3 June 2025

By William O’Chee

The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup is one of the most storied events of the last half century. It has treated the rowing public to some thrilling races, and great eras. More to the point, the roar from the enclosures during a match up like St Paul’s versus Eton – or anyone versus Eton for that matter – make it arguably everyone’s favourite event.

In recent years there have been clear favourites by the time the entires have been whittled down by qualifying, and the first two days racing have been completed.

This year that is not the case.

Certainly Shiplake came to Henley as winners of the National Schools Regatta (in both schoolboys’ and schoolgirls’ eights), but their men are far from being able to claim the PE. In fact, the first two days have produced some surprising results indeed.

For example, St Ignatius School, Riverview won the Australian Schoolboy Championship, and proceeded through the first round, only to be beaten by two lengths by Hampton School on the second day.

Race times are no help in predicting the outcome. Bedford’s time of 6:36 would seem off the pace, however they had reduced their rate of striking to 26 coming past the enclosures, so cannot be a reliable indicator of pace.

Eton also recorded the same time in a comfortable win over Sanford School. Meanwhile, Hampton School clocked 6:17 in their two-length victory over St Ignatius, and St Paul’s did 6:16 in a surprisingly close race against King’s College School, Wimbledon.

While Shiplake, Hampton and St Paul’s are all crews of pedigree they face a full field of challengers over the last three days of the regatta. Amongst these are very strong and powerful crews from Bedford School, and Marin County, USA who did not race well at Reading Town Regatta, but came to England full of talent and trained well at Wallingford.

Bring on Friday!