Thames R.C. v Royal Chester R.C. - Britannia | Henley 2024 Finals

Sarah Winklis is alongside me in the commentary box and Sarah conditions today for the athletes on such a big day in their careers. Yeah we can just see the umpire flag going down there in that first race starting absolutely perfect there at the iron you can see how calm the water is and then that little bit of wind at the end of Temple Island that they'll be facing into. So this crucial stage of the first race and you can see on the right hand side of your picture and on the Berkshire station it's Thames rowing club is such a good record in this event they've won three of the last five Britannia's Thames rowing club and they've got off to a pretty sprightly start here as well but Chester for them look at that early on really laying down what they want to do in this race and it's bound to be tight Sarah we're expecting some really tight competitive racing today and this bodes well for the excitement in this one yeah it really really does doesn't it look at them the cruiser level at this stage they're both rating at the same amount and both into their rhythm really well both far apart so they can just concentrate on their rowing and start to chunk down this 2112 meters and there is a red box at the end of it so dropping into their race pace now into the rhythm after the frantic start that you get at Temple Island they're now into their race rhythm and it looks very tight close up on what's happening in that Thames boat one of those four men we had them in at the commentary box early on filling in their biogs and of course we commented on them early on in their campaign Tim they've had a day off yesterday all the athletes in this event and now they've had to wait for that 24 hours to come and race again having claimed their final spot on Friday which on the face of it may be an advantage obviously no advantage against each other but an advantage in terms of being physically at your peak but then mentally having to get through a whole day knowing that you've got the biggest race of your life the following day not so easy yeah and lots of distractions potentially at Henny Royal Regatta Thames Rowing Club they may i'm sure been keeping an eye on their other crews who are in finals today they've got four other finalists this morning and Chester you know they have been given the congratulations of their club mates and their teammates but Stuart Heap their coach sorry Jamie Lelson their coach will have really you know said to them do your outing get on the water do your training and then probably get away um don't think about it too much well whatever they did ahead of this race it's worked because they both had good starts as you can see Temple Island disappearing into the distance and Royal Chester the royals as they are known informally have had a very good start this would be a sensational story if Chester can win this one and they are in terrific position up against Thames at the moment as Abby was saying earlier on they last won at Henley Chester in 1924 they won the wife gold they have won a lot up till then eight wins between 1855 and 1924 but all the way back a year Ramsey Macdonald became the first ever Labour Prime Minister that's a bit of symmetry to that one isn't that and George V was the monarch when Chester last won Paris hosted the Olympic Games that year as well so more historical symmetry for Chester but they are going to have to stay in contention they're doing that at the moment the lead of three quarters of a length from Thames that's possible to overcome at this stage there's a lot of this race remaining and Chester just need to keep their cool it's controlling those emotions Sarah isn't it because there was a real buzz in the boat tent and you and I both went down there to speak to some of the coaches and the supporters of this Chester boat and there's a danger they can get swept away in the enormity of the occasion but they've just got to try and stay calm and particularly at this stage of the race yeah and you can see them they're just holding on to Thames their Thames are in their rhythm they're long they've got slightly different rigging as you can see on these two boats Thames in what we call a bucket rig on the bottom of our screen Chester on the conventional rig there and you know it's just about being brave at this point it's quite quiet as a row in this part of the course you're just between yourselves and your thoughts and your crew mates and your cocks and the coach will have given you the wisdom before you've gone out on the water but now it's about you and your team and both teams here in great form Thames just pushing away they're looking very strong there you can see the world tours of their finishes on that Buckingham Berkshire side here and how they are pushing now and on the back side on the other side and the Chester boat just behind again just pushing pressing holding on Thames have had an outstanding Henley Royal Regatta across all the events and it would be a great way to start finals if they can notch an early win but Chester will not be beaten they'll certainly be emptying the tank in the next quarter mile to make sure they can stay in contention with Thames rowing club you can see on the Buck station in the white boat there they are the Chester crew and they've got work to do here you can see in the stroke seat Henry Mcgarver trying to keep pace grimacing there Peter Dean Alexander Bain Christopher Simm in the bow seat they've already got their work cut out but if they can stay in contention you just never know and you saw Henry Mcgarver there just have a look over at the Thames crew he would maybe just the eye of the straight line of Toby there and just making sure that you're still in touch you've got to go now and I suspect the cops will be speaking from Sarah Armstrong saying this is now Chester you have to make it happen now it doesn't matter how you feel you've got to press on press on the lungs will be burning the legs be burning but come on this is it this is your opportunity you can see Henry looking again just seeing what's going on they put their rate out they're responding to what she's asked of them yeah the cocks they're barking the orders as they come into the regatta enclosure and now into the stewards enclosure where there'll be lots of Chester supporters lots of Thames supporters as well Thames so good in this event and again looking absolutely imperious supreme performance from them in front of stewards have Chester got a late burst they've kept their lead here Thames on the Barcher station to the right of your picture just trying to turn it up a notch or two in front of stewards and they've done that successfully there you can see in the battle seat Mike and Ryan moving really well the cops there as I lost it will be urging them to that finish line in front of an already raucous stewards Thames rowing club now looking to win the Britannia challenge cup not too far to go they won last year they won in 2022 they've won three of the last five they could be about to make it four of the last six but still Chester go they're not too far down in the final few strokes but they haven't managed to overturn mighty Thames rowing club in the Britannia another terrific performance from them winning the Britannia by a length Chester rowing club historic reaching the final a fantastic achievement to reach the final but they couldn't live with Thames a ferocious performance and that is what it means to them winners of the Britannia challenge cup any raw regatta 2024 well done to Thames yeah you can see how much it cost them but they are delighted that stroke man they're going to be asked just to sit up to make sure he's all right and then he'll be able to say