Henley Royal Regatta 2018, you didn't disappoint... herewith a review of all the action at this year's HRR, including J16s, 1st VIII and Old Vikings racing, as well as events off the water!
Regatta fever started early when Shiplake’s J16s qualified for the Temple Challenge Cup on the Friday before. The crew, comprising Seb Hjortland-Marks, Sydney Burnand, Joshua Wombwell, Robert Humphris, Marcus Coulter, Rhys Ash, Matthew Waller, Ben Brockway and cox Tom Wilkinson, were up against mostly university crews, and some school sixth form crews. Hot off the back of gold at National Schools', they rowed a fantastic time to be one of the 32 fastest crews, out of 55 that entered, to qualify for the Cup. So loud were the cheers when it was announced that they had qualified, that the rest of the crews in the list were drowned out! The J16s were drawn against Nottingham University and on the opening day of Henley Royal Regatta itself, parents, staff, pupils and old vikings lined the towpath to show their support as they cheered the boys on. Whilst they held their own in the first part of the race, they eventually lost by 2 lengths.
The College's 1st VIII comprised James Haskins, Marcus Brown, Dom Brown, Fred Peck (18W), Oli Newton (18E), Richard Adams, Alastair Holbrough (18B), Ethan Caldeira and cox Jacob Kirby. In the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup, they beat Stowe School 'easily' on the Wednesday and Brunswick School USA by three quarters of a length on the Thursday, only to lose to Radley College on the Friday. 2018, however, belonged to St Paul’s School as the crew broke the record by 11 seconds. 6:06 will “stand in time as one of the Regatta’s great performances,” comments Junior Rowing News, “A word for Eton, for Radley, for Shiplake, who were all exceptional schoolboy crews. In any other year, we may have had a genuine contest for the right to be called the best.”
There were Old Vikings participating in the regatta throughout the week. Harry Vardigans (14S) rowed for Wallingford RC, Will Carey (16S) and Austin Burnand (17E) for University of London, Jack Peck (17W) for Upper Thames RC, William Satch (07O) for Leander, with Oli Gerrard (16S), Oli Morgan (12O), Michael Glover (13E), Henry Blois-Brooke (17S) and Seb Newman (17O) all in various Brookes University crews. Michael Glover reached his third final in three years, but was unable to make it a triple win as he lost in the Ladies Plate. Henry Blois-Brooke and Seb Newman also reached finals day in the Temple Challenge Cup, but were also denied gold.
Off the water, the Shiplake tent located in the grounds of Henley Cricket Club was busy throughout the week. 100 parents and staff joined the Headmaster and governors for lunch on the Wednesday, which was also an opportunity to do a boat naming ceremony. Olympic gold medallist and Old Viking Will Satch was present as the Shiplake Boat Club flag was lifted off the coxed four, named after Old Viking and governor Charles Eve (79E). The tent was abuzz for pre-race drinks for each day of Shiplake's racing and on the Saturday the annual Old Viking Society drinks took place, with numerous former pupils, old and young, popping by to say hello.
Jack Harvard-Taylor (08S) once again turned heads being clad head to toe each day in the College’s maroon, gold and black stripes, earning himself the title of ‘Shiplake’s Super Fan’ by the Henley Standard (13 July 2018).