Greece (their top men’s pair) στη Henley Royal Regatta,

China enters Henley Royal Regatta arena

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03/07/2009

Chinese rowers are stepping out this year. Provincial teams came to Munich, Germany, last month for the second Rowing World Cup. And now a team from China’s Sichuan province is readying itself to race at Great Britain’s Henley Royal Regatta.

This is the first time in the 170 years of the Henley that the Chinese have competed and it is a continuation of a big move in Chinese rowing that developed out of a push towards last year’s Beijing Olympics. This year the Chinese rowers are training in their provinces in preparation for their four yearly National Games. The team from the Sichuan province has been in Great Britain since the start of June for training and racing experience.

As well as China, the 160th edition of the Henley Royal Regatta has attracted a notable field with nearly the entire British national team racing. The New Zealand national team are also there in force for the first time along with national team rowers from Poland (their Olympic Champion men’s quad), Greece (their top men’s pair), South Africa, the United States, and top male single scullers from Belgium and Norway.

There are three boats in the men’s pair who have claims on being first to the winning line. Shaun Keeling and Ramon Di Clemente of South Africa are the current trophy holders of this event with Di Clemente hoping to better his current record of four titles in this event. Great Britain’s Andy Triggs Hodge and Peter Reed have everything to gain by winning. Last month, the duo, who are Great Britain’s flagship crew, were beaten at the Munich Rowing World Cup by New Zealand. Triggs Hodge and Reed are hoping to re-establish their reputation in front of the home crowd.

Eric Murray and Hamish Bond of New Zealand beat the British and, despite being new to the Henley course, they know their boat speed and will be willing to do what it takes to be in the Final and first over the finish line.

The men’s single also has some international hard-hitters. Both the current Olympic Champion (Olaf Tufte of Norway) and world champion (New Zealand’s Mahe Drysdale) have come to the regatta. They will also face talent from Belgian Olympian Tim Maeyens and New Zealand lightweight World Champion, Duncan Grant. Grant has already indicated his boat speed by beating the current Henley cup holder, Ian Lawson of Great Britain.

The one-on-one knock out style of racing is considered mentally as well as physically brutal, but rowers are able to be boosted by the support of the crowd for the entire 1 mile, 550 yards (2112m) race.

Henley is well known for its traditions that remain tightly maintained since the early regatta days and dress code issues often come to the fore. Women’s hemline dramas in the prestigious Stewards’ Enclosure have already made headlines. For the women, the hemline of their dresses or skirts must be below the knees.

As England endures a heat wave, men have been allowed to remove their dress code stipulated jackets but not their ties.

The first round of racing began on 1 July with finals completed on 5 July.

For results, click here. . And here is the rest of it.