Round up from Henley Women’s Regatta

Visit www.hwr.org for the full press release and results:

The culmination of one of the highest standard entries ever at Henley Women’s Regatta saw Britain’s European Championship eight prove themselves worthy of the Sports Council trophy for Elite 8s by beating the GB Under-23 crew with a third of a length clear water in a tight race. Both crews had fought their way to the final through a strong field of overseas visitors including crews from Princeton and Brown Universities in the US.

In the first ever adaptive rowing event at the regatta, Sophie Brown from Sudbury won by three lengths against Hilary Birkinshaw of Guildford in trunk and arms single sculls over a shortened 900m course.  Laura Greenhalgh, world championship lightweight silver medallist in 2007 and 2009, showed she also has pace in heavyweight sculls, winning the George Innes Cup for elite single sculls event by two lengths against Mortlake Anglian and Alpha’s Francesca Sanjana; Wallingford’s Anna Reid was narrowly beaten in a nail-biting final of the Bernard Churcher Trophy for senior single sculls by Leeds’ Kristine Johnson, a race which posted the fastest time of the regatta for single sculls.

With prizes presented by Lord Colin Moynihan, former Olympic cox and Chairman of the British Olympic Association, Regatta Chairman Diane Graham said the event continued to go from strength to strength.

“The success of the regatta is down to the way it has adapted and evolved to provide a variety of athletes with the very best competition. We have to offer something that can’t be found at other events across the world,” she said.

Full results of all races can be found at www.hwr.org.uk.