8 July 2026

The Henley Royal Regatta Finals were wrapped up on Sunday, 5 July. Here is the second part of the results on Finals Day (from an HRR press release).

The 2026 Henley Royal Regatta Finals Results I are here.

The Stewards’ Challenge Cup Winners: Leander Club

Leander Club v Nautilus Rowing Club

The final marked the only Stewards’ Challenge Cup race up the track this week, with Leander Club coming in favourites. Their crew was the current senior British four, reigning World Champions and recent winners at World Rowing Cup III.

Carrying this accolade, Leander Club had everything to lose, but throughout the race, demonstrated composure, in spite of a strong fight from the Nautilus crew. A ¼ length up at The Barrier, Leander were not able to get clear of their opposition, who by Fawley, were only a canvas length behind. Nonetheless, the experience of the Leander four prevailed, making a move to secure a length lead at The Mile Post, and a further length to win The Stewards’ Challenge Cup by two lengths.

The Wargrave Challenge Cup Winners: Thames Rowing Club ‘A’

Thames Rowing Club ‘A’ v Thames Rowing Club ‘B’

It was an all-Thames race for The Wargrave Challenge Cup, marking the first time this event has ever had an ‘A’ v ‘B’ inter-club final. In the five years that this event has been running, Thames Rowing Club have made four of the finals. 

The ‘A’ crew led from the start and soon established a lead difficult for Thames ‘B’ to recuperate. Out of the Island, they’d already left Thames ‘B’ ½ length behind, storming away to 1 ½ lengths at Fawley. Thames ‘B’ left it all out there, but could not diminish the gap, and Thames ‘A’ became winners of The Wargrave Challenge Cup for 2026.

The Silver Goblets & Nickalls’ Challenge Cup Winners: J.N. Wincomb & T.W.K. Digby, Marlow Rowing Club and Leander Club

 S.D. Ford & A. Grundy v J.N. Wincomb & T.W.K. Digby

Ahead of Finals Day, S.D. Ford & A. Grund had claimed victory against the Croatian pair and secured an easy transition into Sunday racing. After a surprise withdrawal from the Irish pair, J.N. Wincomb & T.W.K. Digby had made their way into the finals with wins by a length in the quarter final, and 1 ¼ length in the semi-final against the German pair. 

The Marlow and Leander pair maintained a lead throughout, securing a length by the ¼ Mile, 2 ¼ lengths by ¾ Mile and a win by nearly two lengths. 

 The Stonor Challenge Trophy Winner: Francis & L.J. Spoors, Waiariki Rowing Club, New Zealand 

Francis & L.J. Spoors, NZL v N.B.M. Phillips & H.A.G. Marshall

Paris Olympic Champions B.C. Francis & L.J. Spoors of New Zealand came up against St Andrew Boat Club’s N.B.M. Phillips & H.A.G. Marshall in the Final of The Stonor Challenge Trophy. This represented a remarkable rise for the Scottish double, who beat both the City of Oxford Rowing Club and Thames Rowing Club by 3 ¾ lengths to make it to Sunday. 

Aware of the calibre of their opposition, N.B.M. Phillips & H.A.G. Marshall went hard out of the stakeboats, holding on the Kiwis, just a canvas behind at the ¼ Mile. They continued to cling on to the Olympic gold medallists until the Fawley marker, and it was only there that Francis & L.J. Spoors strode out to a ½ length advantage. At this point, the Waiariki Rowing Club double found their middle race rhythm, stretching out to a 1 ¾ length lead ahead of their opposition by The Mile, and a strong 3 ¾ lengths ahead by the finish line.

The Diamond Challenge Sculls Winner: O. Zeidler, GER

D.M.V. Gonçalves, POR v O. Zeidler, GER

In the Premier men’s single sculls event, Gonçalves and Zeidler came together after successful campaigns, with Zeidler shaking off Dutch, German and British interest, and Gonçalves defeating Henley Rowing Club, Denmark’s J.R. Poulsen and South Africa’s C. Baxter.

Zeidler, already a four-time winner in this event, showed his class again, quickly seeing off Portugal’s D.M.V. Gonçalves. Rating 48 off the start, Zeidler took a canvas lead by the end of the Island over Gonçalves at 40. Settling to 37, the German led by a length at the ¼ Mile. Despite missing The Barrier record by two seconds, Zeidler was still lengths ahead of Gonçalves, which he had furthered to a comfortable three length margin passing Remenham. Moving past the Progress Board, he crossed the line to beat Gonçalves by 4 ¾ lengths in 7 minutes 39 seconds, making this Zeidler’s fifth Diamond Sculls title.

The Remenham Challenge Cup Winner: Leander Club and Molesey Boat Club

Team Italia, ITA v Leander Club & Molesey B.C.

In another showdown and straight final between the national teams of Italy and Great Britain, the racing demonstrated the enduring appeal of Henley Royal Regatta to top-class crews. 

Both crews rated 43 out of the Island and were level, a margin replicated at the ¼ Mile. Leander and Molesey took the lead at the Barrier, driving away by half a length, a lead they had extended to ¾ of a length at the ½ Mile. The British crew won the last World Rowing Cup in Lucerne and showed their steel as a unit through the middle portion of the course, stretching out to a one and ½ length lead by the ¾ Mile and two and ¼ lengths by the Mile. Through the Enclosures, rating 36, Leander and Molesey led by three lengths to reclaim The Remenham Challenge Cup. 

The Temple Challenge Cup Winner: University of Cambridge ‘A’

 University of Washington, USA v Cambridge University ‘A’

A highly competitive roster awaited the crews in The Temple Challenge Cup this week. With 87 entries, the event was reduced to 32 crews after Qualifying. From that, two of the top contenders secured their spot for finals: The University of Washington, USA, and Cambridge University ‘A’.

Hungry for victory from the outset, the crew from Seattle were rating 50 strokes per minute, but by The Barrier, Cambridge were ahead and moving clear, leading by over a length by the ½ Mile. With no answers to the poise and power of Cambridge, Washington heads were held low on the Finish line, as they succumbed to a ⅔ of a length defeat. 

The Bridge Challenge Plate Winner: Molesey Boat Club & University of London

Thames Rowing Club vs Molesey B.C & University of London

Despite keen international interest in the second staging of The Bridge Challenge Plate, Sunday’s final was an all-domestic affair. Thames Rowing Club, holders, dispatched Dartmouth University, USA, and a composite from Nautilus Rowing Club and Cambridge University on their way to the starting pontoons, whilst Molesey Boat Club & the University of London defeated dual transatlantic interest in Miami and Yale Universities. 

After a clean start, both crews were rating 43 at the end of the Island and the composite crew had a canvas lead. The Barrier beckoned and with it came a Molesey/UL surge, with the Henley Women’s Regatta winners stretching out to a length. That lead was maintained through the ½ Mile signal and at Fawley, Molesey Boat Club & the University of London had squeezed again, establishing an additional ¼ length margin. Thames would not lie down though, and responded as the crews powered past Rememham, reducing the advantage to ¾ of a length and then down to ½ length whilst passing the Enclosures. The crowds rose to applaud two valiant eights in the Sunday sunshine and despite repeated attacks from Thames, whose reluctance to relinquish their Trophy was clear, it was Molesey Boat Club & the University of London who took the win by ⅔ of a length. 

The Queen Mother Challenge Cup Winner: Team Italia, ITA

Leander Club & Twickenham R.C. v Team Italia, ITA

Silver medallists at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, and gold medallists at the 2025 World Rowing Championships, Team Italia entered Henley Royal Regatta in fine fettle and with an unchanged line-up from the boat that secured gold in Shanghai last summer. They were up against stiff competition in the form of Leander Club and Twickenham Rowing Club, the current British national crew who recently took gold at World Cup III  and were silver medallists behind the Italians in China. Both crews faced tough races in the semi-finals, the British fending off an Irish/Portuguese composite, and the Italians defeating the Irish national quad.

Italy received a steering warning right as they left the stakeboats, out fast and overrating Leander Club and Twickenham Rowing Club the entire race. Courageously, they secured a length on the opposition by Fawley, which they managed to hold as Remenham approached. Running out of water, the GB composite began their charge, and whilst they managed to lower the lead to ½ length at The Mile, they succumbed to the Italian’s early speed, who claimed this year’s Queen Mother Challenge Cup.

The Princess Royal Challenge Cup Winner: L.R. Henry, Leicester Rowing Club

L.R. Henry, Leicester Rowing Club v M. Lobnig, Austria

Magdalena Lobnig beat E.E Martin of the USA and P. Badenhorst, RSA, to reach the Final of The Princess Royal Challenge Cup and face Lauren Henry, one of the world’s best female scullers over the last two seasons. Lobnig had proved her capacity, turning a close match against Badenhorst into a place in the finals against Great Britain’s best.

Out of the Island, Lobnig had a canvas lead. Henry, fresh from her win at the World Cup in Lucerne, sculled out to a comfortable 1 ¼ length lead by the ½ Mile. Her class and power were near-impossible to match; Henry shone in the afternoon’s conditions, winning by five lengths, and claiming a second consecutive Henley Royal Regatta title. This makes her the third woman ever to successfully defend a title in The Princess Royal Challenge Cup.

The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup Winner: St Paul’s School

St Paul’s School v St Edward’s School

In a repeat of the 2023 Final, St Paul’s School took on St Edward’s School. Both boats had dispatched fierce opposition on Saturday, with Paul’s defeating National Schools’ Regatta winners from Radley College and Teddies demonstrating superior horsepower to outgun King’s College Wimbledon. 

Despite the pre-race billing, the contest was almost entirely controlled by the panache and finesse of Bobby Thatcher’s St Paul’s School. In his fifth victory as Director of Rowing, Thatcher has cultivated a winner’s mentality in his young charges, and they exemplified that in striding out in the opening exchanges to lead by ⅓ of a length at the Barrier. They further extended this lead to ¾ of a length at the Fawley and a length at the ¾ Mile. Teddies rose again, punching hard to try and retake a Trophy they last won three years ago, but St Paul’s weathered the storm, maintaining their lead all the way through the Enclosures to close out on their ninth overall win in this Trophy by ⅔ of a length.

The Princess Grace Challenge Cup Winner: Leander Club & Reading University

Leander Club & Reading Univ. v Hollandia R.C., NED

Home interest in reclaiming this Trophy against Dutch opposition was piqued on Sunday afternoon, as the senior British boat came up against a development crew from the Netherlands. 

After losing this Final in 2025, the crew from Leander Club and Reading University – stroked by Olympic champion Imogen Grant – fired away from the Island at 42, unperturbed by two separate steering warnings from Hollandia. At the Barrier, this richly talented UK outfit led by three lengths and continued to stretch away to earn themselves a comfortable win. It’s been an excellent week for this crew, who also took World Cup gold on the Lucerne waters just seven days ago.

The Queen Victoria Challenge Cup Winner: Reading University ‘A’

A.A.S.R. Skøll, the Netherlands v Reading University ‘A’

In the inaugural staging of The Queen Victoria Challenge Cup, it was to no-one’s surprise that Reading University booked themselves a spot in Sunday’s final after victories against Delftsche Studenten Roeivereeniging Proteus-Eretes, Netherlands, and the University of Birmingham. Joining them were A.A.S.R. Skøll of the Netherlands, who themselves had successfully defeated Oxford Brookes and Reading’s own ‘B’ crew.

Empowered by the remarkable programme that Will Rand, Chris Bartley and Simon Williamson have built, Reading took the fight to the Dutch, leading by ¾ of a length at the ¼ Mile and a length and ¾ at the ½ Mile. Rating at 33, Reading were undeterred throughout, demonstrating why they are the country’s premier sculling institution to lead by over two lengths into the Enclosures and set new records to every marker up the course in crossing the line to claim the trophy.

 The Prince Albert Challenge Cup Winner: Imperial College London

Imperial Coll. London v Newcastle Univ.

The Prince Albert Challenge Cup is a highly competitive Student Open Mens Fours with Coxswain, and with previous Finalists University of London, and Edinburgh University bowing out earlier in the competition, it was time for Imperial College London and Newcastle University to take the stage. Imperial had posted a faster time to the Fawley marker in their semi-final yesterday. 

Both rating 44 out of The Island, Newcastle edged ¼ length lead, which they extended to a ¾ boat length over Imperial by the ¼ Mile. Imperial quickly retaliated, and by the Barrier, the boats were bowball to bowball. At the ½ mile, Imperial had the upper hand, now 3 feet ahead and one step closer to a 5th win in this event. Despite a steering warning at Remenham, and Newcastle engaging a final sprint, Imperial prevailed, and have the most wins in this race category to date.

The Princess of Wales Challenge Trophy Winner: Reading University 

Leander Club & Hartpury University v Reading University

One of the three new events joining the Henley Royal Regatta events schedule this week, The Princess of Wales Challenge Trophy has given the opportunity for Reading University, the premier sculling university in the country, a stage to shine on.

Facing Hartpury University in the final, crews remained level at the end of the Island. Reading University were not deterred by Hartpurty’s fast start and pushed ¼ length ahead by the ¼ Mile. Setting the new record to the Barrier, at 2 minutes and 4 seconds, Reading University strode away, securing a 2 ½ length gap on their opposition at Fawley. Whilst ahead, their steering was put to question, with the crew receiving five warnings as they progressed up the course. Approaching the finish, Hartpury threw everything at them, but to no avail, and Reading University won, claiming two thirds of the wins in the new event categories at this year’s Regatta.

The Wyfold Challenge Cup Winner: Thames Rowing Club ‘A’

Sydney R.C. ‘A’, AUS v Thames R.C. ‘A’

Sydney Rowing Club were the last remaining Australian crew at Henley Royal Regatta this year, reaching the final of the Wyfold Challenge Cup to race Thames Rowing Club ‘A’ in the closing race of the day. Thames ‘A’ defeated Marlow Rowing Club, London Rowing Club and Molesey Boat Club to make it to Sunday, hoping to ensure a win. Sydney Rowing Club had made it to the final last year, so they came to the course seeking redemption.

Quickly warned for steering, Sydney straightened up, and at the ¼ Mile, Thames had taken advantage of this wobble and pulled a canvas ahead. Firing to the Barrier in a time of 1 minute and 56 seconds, they were a length and a ½ up on Fawley, and the same at Remenham. Crowds roared for the last race of the day, and spurred on, and unfazed by Sydney’s desperation for glory, won The Wyfold Challenge Cup by ⅔ of a length, in a time of 6 minutes and 44 seconds.

The 2027 Henley Royal Regatta will take place from Tuesday, 29 June to Sunday, 4 July 2027.