Henley Royal Regatta 2008

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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.

University Boat Race
2008       29th March           Oxford                  20 mins 53 secs 6 lengths              Cambridge 79 Oxford 74
STEWARDS CHALLENGE CUP GRAND CHALLENGE CUP QUEEN MOTHER CHALLENGE CUP
Cambridge University Kingston RC/Victoria City RC,Canada Viljandi RC/Narva Energia RC, Estonia

Volos/Thessaloniki, Greece

7 mins 9 secs

3 1/2 Lengths

Southern California Univ, USA

7 mins 20 secs

1 1/2 lengths

California RC, USA

6 mins 47 secs 2 1/4 lengths
DOUBLE SCULLS CHALLENGE CUP DIAMOND CHALLENGE SCULLS SILVER GOBLET & NICKALLS´
W D Pierarini/E M Hover, California RC I J Lawson S B Keeling/R P diClemente, Russia

P F Graves/T H Graves,USA

7 mins 35 secs 1 1/4 lengths

S M Jacob, Ireland

8 mins 10 secs Easily

O L E Rueckbrodt/F Otto, Germany

7 min 47 secs 4 3/4 lengths
LADIES´ CHALLENGE PLATE VISITORS CHALLENGE CUP PRINCE OF WALES CHALLENGE CUP
Leander Club Imperial College/Kingston RC California RC, USA

Okeanos RSVU/Laga DSR,Holland

6 mins 36 secs 2/3 length

Martyrs BC/Christ Church Oxford

7 mins 8 secs 1 1/4 lengths

Leander/London RC

6 mins 52 secs 1 1/4 lengths
THAMES CHALLENGE CUP WYFOLD CHALLENGE CUP BRITANNIA CHALLENGE CUP
Leander Club Tyne Rowing Club Molesey BC

Tideway Scullers School

6 mins 47 secs Canvas

London Boat lub

7 mins 26 secs 1 length

Ortner BC

7 mins 26 secs 2 1/2 lengths
This year saw the principal trophy travel yet again to Canada in the hands of a combined eight from Kingston RC and Victoria City RC.
PRINCESS ELIZABETH CHALLENGE CUP

The District Goblets for Pairs took place between 1858 and 1867.
Shawnigan Lake, Canada

The Presentation Cup for Coxless Fours took place between 1869 and 1872.
Eton College

The Town Challenge Cup ran from 1839 to 1883.
6 mins 48 secs 3/4 length  
 
TEMPLE CHALLENGE CUP FAWLEY CHALLENGE CUP PRINCE ALBERT CHALLENGE CUP
Univ of Western Ontario, Canada Peterborough/Nottingham RC Newcastle University

Trinity College-Hartford, USA

6 mins 42 secs 2 3/4 lengths

Marlow RC A

7 mins 10 secs 1 length

Univ of West of England

7 mins 39 secs 2 lengths
REMENHAM CHALLENGE CUP PRINCESS ROYAL CHALLENGE CUP PRINCESS GRACE CHALLENGE CUP
Leander/Wallingford RC C Ryan, Ireland Wallingford/Reading Univ

Furnivall Sculling Club/Leander

7 mins 32 secs 3 lengths

M H Pauls

9 mins 18 secs 3 1/2 lengths

Upper Thames RC

7 mins 54 secs Easily
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