Full Highlights | Day 1 | Henley 2026

Welcome to Henley Royal Regatta 2026. Over the next six days, centuries of tradition, sporting rivalry and unmistakable British style combine on this unique stretch of the River Thames. This is the highlights show. We're going to be bringing you the very best of what happens out on the water and we start in the Fawley with a head-to-head between St Paul's and Leigh. So the Fawley challenge cut now. Paul's school on the Barkshire station to the left of your picture there against the Leigh rowing club on the Buck station. And stop there Leigh just putting their rudder on there just keep an eye because they are going across the course and hopefully they're either the umpire or the spousemen will notice and they'll get themselves straight and with the orange boat on the Buckinghamshire station and it's quite hard to steer that station because the island comes towards you and it makes you want to spook and as an athlete or a steersperson you need to just be keeping looking at that thing and keep your boat straight. Yeah Leigh definitely went charging out into the middle of the water and then has had to correct itself a little bit nudge back towards the boom a little bit further down the track that's how they stand tight. Yeah this is going to be a good race with the St Paul's boat against Leigh. St Paul's so so strong in the eight we'll be seeing them in that as well this their Fawley boat in this quad. So another strong score we're talking about Thames Rowing Club and their strong squad St Paul's school they will have come up to the score with heroes who are racing and rowing phenomenal strokes and launching and great results and going on to represent the country so they will have watched out these St Paul's guys and they won't be scared of being down they'll be used to being in competitive situations in their training sports day in day out. This is a very competitive situation isn't it the white and black of St Paul's school top of your picture there so a very good race here the Fawley Challenge Cup and look how tight it is well into the race here and if anybody's and Leigh are going to have to go again here aren't they because they haven't shaken off St Paul's. I mean this is a fantastic race and this is what we can see with St Paul's on their program there is such an efficient way of rowing that they can stay in touch because every time you see the blades are coming down to the water they're cool they're calm and they've got this rhythm we talked earlier on about the boat doing some of the work and I think St Paul's do that better than any other program when I watched them. It doesn't mean they're going to win this race because it's side by side but you know it keeps you a little bit fresher as an athlete it means you have a little bit more to give potentially at this point in the race. So the rowing club in the orange to the left of your picture they've just about had ascendancy but it's only been marginal all the way down and we'll get a better angle in a moment but there you can see in the bow seat Watson and he looks like yeah again they've just nudged the head been tight all the way down but in the last few seconds whilst we were watching in the bow seat there Watson has a little glance to see what's going on. This is a fantastic race Tim which is all the way they're both a little bit in the middle of the river but I think they're going to be fine and safe and I think Lee will hold on to it but what a race for this point on a Tuesday. Yeah very good race it's going to be Lee Rowing Club who take it in the 40 challenge cup but less than the length between them and St Paul's school and actually that was the biggest margin we had all the way down the course for most of the race that was really nip and tuck. This is the four-league challenge cup of George Watson's college against Los Gatos Rowing Club of the USA. Sarah Winklis is dashing off I suspect for umpiring duties yes replaced by Baroness Granger. Catherine Granger good morning to you. Good morning Tim lovely to be with you. Great to see you here that's a good start to this Henry Moore regatta a little bit of a breeze sun's shining brighter now and here we are into the four-league challenge cup race 10 on the program and on the Parkshire station the boat you can see moving well there George Watson's college there's a little bit of a lead. How are conditions out there Catherine you've been out there for the last hour or so? Yeah it's a beautiful day it's sun is out we've had a spot of rain earlier which has probably kept the temperatures very manageable it's a really lovely temperature to be competing in the conditions are mild headwind but nothing too troubling for the crews so yeah if I if I still had it it may I'd be looking forward to coming down this course. I'm sure you have I wouldn't doubt it for a moment it's nice for the competitors beautiful for spectators as well so comfortable for watching as they approach that finish line it's very tight let's get us to the left of your picture they'll be quickly over unless they can find something more it's right in front of stewards now at the business end of the race they're a few strokes away from home and look how tight this is the Americans coming again to try and challenge George Watson's college it's going to be a very tight finish George Watson's responding with their own move and have they got this race it's not going to be very much in it in the last few strokes George Watson's on the voucher station have pulled clear to beat Las Gatos rowing club by half a length but that was a terrific race for this stage of the regatta that is incredible pacing as well that is a just a race exactly timed to the line and you can see again in these moments of the wargrave challenge cup london rowing club c and lee rowing club on the voucher station your left hand side of the screen so a clean start there Catherine yeah it does a clean start and again it's just a really good judge to see you know the rowing it's that you're going from absolutely stationary to maximum speed and capacity when you've got eight blades and both you're flying through the water like that you can just check in that moment of extreme pressure and energy you know the precision the timing the synchronicity and it's just these are great shots to be able to judge that yeah here's but like you said it's very quiet coming down the islands and they'll just focus on their routine and they won't be racing each other they'll just be going through the normal start process settling into the rhythm now and the league seem to have got a bit of a lead coming off the end of the islands yeah they have and again it's this one i always would love to just hear what the coxes are saying because there's this moment where the crews are still very close and there's there's not a complete break from the two crews you can see from the the scores just come up under the barrier sign there's still a tiny bit of overlap and the coxes will be well one cocks be wanting to break that completely move away but the cocks in the london boat will be just trying to hold on and then just try and claw back it just takes one person to be sometimes physically struggling that can throw off the rhythm can throw off the timing and unsettle the whole boat yeah and the further in the stern that person is the more impact they have i think yeah i used to sit quite close up to the stern don't put that pressure on it but yeah i mean it can happen anywhere but you're right because up in the stern so closer to the cops as we look at it further away from us they're the ones really setting the rhythm and the pace and the timing so if anything happens at that end you can't you can't protect anywhere in the boat and the lee really holds it the pressure is coming from london they are definitely coming back at them maybe to half a length at the moment but both crews keep it together i love this as well because it's you know london have never been disheartened they've always felt they could you know they've got they're close enough that they could do something here and it's meant to your point that leaf cannot be happy to relax at any point during this race and been kept under pressure from start to finish it's been a very good beginning good sort of demonstration of blasting out getting a lead and controlling a race from the lee here and as we're coming to the finish line with the lee rowing club on the right hand side on the barkshire station leading london rowing club on the buckinghamshire station and the margin still overlaps between the two crews it's a great road for both crews yeah congratulations to both crews that was a impressive close racing and control there now we're heading down to the start of the y4s challenge cup with sydney rowing club the park station halden's rowing club rook club norway on the right hand side on the buckinghamshire station good clean start and welcome to the commentary zoe the toledo how are you doing good thank you excited to be here converging crews here we go blades look like they're going to be clashing soon sydney slightly up big steer there from the rowing club from hansen rowing club in norway welcome to a very quick exciting race straight in and this is always what we see isn't it oh no they just hit the boy they moved away and they snapped the oar oh yeah if you can see there the crew nearest to us one of their oars is snapped completely in half when they hit the uh the upright there i think as they came towards the booms it's a real danger yes yeah oh that's horrendous isn't it i hope that hasn't hurt himself that carbon fiber when it splinters can be quite sharp absolutely yeah i mean they look okay they're looking around but that is obviously a race ender there and i think because they were the ones who were sort of encroaching uh into and being warned into their opposition's water i suspect they don't have a like to stand there i think they responded and turned away from sydney and overcompensated here as we're coming down to the finish line the sydney rowing club b australia winning by one winning by comfortably because of the norwegian crew hitting the booms near the start this is the princess elizabeth challenge couple of boys eight near us is the eaton college boat club and on the far side is bedford school bedford out to a length really quite quickly i'm surprised by that i must say these crews were separated by just i think three seconds so about a length over the whole course of that schools they came seventh inning at the national schools regatta in the champaign so i was expecting this to be a really close matchup but it looks like bedford were not playing around at the start there they just decided to get on it get out there fast they were brave this is a great road from bedford i think they're going to be absolutely delighted with this these are actually i think growing better now than they were at the start they're putting the pressure on they look like they found their rhythm a bit but it's too late to get back on terms with this bedford school for yeah well their bravery and courage but paid off didn't they really got themselves in control of the race and didn't really matter after that point a great result there for bedford school and princess elizabeth's challenge cup eaton college by clearwater you can see how hard those boys from bedford had to work to win that they don't win these wins don't come easy henley royal regatta is as famous for its unique course as it is for its colorful blazers but what sets it apart why is it so different to regattas around the world or the olympic games we sent olympic champion and henley steward greg searle out onto the course to explain more so as you're sitting on the start the nerves are really going there's this kind of silence before the start everyone sits there and you have to wait for two minutes while you're attached and you wait for the umpire to come in and you're all looking at each other and say attention go as you push away from that first stroke particularly on that buck station you need to stay tight to the left hand side start taking the first few strokes and the boxers look up you can see that orange v and the orange post and you've used them to steer and you have to be really brave and stay tight to the island as you stay tight to the island it gets dark there's a darkness because the overhanging trees can't afford to come out into the middle then as you come towards the top of the island you get to the boys and you notice those red boys on your left the red boys are there and they're a warning that you're coming towards the booms at the top of the island suddenly everything happens it opens up you might have a crosswind coming from the side you might have the stream which might push you towards your opposition if you're on that buck station so you've got to be really focused right now temple island there and how close i am to the booms the booms these big wooden logs it's different to any other rowing course in the world because you've got wooden beams or booms if you hit them it's virtually race over and you're now coming out towards a minute as you come towards a minute you get to the first signal the signal you get to is a quarter mile these signals are set up so that there's boards that get pulled up by the signaler and show which crew is in front as a rower i could always look and out of the corner of my eye glance to the left and see do they put up number one which is the crew on the boxer station or number two which crew on the buck station and then you get to the mark which we call the barrier the barrier is really just a fence on the right hand bank on the Berkshire bank you pass it and you pass the next signal the signalers will pull up the numbers to show who's in front is it number one or is it number two as you row away from the barrier you come into this quieter section of the course no crowds either side you tend to really just have to focus in on what you're doing within your boat you try and scull long you try and row long take an extra turn of the wheels be efficient as you come to the foley marker you get a big emotional lift because you know you're going through halfway the foley mark is the biggest of the signals it's on the Berkshire side it's on the right and as you come past it they'll drop a flag and the stewards in the boat behind will take a time as you're coming through that third quarter you come towards upper Thames and you come towards Remenham club we get this thing called the Remenham roar if it's one of the clubs which is part of Remenham they get a particularly good cheer a particularly good bit of support and it really starts to lift you up and you actually feel a bit taller you sit a bit taller in your seat you try and pull a bit harder people will often do a push as they come past Remenham and again try to start to make a move you know you're getting into the third quarter you're getting towards the fourth quarter now is the time when you know both crews are really hurting now is the time when a move can really make a difference and then you get to the enclosures often crews will push they'll look to lift the rate and look to dig deeper if the crews are side by side people will be coming off their seats people will be shouting people will be trying to get you to push a little bit harder and you dig deep the hairs on the back of your neck go up you know that this is it this is what you've prepared for all year this is your Henley race this could be your Henley final you're racing for one of those red boxes the red box that has the Henley medal in it it's your final chance to get that little move to get you ahead if you're still side by side this is absolutely what it's all about you're trying to give it everything you can you're trying to completely empty the tank and you're coming down 10 more strokes staying long holding your blades in pushing it out and coming towards the finish line desperately trying to get that bow in front and then you get there you know it's time to start rowing you desperately hope the beep is for you that your bow has been in front you have got your boat over the finish line and you've progressed to the next round or maybe you've won that red box and you're going to walk away with a Henley medal and the atmosphere really does build and build along the course reaching a crescendo outside the stewards enclosure let's now see what the crowds were cheering with the best from the afternoon and the evening sessions start the Whitehall Challenge Club Claremont Rowing Association USA elected your team versus Minerva Bathrowing Club in that bright yellow on the right of your screen that looks like a fantastic start and you know what I love the colour of this Minerva Bath kit feel like even on a little bit of a grey afternoon in Henley I could do with a pair of sunglasses looking at these bright yellow good job they're not in a bright yellow m-packer as we certainly can see them coming right this is exciting and you know how this anyone watching that hasn't rowed before this feels totally frantic I mean like it's like you're kind of it feels like it might if you're hanging off the back of a plane and have like greasy vaseline hands or something you're just trying to hold on and move as quick as you can the legs are a tiny glance across there in the bow seat Jonathan Nagel looking across and saying right guys we are in this race what have you got Minerva Bath can you get back level with this Fairmont Rowing Association USA one of the most fantastic and dreadful things about rowing is you know unlike a running race where you have no idea if you're really being caught up which you know it does feel horrible I remember my sister chasing me up the stairs and that's horrible but in a rowing race when you can feel them and see them catching you up that is scary and I wouldn't want to be the final stages this is so tight as they're heading towards the floating grandstands a little of a cross again from the found man from Minerva okay this is gonna be a tough one for the finish judges I am not calling this I think that was a photo finish we're gonna have to wait to see if Fairmont have done it or not as they head towards us almost clashing into our commentary box that was an unbelievable finish from Minerva Bath look in slow motion oh I must point out that camera's not our camera that we see there is not the finish line exactly so I'd love to see where our umpire judges have called it haven't had an official call yet it's going to be coming to you as soon as we hear that but what a race and these both these crews from different sides of the Atlantic went neck and neck yeah hats off to all eight of these athletes what a show and I think Bath Minerva just got it they've been told there's a huge scream there from the boys in yellow from the west country they weren't running for any part of that race apart from the last surge and that's a win in the y-fold challenge cook from Minerva Bath of a Fairmont rowing association USA 40 challenge cup Ridley College Canada on the left of your screen versus Norwich school on the right of your screen because look how they've gone to start there straight as an arrow and it is difficult doing this when you are putting a hundred percent of your power the person steering these boats they have a rudder wire attached to one of their feet and the tiniest movements will really swing your boat sideways so to be able to apply that level of power and go off as straight as this I'm impressed they are getting pushed hard by Norwich here and it's a tough one to call if anything I'd say Ridley is slightly ahead on the right hand side of your screen there a red stripe that hoop around the middle of these rowers against the Norwich school vertical stripes with very little to call between these crews I think in this next sort of minute minute and a half of this whoever can keep it neat and tidy you know not get too scrappy where it gets a bit bouncy will win this race well I said how composed they were but look at that shot from behind these crews are absolutely all out as they're coming in and listen to that roar appreciating what they see here they're clapping they're cheering I think they're absolutely spoiled here but you can see some pain and and a bit of looking side to side here the bowman here from Norwich school just keep your eyes in focus you can win this race Archie Wilkins is he telling his crew to keep moving as these crews are tearing towards the finish line it's another bow ball to bow ball I think Ridley just got it there on the surge let's await the official result there unbelievable finish from Norwich oh I looked from where we were almost Ridley but I wouldn't like to call it Jack I would definitely not like to call it you know we're being spoiled with some pretty tight racing but that was tight all the way down you know there was barely a few feet at any point we'll wait for the official result coming through any second to us but both crews what an absolutely huge race from these eight rowers because that was magnificent and there you see the laughter from James Howard to see of Norwich saying he doesn't know that's a win for Ridley College calendar the 40 challenge cup of a Norwich school cup at the start it is the Whitehall Challenge Cup it's an Aussie Derby we have Swan River Rowing Club on the left of your screen against Mercator Rowing Club on the right you can see here the rate is going up in the Swan River crew we saw Henry Southanger making his Henley debut in the bow seat look across and there's another look there was that Blair Parnell or Quinton Marquetos that how much we got to do the rate is going up they are going to test Mercantile as much as they possibly can and here we can see Mercantile still looking powerful but themselves having to respond and that's a great shot of Alex in the bow seat not quite sure who is steering in that boat but one of those men will be steering with their foot just ensuring they pick a really nice line and from what I've seen so far the line that Mercantile has taken has been beautifully straight nice and true on their track a to b as fast they can well done uncomfortable though because Swan River are coming again they're going to have another go and Mercantile are having to really stay on it uh to to ensure they stay ahead they can probably sense now they're a fair way through the enclosures as we get a shot of them coming around with a lot of power uh that they've had to use again and we saw the sort of head going up of Fletcher Douglas in the stroke seat as they have to stay on it Swan River gosh they are absolutely giving it their all just a victory for Mercantile Rowing Club Australia over Swan River Rowing Club in the Y-fold Challenge Cup thank you so much for that wonderful Australian derby so back at the start it is the Wargrave Challenge Cup that is the club event for and we have Thames Rowing Club C against Marlow Rowing Club these are athletes who are working or possibly studying and they are training around that Thames Rowing Club are on the left of your screen and Marlow Rowing Club from just down the road are on the right of your screen yeah just a little bit of steering going on there in the Marlow boat on the right of your screen on the looking like it has just been corrected it is tricky down there at the shadows of Temple Island and uh hasn't seemed to impede them as they're drawn pretty much level as they get joined by our camera boats as they poke out from the end of Temple Island there so these crews have been racing through the summer season and they've got lots of race experience and will be really this is a tough match-up isn't it for both crews Thames Rowing Club C part of a massive squad but Marlow Rowing Club part of a growing body of the record entry at Henry Royal Regatta with 10 Marlow crews racing here so again part of a club that that is learning to train as a squad and raise up the performance levels both crews just starting to look a little bit ragged they're right at the end of the race this is the point where that extra 112 meters really starts to hurt Marlow really coming home strong here but they might just run out of water in front of the stewards enclosure they're going through their gears they are taking it up again still Thames have the edge but Thames are really having to fight to keep that as Marlow go one more time leading up to the finish line it is going to be Thames Rowing Club C who make it through perhaps half a length over Marlow Rowing Club and as they said on their recent Marlow Rowing Club kind of social media the point of stepping into the arena is to take a risk to see what you're capable of find out who you are and grow from it and that was happening for every member of that crew and in that race so that is day one done and dusted the car park picnic so likely to carry on into the evening day two sees two of the three new events get underway at this year's regatta we have the Queen Victoria Challenge Cup for student women quads and the Danesfield Challenge Cup for club women quads it's a new milestone for this regatta