“Henley Royal Regatta is the most prestigious regatta in the world. It accepts only the best rowers, and the competition is gruelling. At 2122 m it is an agonising 122 m longer than the Olympic 2000m.
This year a senior quad of Lucas W, Jesper N, Vlad M and Tom N made Tiffin history. Their story goes back to their first Year 9 games sessions where they discovered a love of the sport, of racing and of increasingly earlier Saturday morning training sessions. They trained hard, they trained together and like most teams had some highs and lows, and some injuries, but were consistently performing in the top 10 of their age category, beating the better-resourced private schools, tussling with local rivals and bringing home National Medals along the way.
Then 2026 comes, their final school year and that one last shot at Henley beckons. They race all season, recording top 10 finishes, and they are recognised as contenders by those officials that have the power to seed them for Henley. Michael D their stroke man is injured, a huge blow to the squad having taken them through a strong year. They regroup and find form in a different line up, slightly more apprehensive than previously. The quad races at Marlow knowing that a good result is important for their reputation and potential selection. They row well and catch the eye of Henley selectors. For the first time in 15 years, Tiffin is pre-seeded and invited to Henley to race in the Fawley Cup Challenge. Pre-seeded, we are rapturous! Tiffin boat club has come good.
The boat is polished to perfection, the blades are repainted and the boys gear up for the event. There is a traditional clap as they leave the famous Henley boating tents and put the boat on the pontoon and then row it up to the start. They are drawn against Wallingford RC, a well-respected local club. The race is officiated by ex-GB rower Guin Batten. ” I will start you. Attention…Go “. Blistering out of the blocks, rating in the high 40s strokes per minute down Temple Island they set the pace and the expectation. Myself and Roy are sitting passengers in the umpires launch. We see it happening, they start to pull away, they settle into a rhythm and start to dominate. The strokes are crisp and clean, the boys are pushing hard as the photos will show, and they start to dominate the race. Parents on the bank start screaming. The boys win by a stunning three lengths. They collapse in equal measures of joy and exhaustion. Nobody remembers the last time this was done.
Round two is a race against Leander Club, the home of GB’s junior rowing programme. The Leander crew has several GB juniors in it. Again, blistering out of the blocks they hold Leander for the first part of the race, but the bigger boys (who averaged 6ft and several inches) start to move away. Tiffin fights hard and produces a push in the last few hundred metres that sees them pull back some water. Tiffin loses to Leander by one length. Maybe 3 or 4 seconds is the gap. Leander club go on to win the event, but Tiffin Boat Club came so very close, and the crew represented themselves and the school with a great display of rowing, with determination and pride.
We would like to thank all the other rowers, the parents and the alumni who have supported the rowing team on this epic journey. Particular thanks goes to Mr Lewis for managing and coaching them these last few years.
Well done boys, you will all be missed but you and this Henley won’t be forgotten.
