Established in 1994, Henley Masters Regatta is held on the week following Henley Royal Regatta in Henley-on-Thames and has grown into an internationally recognised event for masters crews. Competitors travel from all over the world to compete over 1000 metres on the famous Henley reach.
Exeter RC was represented by the following crews
- Women’s Masters B 2x – Lisa Cocks, Eleanor Burke (Finalists)
- Women’s Masters B 4x – Lisa Cocks, Lucinder Sanders, Eleanor Burke, Dani Wall (Winners)
- Men’s Masters C 4x – Dave Byrnes, Jo Thorpe, Matt Jacobs, Dan Rowse (Winners)
- Women’s Masters E 1x – Julia Wood (Winners)
- Women’s Masters E 2x Exeter RC/ Dart Totnes ARC Composite – Julia Wood (Winners)
Kicking off the regatta for the Exeter crews in the blistering morning sun was the Master C 4x who began this successful regatta by beating Tideway Scullers School by 3.5 lengths in the first round. They went on to beat Upton RC in the quarter final, had a tough semi-final against Bewl Bridge / Wallingford Composite, before dominating the final and beating Ardingly RC/ Maidstone Invicta Composite by 4 lengths. A great result which built on their success of winning the British Masters Championship C 4x in June.
The Womens Masters B 2x also started the regatta well by beating Avon County RC, then Reading RC, by 3 and 5 length respectively before missing out in the final against Strathclyde Park.
Battling it alone, the Womens Master E 1x had a close quarter final, but managed to squeeze through by 0.5 lengths (you had us worried at one point!) against Bewl Bridge. The semi – final was also won against Gloucester before a convincing win of 2.5 lengths in the final over Champ Thames.
The Womens Masters B 4x took to the water and beat Eton Excelsior by 1.5 length in the semi-final, before a commanding win of 3 lengths over Barnes Bridges LRC.
Our Exeter RC/ Dart Totnes ARC composite crew showed their class by beating Norwich RC by 3.5 lengths in the quarter final, Peterborough easily in the semi-final and Eton Excelsior by 3.5 length in the final.
We equalled the most club wins (shared between 4 clubs). This was a fantastic set of results for the masters crews who are coached and supported by Jerry Copping. Jerry also made a Henley Masters appearance stroking a Master G 4x for Ross RC, which included his dad who showed he is still rowing strong at the age of 91!
Here’s looking forward to future successes from the club.