King’s Cup returns as Henley honours 1919 Peace Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta’s traditional stately grandeur takes on a military dimension this week, as a special centenary event celebrates the 1919 revival of rowing in the form of the Peace Regatta after the armistice of the First World War. This summer, eight national armed forces eights will compete for a new King’s Cup trophy, made with pieces of historic metal from each of the countries taking part, which have been combined into a single cup.
Beginning today, the knockoutstyle regatta starts with the largest club and junior events, with more added each day until the semi-finals and finals crown the weekend’s racing. The King’s Cup will comprise a similar knockout format on the last three days. There have been a record-breaking 660 entries for the 340 racing spaces.
Although preparation time in 1919 was too short for a full regatta, the stewards were asked to hold a Peace Regatta that July, open to amateur oarsmen of the Allied armies. The winners of the original flagship King’s Cup eights were Australia, who now award the original trophy to their inter-state champions. This summer, Germany and Holland have been invited to join the original six Allied forces from 1919 – the UK, US, Canada, France, New Zealand and Australia – and all eight crews are mixed gender.
This year’s regatta will also feature seven crews from the British team, although selection is still in process for the third World Cup regatta next week and for next month’s World Championships. The New Zealand men’s eight will hope to deny Britain another Grand Challenge Cup win, while the British women’s eight have feisty competitors in the Dutch and Kiwis for the Remenham Challenge Cup.
Mahe Drysdale, the two-time Olympic and six-time Henley champion, is attempting an unusual double, having entered both the Grand and the Diamond single sculls, so could be racing the one-mile 550yard course twice on Sunday. Drysdale is not alone, since Dutch 2016 winner Lisa Scheenaard is entered for both the Princess Royal singles and the Remenham eights.