Women’s Eight, Women’s Double win Henley Royal trophies
Canadian crews have won the Stonor Challenge Trophy and the Remenham Challenge Cup and on the final day of competition at the historic regatta.
- Featured
- Jul 2, 2023
It has been double delight for the Rowing Canada Aviron (RCA) crews on the final day of the 2023 Henley Royal Regatta with two boats winning their respective categories at the prestigious regatta.
In a remarkable feat, the Canadian Lightweight Women’s Double, comprised of Jill Moffatt and Jenny Casson, secured an impressive victory and laid claim to the prestigious Stonor Challenge Trophy. The Stonor Challenge, unlike their usual lightweight double category, is an open elite weight event at Henley, allowing lightweight doubles like Moffatt and Casson to compete against heavyweight counterparts. In the final, the Canadian duo demonstrated their exceptional skill and determination, triumphing over the British double from Twickenham Rowing Club and Leander Club by a remarkable margin of over two lengths, despite the disparities in weight categories.
The victory served as the crowning achievement of an exceptional week of racing for Moffatt and Casson, who proudly represented Shawnigan Lake School in adherence to the revered club and color customs of Henley. With their impeccable technique and wealth of experience, the duo immediately seized the lead right from the start and flawlessly maintained their execution over the 2112-metre course. As their younger opponents succumbed to fatigue, Moffatt and Casson demonstrated their expertise and composure, solidifying their position as elite rowers and earning their rightful place on the list of esteemed winners.
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In a thrilling performance, the Women’s Eight dominated the Remenham Challenge Cup, triumphing over the formidable Leander Club crew in front of an enthusiastic crowd along the renowned riverbank. As a tribute to the late local rower Ric Tull, the Canadian Women’s Eight proudly wore the blue and orange club colours of the Maple Bay Rowing Club. Right from the first stroke, they displayed an exceptional level of synchronization, delivering a convincing win and adding their chapter to Canada’s success story at Henley.
Earlier in the afternoon, the Canadian Men’s Eight lost to the Oxford Brookes University and Leander Club in the Grand Challenge Cup final. In their sole race of the week, the British crew seized an early lead over the Canadian team and maintained their advantage until the end. Nonetheless, the Canadian Men’s Eight will quickly shift their focus to World Cup III the following week, determined to continue towards their goals towards the World Championships and beyond.
Sunday capped an impressive week for the Men’s Pair of Jack Walkey and Joel Cullen, arriving early to Europe to gain valuable race experience ahead of World Cup III. After winning a thrilling battle in the semi-finals, the duo who race for the University of Washington in the United States college system, found themselves in another close battle in the Silver Goblets and Nickalls’ Challenge Cup final. Ultimately, they succumbed to the pair from Leander Club by less than two lengths. Nevertheless, they left Henley brimming with confidence, eagerly looking forward to their upcoming endeavours in Switzerland.
The first Canadian crew to kick off finals day were the Women’s Quad, competing as Shawnigan Lake School, who lined up against Leicester Rowing Club and Leander Club in the Princess Grace Challenge Cup final. Despite their valiant effort, the Canadian quad couldn’t emerge victorious against the British quad. Nonetheless, as a crew in only their second regatta, they continued to demonstrate improvement and departed Henley with invaluable insights as they set their sights on the next international stop: World Cup III in Lucerne, Switzerland.
Set to take place in Lucerne, Switzerland from July 7-9, spanning the three days that features a progression system from heats to finals, it is the third leg of the annual World Rowing series leading up to the 2023 World Rowing Championships.
To support the national team, RCA has recently launched an initiative entitled Patrons for Paris to power the teams on their journey to the Paris 2024 Games.
We invite you to join the movement and become a valuable member of a supportive community that will embrace the team and help them achieve success on the international stage.
2023 Henley Royal Regatta – Canadian Team Results
WINNERS – The Remenham Challenge Cup – Women’s Eight (W8+)
Morgan Rosts, Kirsten Edwards, Alexis Cronk, Kasia Gruchalla-Wesierski, Sydney Payne, Jessica Sevick, Kristina Walker, Avalon Wasteneys & Kristen Kit (cox) (Maple Bay Rowing Club)
WINNERS – The Stonor Challenge Trophy – Women’s Double (W2x)
Jill Moffatt & Jenny Casson (Shawnigan Lake School)
FINALIST – The Grand Challenge Cup – Men’s Eight (M8+)
William Crothers, Liam Keane, Cody Bailey, Josh King, Luke Gadsdon, Gavin Stone, Curtis Ames, Jakub Buczek & Laura Court (cox) (Maple Bay Rowing Club)
FINALIST – The Silver Goblets & Nickalls’ Challenge Cup – Men’s Pair (M2-)
Jack Walkey & Joel Cullen (Rowing Canada Aviron)
FINALIST – The Princess Grace Challenge Cup – Women’s Quad (W4x)
Shannon Kennedy, Grace VandenBroek, Carling Zeeman & Elisa Bolinger (Shawnigan Lake School)
SEMI-FINALS – The Queen Mother Challenge Cup – Men’s Quad (M4x)
Steven Rosts, Terek Been, Ryan Clegg & Daniel De Groot (Ridley College & Maple Bay Rowing Club)
SEMI-FINALS – The Stonor Challenge Trophy – Women’s Double (W2x)
Marilou Duvernay-Tardif & Carling Zeeman (Maple Bay Rowing Club)
SEMI-FINALS – The Diamond Challenge Sculls – Men’s Single (M1x)
Trevor Jones (Peterborough Rowing Club)
QUARTERFINALS – The Diamond Challenge Sculls – Men’s Single (M1x)
Liam Smit (University of British Columbia, Canada)
QUARTERFINALS – The Princess Royal Challenge Cup – Women’s Single (W1x)
Cassidy Deane (Rowing Canada Aviron)
Image credit: Mauricie Summers (@mauriciesummers)
