HENLEY-ON-THAMES, U.K. – The Washington men's rowing team's drive to win The Temple Challenge Cup at 2023 Henley Royal Regatta came to an end with a loss to Oxford Brookes University in a semifinal race Saturday morning.
 
On Sunday, however, another Washington crew will race in the final of The Prince Albert Challenge Cup – for college coxed fours – against a four from Oxford Brookes, a university located about 25 miles northwest of Henley-on-Thames. That final is scheduled for 3:00 a.m. PT on Sunday.
 
In a rematch of last year's final, the Huskies took on the "A" entry from Oxford Brookes, winner of five of the last eight Temple Challenge Cups.
 
The two crews left the starting line neck-and-neck, but Brookes settled into a lead in the early-going, moving out to a full length before the halfway point. The Huskies made several attempts to reel in the Brookes crew, but the British rowers responded to each and cross the finish line one and three-quarter lengths ahead of the Huskies.
 
A number of Washington rowing alumni also competed in semifinal races on Saturday. Here's a rundown of those results:
 
UW had a current or former athlete in three of the four competitors in The Ladies' Challenge Plate (intermediate men's eights) semifinals. In the first of the semis, Evan Olson '19, rowing for Oxford Brookes, earned a win over A.R.S.R. Skadi & D.S.R. Proteus-Eretes (Netherlands), booking his place in the Sunday final.
 
In the other semifinal, Canadian UW alum Peter Lancashire '21 and his Leander Club eight from London earned a win over Husky Robert Pluijmert '24, in a Dutch National Team crew racing as Hollandia Roeiclub. Leander will face Olson's Oxford Brookes eight in the final, Sunday at 4:10 a.m. PT.
 
In one of the day's most thrilling races, UW alumni and Canadians Jack Walkey '23 and Joel Cullen '23, rowing for Maple Bay R.C., traded the lead back-and-forth with a Dutch pair throughout their Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup semifinal. The Canadians held on for a win by a half-length, booking a spot in Sunday's final vs. a British pair. That final is slated to begin at 7:10 a.m. PT.
 
Austrian Mattijs Holler '22, competing in a Leander Club coxless four, won his semifinal over Princeton University and will race in the final Sunday vs. yet another Oxford Brookes entry. That race is slated for 4:30 a.m. PT
 
Welsh rower Angharad Broughton '23, rowing for Univ. of London & Leander Club in a coxless four, saw her bid for The Town Challenge Cup come to an end, as her crew fell to Leander Club & Imperial College in its semifinal.
 
Former UW men's team captain Steven Rosts '22, rowing in a Ridley College & Maple Bay R.C. crew in the Queen Mother Challenge Cup (quad sculls), fell to A.Z.S. Torun & W.T.W. Wloclawek of Poland, in a semifinal.
 
Finally, Isabel van Opzeeland '23, rowing for Hollandia Roeiclub, fell to Twickenham in her Stonor Challenge Cup semifinal.
 
In addition to the other previously mentioned UW alumni rowing in Sunday finals, Great Britain's Jacob Dawson '16 (Leander and Oxford Brookes) and Canadian Will Crothers '09 (Maple Bay R.C.) will square off Sunday in The Grand Challenge Cup (open M8+) final, at 7:40 a.m. PT
 
See the links at the top of this page for replays of UW races, a full Saturday video replay, and a link to Sunday's live video coverage.
 
WASHINGTON LINEUPS:
 
The Temple Challenge Cup 8+
Bow: Max Heid
2: Marius Ahlsand
3: Luke Henry
4: Pablo Matan
5: Blake Vogel
6: Cameron Tasker
7: Blake Bradshaw 
Stroke: Max Mason
Coxswain: Kieran Joyce
 
The Prince Albert Challenge Cup 4+
Coxswain: Casey Neumann
Bow: Jonathan Wang-Norderud
2: Archie Drummond 
3: Ethan Blight
Stroke: Ryan Smith
 
Huskies at Henley History
Here is a list of UW victories at the Henley Royal Regatta:
 
1977 – Grand Challenge Cup (men's eight)
1977 – Visitors' Challenge Cup (men's coxless four)
1981 – Ladies Challenge Plate (men's eight)
2000 – Henley Prize (women's eight)
2003 – Ladies Challenge Plate (men's eight)
2010 – Temple Challenge Cup (men's eight)
2012 – Temple Challenge Cup (men's eight)
2015 – Prince Albert Challenge Cup (men's coxed four)
2018 – Temple Challenge Cup (men's eight)
2022 – Visitors' Challenge Cup (men's coxless four)
Other appearances: 1958, 1973, 1984, 1995, 1997, 2013
 
Note: UW alumni have competed and won at Henley on numerous occasions, rowing for clubs other than UW. The above list includes only those crews who won their trophy under the University of Washington name.