In just a few weeks, students and club members will travel to the United Kingdom to compete at the Henley Royal Regatta, including crews representing Melbourne University Boat Club (MUBC).
The Henley Regatta was established in 1839 and has grown into the world’s most prestigious rowing event. Held on the River Thames, the event draws international attention and attracts top crews from around the globe.
This year, a total of nine students and six MUBC members will attend and compete across three different teams at the prestigious event.
Men's Four+
The Men’s Four+ crew will compete in the Prince Albert Challenge Cup, a race where all crews are comprised of students from the university their club represents.
The crew includes Patrick Hanley (Bachelor of Design), Charles White (Bachelor of Science), James Forsyth (Bachelor of Science), Max Boykett (Bachelor of Design), and Coxswain, Pippa Kluge (Bachelor of Arts). This is an established crew, having an undefeated domestic season racing for MUBC; they are clearly well-connected and in prime form.
"Rowing is the ultimate team sport, you know it's all about connection, and everyone has a great connection in this crew," says Boykett.
“We get to go against Harvard, Yale, all these pretty prestigious universities, which is quite an honour.”
While the crew values and respects the opposition they may face, it is not lost on them how their own University has helped get them to where they are. Whether it be through the Elite Athlete Program, Scholarships, or more general support, they have great pride in who they are racing for.
"The University of Melbourne has a rich history in rowing, and we're really excited to see what we can do representing the university over on the world's biggest stage," says Hanley.
Women's Coxed Eight
Three of the Women's Coxed Eight crew are University of Melbourne students: Zara Lavery (Bachelor of Science), Scout Wilson (Master of Food and Packing Innovation), and Jacinta Caruso (Master of Chemical Engineering). The other six are members of the Melbourne University Boat Club: Yolunda Hooper, Aaliah Dawson, Bec Joyce, Chloe Cooper, Bridgette Harwood, and Coxswain, Ivy Jones.
“Henley is the pinnacle of our sport. It’s an event that every rower knows about, so having the opportunity to race there together as a crew is incredibly special”, the crew said.
They are a powerhouse crew whose experience reaches state, national, and international levels, making them a serious threat to the competition. Despite being a newly formed crew, they don't believe it will affect their performance on the river.
"Although this specific combination of athletes is new, many of us have raced, trained, and spent years rowing together. That made coming together as a Henley crew feel pretty natural from the start. Each session, we’ve continued to build trust, rhythm, and confidence in one another, and we’ve loved seeing the boat improve week by week."
They will be competing in the Bridge Challenge Plate, an intermediate event.
"What makes it even more meaningful is that we’re the first MUBC women’s 8+ to compete at Henley. To be part of that history and represent both MUBC and Victoria’s women’s rowing on such a prestigious stage is something we’re really proud of," share the crew.
Joseph Lee-Conway
The final student to attend this year's regatta is Joseph Lee-Conway (Bachelor of Commerce), who will be representing Mercantile Rowing in the Thames Challenge Cup.
Each of these crews/athletes has been training hard for the last few months in the lead-up to the event, which includes morning and afternoon sessions on the water and in the gym. It's safe to say they are doing everything in their power to ensure they are at their best on race day.
As competitors and high-class athletes, the goal is always a win; however, it isn't the only thing on the mind of these rowers. The Women's crew puts it best,
"For us, Henley is a chance to showcase all the hard work we’ve put in over the seasons, not just as individuals but as a crew and as part of the wider MUBC women’s program. It’s something all of us have wanted to do, and we’re excited to take on the challenge together."
If you are interested in following their journey or supporting them, you can check out their Instagrams or donate to their fundraisers.
The HRR will be held from June 30 to July 5. Keep an eye out for information on how to watch our student-athletes and club members!