HENLEY-ON-THAMES, U.K. – The Washington men's and women's rowing teams got off to a successful start on the first day of rowing at the Henley Royal Regatta Wednesday on the Thames River as the UW's men's and women's eights each easily advanced in their respective events.
 
In the opening race of the 32-team Temple Challenge Cup, the UW men's eight rowed a similar race to the women, cruising to a dominant win over the Oxford Brookes "B" entry (Oxford Brookes also has an "A" entry in the Temple field). The Huskies raced out to an open-water advantage less than a minute into the race and rowed to the win by two and three-quarter lengths in a time of 6:32.
 
"I'm happy with how the guys raced today," said Sam Dommer, the UW assistant coach leading the men's team at Henley. "We have worked a lot the past three weeks learning how to row together and I think today was a great example of them executing on that. The racing is only going to get harder so we have to keep getting better."
 
Due to rules governing the Temple Challenge Cup (no rowers may have ever medaled at Under-23 World Championships), the Husky men's crew featured just one member of the UW varsity eight that took second at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association regatta last month, and the rest of the eight was comprised of oarsmen who had rowed in the second and third varsity eights at IRAs.
 
Last May, the UW beat the top crew from Oxford Brookes by a deck-length at a thrilling Windermere Cup.



The men face another college crew from the U.S. next as the Huskies take on Orange Coast College, which beat Shrewsbury School (U.K.) by two lengths in its opening race Wednesday. That race is scheduled for tomorrow (Thu., July 5) at 2:30 p.m. GMT (6:30 a.m. PT) – the only race of the day featuring a UW entry.
 
Washington's women's eight, competing in the top-level event for women, the Remenham Challenge Cup, rowed to a dominating win over an entry from the Tideway Scullers' School, a British club headquartered in London.
 
The UW boat, featuring five members of the crew that rowed in the varsity eight at NCAA Championships along four from the second eight, led the entire 2,112 meters. Washington earned an open-water lead over the Brits in the first few hundred meters and won by four lengths, in seven minutes and 15 seconds.
 
"Our team has been apart and training at several national team camps," said women's head coach Yasmin Farooq, who brought the UW women to the regatta for the first time since 2001. "Henley has provided us with an opportunity to pull everyone together and allow our seniors to race one final time as Huskies. It's a magical place. Every time we get on the water we are just absorbing the energy and enjoying the opportunity to make our boats go as fast as possible.
 
"Racing on the opening day of Henley was incredible—especially in the women's eight, the flagship in our sport," Farooq continued "The opportunity to race here did not exist when I was an athlete because it was a regatta that was exclusive to men. To have women opening up the racing on the first day is a wonderful sign of good things to come. Hats off to Henley for adding more women's events to this timeless regatta and for taking this important step forward."
 
The next opponent for the UW women's eight is a boat of U.S. National Team members, rowing as the Princeton Training Center. That boat was one of four that were given first-round byes in the Remenham Cup competition. Those two will square off on Friday.
 
Two more Washington women's crews await their chances to race at Henley on Friday. The UW's quad sculls entry will face a boat representing Sydney University (Australia) and Edinburgh University (Scotland) in the Princess Grace Challenge Cup, an eight-team event, while the Huskies' double sculls boat featuring Kenzie Waltar and Klara Grube will take on a British entry in the Stonor Challenge Cup, an event with six entries.
 
The schedule for Friday's racing will be released after the completion of Thursday's schedule.
 
2018 Henley Royal Regatta Lineups:
 
Men's Eight (Temple Challenge Cup)
Cox – Kimmons Wilson '20 (Orlando, Fla.)
Stroke – Sean Kelly '18 (Princeton, N.J.)
7 – George Esau '20 (Long Lake, Minn.)
6 – Peter Lancashire '21 (Port Macquarie, Australia)
5 – Steve Rosts '21 (Jordan, Ontario, Canada)
4 – David Bridges '20 (Portland, Ore.)
3 – Robert Karlen '18 (Everett, Wash.)
2 – Philipp Nonnast '19 (Frankfurt, Germany)
Bow – Alexander Vollmer '20 (Hamburg, Germany)
 
Women's Eight (Remenham Challenge Cup)
Cox – Phoebe Marks-Nicholes '18 (Seattle, Wash.)
Stroke – Brooke Pierson '18 (Oak Harbor, Wash.)
7 – Elise Beuke '19 (Sequim, Wash.)
6 – Marlee Blue '19 (Seattle, Wash.)
5 – Tabea Schendekehl '20 (Dortmund, Germany)
4 – Brooke Mooney '18 (Peru, Vt.)
3 – Karle Pittsinger '18 (Lake Chelan, Wash.)
2 – Jessica Thoennes '18 (Highlands Ranch, Colo.)
Bow – Katy Gillingham '19 (Seattle, Wash.)
 
Women's Quadruple Sculls (Princess Grace Challenge Cup)
Stroke – Chiara Ondoli '18 (Angera, Italy)
3 – Carmela Pappalardo '20 (Salerno, Italy)
2 – Julia Paulsen '18 (Seattle, Wash.)
Bow – Sara Clark '18 (Newport Beach, Calif.)
 
Women's Double Sculls (Stonor Challenge Trophy)
Stroke – Klara Grube '21 (Lübeck, Germany)
Bow – Kenzie Waltar '18 (Kirkland, Wash.)
 
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)
Other appearances: 1958, 1973, 1984, 1995, 1997, 2013