Rowing Club This race was instituted in 1968.

London Rowing Club

7 mins 4 secs 1/3 length

Royal Chester Rowing Club

7 mins 36 secs 1 3/4 lengths

 First contested as the Henley Prize, in 1969 it became the Britannia Cup.
This year saw the Leander Club retake the Grand Challenge Cup after a break of just a year.
PRINCESS ELIZABETH CHALLENGE CUP

The District Goblets for Pairs took place between 1858 and 1867.
This race was instituted in 1946.

The Presentation Cup for Coxless Fours took place between 1869 and 1872.
In the first year the race took place over a mile.

The Town Challenge Cup ran from 1839 to 1883.
The full course was used in 1947 and by 1964 Foreign schools were allowed entry.  
 
TEMPLE CHALLENGE CUP FAWLEY CHALLENGE CUP PRINCE ALBERT CHALLENGE CUP
This event was first contested in 1990. This event first took place in 1992. This event was first staged in 2004.
The race is for male eights. The race is for junior boys quads. The race is for Mens coxed fours.
REMENHAM CHALLENGE CUP PRINCESS ROYAL CHALLENGE CUP PRINCESS GRACE CHALLENGE CUP
This event was first staged in 2003. This event was first staged in 1992. This race was first instituted in 2003.
The race is for Womens eights. The race is for Women´s singles. The event is named after Princess Grace of Monaco.

I am grateful to Paul St John for the photo shown below. It shows the quarter-final in which Monkton Combe School were defeated, having already themselves defeated Westminster School, Selwyn College Cambridge and Lady Margarets. His father, F A R St John rowed at bow, and his uncle, T R Thompson, rowed at number 5 in this highly successful team. A number of school teams have progressed further, Radley College winning in 1938, and the 1948 final was contested by 2 school teams when Eton defeated Bryanston School.
If you have photos, racecards, badges, or newspaper cuttings about Henley Royal Regatta this year which could enhance this page then email johnslusar@fsmail.net