Henley Royal Regatta 2009

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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
2009       29th March           Oxford                  17 mins 0 secs    3 ½ lengths         Cambridge 79 Oxford 75
STEWARDS CHALLENGE CUP GRAND CHALLENGE CUP QUEEN MOTHER CHALLENGE CUP
Leander/Reading Univ Leander/Molesey BC AZS Szczecin/AZS Gorzow, Poland

Waiariki RC, New Zealand

7 mins 5 secs

3 1/2 Lengths

Princeton/California BC

6 mins 34 secs

1/2 length

Reading Univ/Leander

7 mins 7 secs 3/4 length
DOUBLE SCULLS CHALLENGE CUP DIAMOND CHALLENGE SCULLS SILVER GOBLET & NICKALLS´
M C Trott/N Cohen, New Zealand M Drysdale, New Zealand E Murray/H Bond, New Zealand

M W Wells/S C Rowbotham,Leander

7 mins 42 secs 1 length

A W Campbell, NZ

8 mins 28 secs 3 lengths

S B Keeling/R P diClemente, SA

7 min 31 secs Easily
LADIES´ CHALLENGE PLATE VISITORS CHALLENGE CUP PRINCE OF WALES CHALLENGE CUP
Brown Univ A Isis Boat Club Durham Univ/Oxford Brookes

Leander/Molesey BC

6 mins 28 secs 1/2 length

Mercyhurst College, USA

7 mins 35 secs 3 1/2 lengths

Leander Club

7 mins 2 secs 2 lengths
THAMES CHALLENGE CUP WYFOLD CHALLENGE CUP BRITANNIA CHALLENGE CUP
Molesey Boat Club A Sydney Rowing Club Agecroft Rowing Club

Henley Rowing Club

7 mins 3 secs 1 1/2 lengths

Nottingham and Union Rowing Club

7 mins 1 secs 1 3/4 lengths

Vesta Rowing Club

7 mins 36 secs 3/4 length
This year saw the principal race remain on these shores in the hands of the combined eight from Leander and Molesey.
PRINCESS ELIZABETH CHALLENGE CUP

The District Goblets for Pairs took place between 1858 and 1867.
Eton College

The Presentation Cup for Coxless Fours took place between 1869 and 1872.
Abingdon School

The Town Challenge Cup ran from 1839 to 1883.
6 mins 42 secs 5 lengths  
 
TEMPLE CHALLENGE CUP FAWLEY CHALLENGE CUP PRINCE ALBERT CHALLENGE CUP
Princeton Univ, USA Westminster School Oxford Brookes Univ

Brown Univ, USA

6 mins 29 secs 3/4 length

Melbourne Grammar Sch, Aus

7 mins 26 secs 2/3 length

Yale University, USA

7 mins 38 secs Easily
REMENHAM CHALLENGE CUP PRINCESS ROYAL CHALLENGE CUP PRINCESS GRACE CHALLENGE CUP
Leander/Wallingford RC E Twigg, New Zealand Leander/Westminster School

Yale Univ, USA

7 mins 37 secs 3 lengths

G L Stone,USA

8 mins 46 secs 2 1/4 lengths

Waiarike RC A, New Zealand

7 mins 58 secs 3 lengths
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