Henley Womens Regatta is Great Britain's most prestigious women's rowing event. The 2005 Regatta took place from Friday 17th through to Sunday 19th June. This year saw Maidenhead enter five crews from the club. Three womens crews (an eight, a quad and a single) and two junior school doubles.

Top performances from Maidenhead at the regatta have to go to the two junior doubles who competed in the School Junior Double Sculls event. Both of these crews made it through to the semi-finals.

‘Rowing is a Growing Sport’ - It has certainly has been the case during the last 5 years and particularly in relation to women’s rowing. According to A.R.A. estimates, women account for over 40% of the total of active registered rowers.

Henley Womens Regatta has grown considerably over the years. Heats are now held on Friday for heavily subscribed events. Many overseas entries are attracted to this famous regatta course with the chance to compete against leading domestic and International crews.

The weather was perfect with lots of sunshine, tempatures around 29C, with a slight headwind on the course for the finals day of the regatta.

School Junior Double Sculls
In the first round, Maidenhead’s ‘A’ crew of Louise Entwistle and Ally Brooks were drawn against Thames RC who had impressed at National Schools Regatta, winning a Bronze medal at J18 level. Maidenhead's athletes are still aged only 16 and 15. Maidenhead got off to a very fast start and led by ½ length at the end of the island. At the half-way mark this was increased to 1½ lengths and during the second half of the course Maidenhead further increased this lead to 2½ lengths and crossed the finish line in 5m 45s putting up the fastest time of this event for 2005.

Maidenhead’s ‘B’ crew of Laurian Pepper and Jo Wright were drawn against Evesham RC and they too were quick out of the blocks and led from the end of the island. At the half-way point Maidenhead had opened up a one length lead. Continuing at a good rate Maidenhead further extended their lead and crossed the line just under 2 lengths ahead of Evesham in a time of 5m 51s.

In the second round Maidenhead ‘A’ crew were drawn against Leys School. This was a much easier race for Maidenhead who again were quick out of the blocks and they had clear water at the end of the island. Entwistle and Brooks controlled the race from the front reducing there rate to 24 and crossing the line with an easy verdict in a time of 6m 40s.

Maidenhead ‘B’ crew of Pepper and Wright raced Pymble Ladies College Australia. This was an excellent race for Pepper and Wright who led from the start and were too strong and skillful for Pymble Ladies College Australia. At the half-way point they led by 3 lengths and further increased this lead to cross the finish line in a time of 6m 23s with an easy verdict.

This was a major result to have two Maidenhead crews make it through to the last 4 of this event.

The competition was going to be very tough for the semi-finals. Entwistle and Brooks faced the Australian National squad members who had already won all their heats with easy verdicts. Maidenhead went off as fast as they could and were half-a-length down at the end of the island both crews rating 34. At the half-way point, Sydney University Australia had increased this lead to 1½ lengths. Entwistle and Brooks continued to push and battle with Australia and crossed the line just 2 lengths behind.

Pepper and Wright had an equally tough semi-final being drawn against St Peter’s School who had one of the GB World Junior squad members on board. Maidenhead’s race plan was to see if this crew could be rattled off the start. Maidenhead led by 1/4 length at the end of the island and increased this to ½ length at about 600m mark. From this point on the St Peters School crew attacked strongly to draw level and then draw away from Pepper and Wright. St Peters School were too strong in the second half of the course and went on to cross the line in 5m 41s with an easy verdict.

The final was set to be good race with GB World junior squad member Stiller and her partner up against International Australian juniors. In the final the Australians led from the start and gradually drew out to a 2 length lead crossing the finish line 1½ lengths ahead of St Peters School.

After the event, we found out that the stroke of the Australian crew had won a Bronze medal in a four at last year's Junior World Championships and the bow girl is the current Australian National Champion in J18 double sculls.

This is the toughest competition the girls have faced to date and I am sure you will all agree that all Maidenhead crews flew the Maidenhead flag well and performed admirably at their first Henley Womens event.

Intermediate Eights
The development womens squad fielded an eight in the Intermediate Eights event. The crew are all novices, most of whom came through the MRC learn-to-row scheme last summer with only one person with previous experience. The crew had a bye in the first round, but were unlucky to be drawn against the eventual winners, Thames RC, in the second round. The crew, comprising Jo Gower, Louise Perry (captain), Alison King, Anne van Diem, Claire Wallace, Nicole Colley, Jo Macbeth, Christele Blin and Lizzie Gerrard (cox) were outclassed by Thames , but enjoyed the experience and want to return next year.

Senior Quadruple Sculls
Gemma Brace, Helen Easterbrook, Keri Johnson and Oli Sparks entered the club quad scull event and started their regatta with a confident 1st round win over Star Club by 2 lengths. In the second round they sculled well against Molesey, but lost out to Molesey's fitness and strength, crossing the line 1 and 2/3rd lengths.

Senior Single Sculls
Sarah Archibald, Maidenhead’s top women sculler was drawn against Cannon of Imperial College in round 1. As Cannon failed to turn up at the start, this gave Archibald a row over. In the second round Archibald was up against a sculler from Birmingham University. In this round Archibald sculled well but could not match the pace of Maguire of Birmingham Uni and went down by 3 lengths in a time of 6m 31s.