Henley Royal Regatta

On 26 March 1839 at a public meeting held in the Town Hall the Regatta was born. Due to the increasing popularity and interest aroused by the various boat races that already took place on the Henley Reach it was decided that the introduction of an annual regatta would attract visitors to the town and be a source of amusement to the locals. In 1851 His Royal Highness Prince Albert became the first Royal Patron of the Regatta, since when it has been known as `Henley Royal Regatta'. The first regatta was raced on a single afternoon, but in subsequent years it was extended to accommmodate the increasing entries and in 1986 it was extended to the current five days of fun and festivities.

The Henley Royal Regatta takes place annually at the end of June for five days, starting on a Wednesday and finishing on a Sunday. The results from 1994-1996 and more recent results are available on-line.

Photographs:

Redgrave and Pinsent at the 1994 Henley Royal Regatta.

Contact:

R. S. Goddard (Secretary)
Henley Royal Regatta
Regatta Headquarters
Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire RG9 2LY, UK
Tel: +44-1491-572153
Fax: +44-1491-575509

• Official Henley Royal Regatta Web Site.

• Henley Royal Regatta information from the Oxfordshire County Council OXCIS system.

• Henley Royal Regatta index of results including general information Henley Royal Regatta Rule Changes 1995-6 and Henley Royal Regatta Bye-Laws.

• Henley Royal Regatta section by Nick Morris.

• 1994 regatta results (also in brief).

• Wibble about Henley, by Rachel Quarrell, written on the Friday before the main races, 1995.

• An American Muses on Henley Royal Regatta, by G. G. Parker, an article originally written for the MIT Crew alumni newsletter.

• REGATTA On-line - Henley Royal Regatta.

• Photographs: A crew of eight ready to row, a crew carrying an eight, wonderful hats, a young Henley goer, blazers, the brass band and a Leander Club man enjoying a Pimms at the Royal Henley Regatta, part of the Henley area section of a virtual tour of the River Thames. (See also Virtual River Thames site.)

• Henley Women's Regatta. Contact H.W.R@Bigfoot.com.

• Leander Club, Henley-on-Thames.

• River and Rowing Museum, Henley-on-Thames.

• Oxford-Cambridge Henley Boat Races.

• Henley-on-Thames.

• River Thames.

• rec.sport.rowing newsgroup.

• Marlow Regatta, just down the river, first held in 1885.

Other "Henley"s:

• Henley Women's Regatta, Henley-on-Thames.

• Australian Henley, Melbourne.

• California Henley, USA.

• The Royal Canadian Henley Regatta, St. Catharine's, Ontario, Canada.

See also The Royal St. John's Regatta, Newfoundland, Canada, North America's oldest continuous sporting event since 1826.