Success for Brookes Rowing at Henley Regatta

Brookes Rowing celebrated a number of victories at the Henley Royal Regatta last week (28 June - 3 July).

The club won three trophies overall and saw 66 current Oxford Brookes athletes take part in the event across 10 crews, and eight Oxford Brookes athletes competed as part of team GB.

The men’s 8s crew made a stunning victory against the University of Washington in the Temple Challenge Cup, winning by four-and-a-half lengths. The win marked the fifth time during the last eight years that Brookes Rowing has lifted the Temple Cup, having last won the event in 2019.

The men’s student four defeated the University of California, Berkeley by two lengths in the final of the Prince Albert Challenge Cup.

Although the women’s eights gave an impressive performance during the Island Challenge Cup, they lost out to the eventual winners, Brown University.

The week ended with the national men’s eights crew for Great Britain, a team comprised of Oxford Brookes and Leander athletes, winning the Grand Challenge Cup for a second consecutive year. The crew defeated the US team in the semi-final of the Regatta’s headline event, and won the final race by two lengths against Australia.

Director of Brookes Rowing Richard Spratley said: “I’m absolutely thrilled with our results at Henley. It was our best year ever competing against a strong international opposition.

“We have demonstrated that Brookes Rowing is head and shoulders above UK rowing universities, and one of the best rowing universities in the world.

“Our performance at Henley sets us up for success next year when we will be focusing on building the strength of our women’s elite athletes.”

While Henley Regatta marks the end of rowing season for most of the team, a number of Brookes Rowing athletes look toward selection for the upcoming World and European Senior / U23 Championships.