Issue 100 - Centenary July 1997

A battle Royal

Maria Brandin versus Guin Batten in the first final of the Princess Royal? A meeting between Greg Searle and Peter Haining in the Diamond? Can Ben Hunt-Davis and Bobbie Thatcher take over the mantle of Redgrave and Pinsent in the Silver Goblets in the year when all Goblets winners since 1968 have been invited back to receive goblets for keeps - a custom reinstated? (see Henley Guide page 13). Is the Stewards' a formality for Britain's four of James Cracknell, Steve Redgrave, Tim Foster and Matthew Pinsent? And can the Imperial College/ London University combo win the Grand against the Australian national crew and Berlin Tegel?

Henley Royal's 520 entries is the fourth largest total in the regatta's history. The premier open events are thin on numbers, but the Thames and the Temple have over 50 entries apiece, and the Britannia had 83 before the qualifying races. Brandin and Batten will not have it all their own way in what used to be known as the Women's Singles in the presence of the Australians sculling under Tideway Scullers colours - Roye, Little and Hatzakis, plus Coleen Orsmond from the South African Olympic pair and the President of Cambridge University Women's BC, Sarah Winckless.

The Diamond - singular, insists Angus Robertson, the Steward in charge of entries - has the Americans Jamie Koven and David Gleeson and the Dane Martin Halbo Hansen among its 66 entries, as well as being Greg Searle's first time out in the single before the home crowd. Haining has been the master of tactics at Henley, slaying some giants in his time, but the Scot has been plagued by sickness during the winter and spring.

The Queen Mother for quads has only four entries but promises interest, with Tara, the Irish lightweights, the GB sculling squad who showed well in the Munich round of the World Cup, Melbourne University whose crew includes the evergreens entered also in the Double Sculls, Duncan Free and Peter Antonie, and the Augusta Sculling Centre, aka the US national team. Jonny Searle and Jim Walker race in the Doubles.

The Prince Philip may have been a pushover for the GB coxless four with a cox on board if the Henley rules allowed entries in the Stewards' and the Philip, but alas, they don't. The Germans from Neumuenster take on combos from Notts County and Newcastle University, Eton Vikings and Leander, and Cambridge and London universities.

There are 32 entries in the Goblets, including two German crews and part of the South African national squad who are spread around Henley in small boats. Graham Smith of UL and Alex Story of CUBC are a combination to watch, as may be Pete Bridge and Matthew Parish of Eton Vikings. But Hunt-Davis and Thatcher must be likely winners.

The curiosity among the 53 Wyfold entries is Mediterranean RC of Gibraltar, a first for the former naval base if their entry was confirmed after this magazine went to press. There are crews from Sydney, Fana of Norway, Old Edwardian BC of South Africa, Commercial of Dublin, Stamford RC of the US, as well as a heap of entries from loads of domestic clubs.

Garda Siochana make a welcome return to Henley in the Thames Cup which Neptune will defend. The Irish Defence Forces are also in contention. Wiking are among a large foreign entry - the Berlin club won the Grand 60 years ago. Sydney and Mitsubishi are also there, with a huge domestic entry which includes City of Oxford, City of Bristol, Furnivall and the usual suspects.

The Ladies' has the excellent Huskies, the University of Washington Varsity, plus two combos from Notts County and Oxford Brookes, Isis, Leander and Melbourne University.

Radley are red hot favourites for the Princess Elizabeth. Tabor Academy, unbeaten this season, have been banned from Henley by the school after a 'training violation'.

Hot conetenders in the Temple are three American colleges who won their categories in the Eastern Sprints ­ Washington's JVs, Harvard's lightweights, and Penn's heavyweight freshmen.

© Copyright Regatta Magazine, 1997.