Team WinTech & King had a superb week at the 2023 edition of Henley Royal Regatta. Across six days of fantastic racing and 26 events, WinTech and King shells were represented across a swathe of categories, and we had five semi-finalists and one finalist crew in the regatta. 

Our leading boat was the junior men’s quad from Hinksey Sculling School. Selected in the Fawley Challenge Cup, they raced superbly to see off Leander ‘B’, Sydney Rowing Club, Australia and Los Gatos Rowing Club, USA to set up a Sunday showdown with Leander Club ‘A’. In the end, the boys from the pink palace were too strong for Hinksey but to progress that far into the premier schoolboy sculling competition in world rowing was a glowing testament to the strength of the program.

Bodo Schulenburg, Director of Rowing at Hinksey, expressed his satisfaction with the performance. “I thought the boys stepped on immensely,” he said. “We came into the Regatta knowing we were moving well and picking up speed and I knew that the Fawley had a range of dangerous opponents. For Hinksey to make a second Henley Royal Regatta final in three years is a fantastic tribute to the whole team, across our coaching staff and athletes. Hopefully we can make the final step in 2024.”

We also had four semi-finalists across various categories. Racing in a King shell, Winter Park Crew, USA just lost out to Deerfield Academy on the Saturday in the Prince Philip Challenge Trophy, a result that will naturally have been a tough blow for Mike Vertullo’s girls. They can take some consolation after setting a record in the event on the Thursday of racing against Hinksey Sculling School.

Henley Rowing Club, in a WinTech Cobra progressed to the semi finals of the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup where they were beaten by Wycliffe College whilst Sophia Luwis (fresh from her silver medal win in the Lightweight Women’s 1x at World Cup II in Varese racing in a Cobra SE FLX 1x) made the semi-final stage of the Princess Royal Challenge Cup, eventually losing out to Wieliczko of Poland.

Our race of the day on Saturday was a match-up for the ages in the Fawley Challenge Cup between the mighty Leander Club and Windsor Boys School, who were racing in a WinTech Cobra SE. The two tussled all the way down the course, with Leander prevailing by a matter of feet across the line.

We also had a smattering of crews who exited in the earlier rounds of other events; Nottinghamshire County Rowing Association and Nottingham University were beaten in the Princess Grace Challenge Cup by Edinburgh + Newcastle and DSR Laga + ASR Nereus respectively whilst Hereford Cathedral School were dispatched by Leander and Lea by Los Gatos in the Fawley Challenge Cup. Deerfield Academy USA who were racing  in a King SE in a heat of the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup got knocked out by Shiplake College who went on to progress to the semi-finals. 

Our UK distributor Oarsport was on site alongside our North American team from the week before the regatta supporting athletes and coaches from both sides of the pond as they prepared for and competed in this prestigious competition. 

Oarsport & WinTech/King will also be in attendance at both The Henley Masters Regatta & The British Rowing Junior Championships and look forward to rounding out a fantastic 2023 season!

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