The course record for the Grosvenor Cup for PR3 single sculls fell twice on day 2 of Henley Women’s Regatta 2025.

Defending champion Samantha Gough of St Andrew BC lowered her own record of 6:52 to 6:50.9 in winning her heat. Later on, Amalia Sangiovanni Vincentilli of Rob Roy BC lowered the record further to 6:42.0. Both scullers race again in the semi-finals tomorrow and could meet in the final.

Elsewhere, the junior events and the remaining championship events had their timetrials and the first round of racing. Two Australian crews are through to the quarter-finals of the Bea Langridge Trophy for junior quadruple sculls – Mercantile RC and Canberra Girls’ High School. They are among a field of high-quality domestic clubs and schools, including locals Henley RC who celebrate the 50th anniversary of women members of the club this year.

Oxford Brookes race in championship eights
Credit: AllMarkOne

In the afternoon there was an exciting race in the Groton School Challenge Cup for junior coxed fours between Hinksey Sculling School and Gwynedd Mercy Academy of the USA, which Hinksey won by half a length.

But the race of the day was in the Ron Needs Challenge Cup for championship eights, where Thames RC ‘B’ rowed back from a deficit of almost a length to challenge Oxford Brookes University ‘A’. The eventual margin was just 1/3 length. Brookes will race Thames ‘A’ on Sunday in what is set to be a great semi-final.

Racing at HWR concludes on Sunday; after the remaining quarter-finals and semi-finals, the medals will be decided in the afternoon. The first final is the Fiona Dennis Trophy for aspirational lightweight single sculls at 15:00.

Sunday race timetable