Henley Royal Regatta announces rule changes

Henley Royal Regatta has announced a number of changes for 2012, including the introduction of a new event for junior women.

[newsimage=0]The 2012 HRR will, for the first time, include a Junior Women’s Quadruple Sculls (JW4x) race – which will be limited to eight entries.

The age limit for the new junior women’s quads will be consistent with the British Rowing Racing Rules, with rowers ineligible to enter if they turned 18 years old before September 1 2011.

HRR stewards have also changed the age limit of the Fawley Challenge Cup – Junior Men’s Quadruple Sculls – to fall in line with the British Rowing Racing Rules.

‘No one shall compete who will have attained his eighteenth birthday before the first day of September preceding the event,’ according to the new criteria for qualification.

The final rule-changes to emerge from the December Stewards’ Meeting concern three of the men’s small boats events.

[newsimage=1]The Silver Goblets and Nickalls’ Challenge Cup (M2-), Double Sculls Challenge Cup (M2x), and Diamond Challenge Sculls (M1x) will all have their entries reduced from 16 to 12 for 2012.

HRR has also named its newest Steward of the Regatta – Olympic silver medallist and FISA Rowing for All Commission Chair Guin Batten.

Batten claimed her silver medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, as part of the Quadruple Scull that also contained current GB rower Katherine Grainger – herself a Henley Steward.

For more information about the Henley Stewards’ December Meeting, visit www.hrr.co.uk.