128-457: 51°32′55″N 0°53′39″W / 51.5487°N 0.8941°W / 51.5487; -0.8941 Henley Royal Regatta (or Henley Regatta , its original name pre-dating Royal patronage) is a rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames , England. It was established on 26 March 1839. It differs from the three other regattas rowed over approximately
256-502: A coxswain , called eights . There are a wide variety of course types and formats of racing, but most elite and championship level racing is conducted on calm water courses 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) long with several lanes marked using buoys. Modern rowing as a competitive sport can be traced to the early 17th century when professional watermen held races ( regattas ) on the River Thames in London , England. Often prizes were offered by
384-731: A (ceremonial) Mayor of Milton Keynes. On 1 April 1997, the Borough became a self-governing unitary authority , independent of the County Council. Following award of Letters Patent in 2022, the Borough became the City of Milton Keynes , and its council became Milton Keynes City Council . The remit of the City Council extends beyond the Milton Keynes urban area , encompassing a significant rural area with villages, hamlets, and
512-408: A bricklayer, from the 1920 regatta. According to the minutes of the regatta's Committee of Management, Kelly was excluded both because he was not eligible under the manual labour rules and because he was a member of Vesper Boat Club , which was banned in 1906 because members of its 1905 Henley crew had raised money to pay for their trip through public donations – making them professionals in the eyes of
640-614: A course of exactly one mile and 550 yards (2,112 metres). During the whole regatta, during racing hours there are numerous safety boats provided by the Colwick Park Lifeguards to keep competitors safe. The regatta organisers arrange for a first aid provider to be present, who have an on site hospital-style area. At a public meeting in Henley town hall on 26 March 1839, Captain Edmund Gardiner proposed "that from
768-441: A great advantage from the use of expensive materials or technology. Smaller sculling boats are usually steered by the scullers pulling harder on one side or the other while larger boats often have a rudder , controlled by the coxswain, if present, or by one of the crew using a cable attached to one of the shoes. With the smaller boats, specialist versions of the shells for sculling can be made lighter. The riggers in sculling apply
896-515: A moving the start of the course to the Berkshire side of Temple Island. At the time this channel was a winding, shallow backwater and it would clearly not be possible to lay a course of the full Henley distance without significant alteration to the bank, the island and the riverbed. For the 1923 regatta, the Stewards therefore decided to try a shorter experimental straight course which started at
1024-465: A point just upstream of Temple Island. At the first regatta in 1839, the finish line was Henley Bridge itself, but it was presumably quickly realised that this had inherent problems. From 1840 onward the finish was moved downstream slightly; eventually a point opposite the lawn of the Red Lion Hotel became the standard finish line. A grandstand was erected for the Stewards and their guests outside
1152-407: A population of 840,138 at the 2021 census. Besides Milton Keynes, which is in the north-east, the largest settlements are in the southern half of the county and include Aylesbury, High Wycombe , and Chesham . For local government purposes Buckinghamshire comprises two unitary authority areas, Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes . The historic county had slightly different borders, and included
1280-487: A quarter or half of the slide at a high rating with a full press. It sharpens quick catches and emphasizes coordination during the recovery phase. The Square-Wide-6 drill, conducted in groups of 6 or 4, requires rowers to take a wide grip on the oar handle, emphasizing a specific body position during the recovery. This encourages proper body positioning and enhances body flexibility Feet-out rowing, performed either collectively by all rowers or in smaller groups, involves
1408-430: A source of amusement and gratification to the neighbourhood, and the public in general." The regatta was first staged in 1839, and proved so successful that it was expanded the next year from one day to two. As the regatta's popularity has grown it has further expanded: to three days in 1886, four days in 1906 and five days in 1986. The regatta has been known as Henley Royal Regatta since 1851, when Prince Albert became
SECTION 10
#17327726840751536-401: A special meeting of the Stewards that: This meeting…while fully prepared to promote the establishment of an international regatta upon a proper course and under suitable conditions, is of the opinion that Henley Regatta does not provide either a proper course or suitable conditions for international competitions. William Grenfell He proposed amendments to the rules restricting entries to
1664-399: A tactile sense of how each phase should seamlessly flow into the next. The reverse pick drill, executed in groups of 4 or 6, isolates different aspects of the drive sequence. With the boat ‘’checked-down’’ (the boat has no speed), rowers initiate the drill with leg-only strokes, gradually adding the back and arms. The emphasis is on maintaining proper body position and sitting tall throughout
1792-494: A targeted approach to improving coordination, body positioning, and teamwork. The forward pick drill, often used as a standard warm-up for rowing crews in groups of 4 or 6, focuses on isolating different components of the recovery and drive sequence. Starting with arms-only strokes and gradually incorporating the back, ½ slide, and full slide, rowers gain a nuanced understanding of the interplay between these elements. The drill aims to enhance body preparation, providing rowers with
1920-471: A unitary authority, the Borough of Milton Keynes; for ceremonial purposes Milton Keynes remains part of Buckinghamshire. The administration of the remainder of the county continued to be called Buckinghamshire County Council. Buckinghamshire County Council was a large employer in the county and provided a variety of services, including education (schools, adult education and youth services), social services, highways, libraries, County Archives and Record Office,
2048-588: A very close race against Tom Edwards-Moss , the eventual winner. Shoe-wae-cae-mette, rowing with then-unusual swivel rowlocks, reached the final of the Stewards' but lost to London Rowing Club . Columbia won the Visitors' Challenge Cup , becoming the first foreign winners of a Henley trophy. Accusations that both G.W. Lee and the Shoe-wae-cae-mette crew were not amateurs, led to a new, tighter, definition of amateurism in 1879. Any entries from outside
2176-475: A very distinct myrtle and gold, began as a women's club, but eventually allowed the admittance of men in 1901. The first international women's races were the 1954 European Rowing Championships . The introduction of women's rowing at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal increased the growth of women's rowing because it created the incentive for national rowing federations to support women's events. Rowing at
2304-519: Is a ceremonial county in South East England and one of the home counties . It is bordered by Northamptonshire to the north, Bedfordshire to the north-east, Hertfordshire to the east, Greater London to the south-east, Berkshire to the south, and Oxfordshire to the west. The largest settlement is the city of Milton Keynes , and the county town is Aylesbury . The county has an area of 1,874 km (724 sq mi) and had
2432-520: Is a principal train operating company in Buckinghamshire, providing the majority of local commuter services from the centre and south of the county, with trains running into London Marylebone . Great Western operates commuter services from Taplow and Iver into London Paddington . West Midlands Trains provides these services from Milton Keynes Central into Euston or Birmingham New Street , and Southern operates commuter services via
2560-592: Is a way to train technique and strength by going through the same motions as rowing, with resistance(usually a large tank of water). Indoor rowing is helpful when there are no rowable bodies of water near by, or weather conditions don't permit rowing. A rowing tank is an indoor facility which attempts to mimic the conditions rowers face on open water. Rowing tanks are used primarily for off-season rowing, muscle-specific conditioning and technique training, or simply when bad weather prevents open-water training. Ergometer rowing machines (colloquially ergs or ergo ) simulate
2688-679: Is an association of amateur rowing clubs of Philadelphia . Founded in 1858, it is the oldest amateur athletic governing body in the United States . The member clubs are all on the Schuylkill River where it flows through Fairmount Park in Philadelphia, mostly on the historic Boathouse Row . The success of the Schuylkill Navy and similar organizations contributed heavily to the extinction of professional rowing and
SECTION 20
#17327726840752816-399: Is apparent that there are a number of outstanding crews in an event, they may be 'selected' by the Stewards, to prevent them from meeting too early in the competition. The regatta insists that selection is not the same as seeding , the main difference being that there is no 'rank order' as is usually the case in, for example, a tennis tournament. The draw is a public event that takes place in
2944-438: Is assigned to row on either the 'Bucks' ( Buckinghamshire ) or 'Berks' ( Berkshire ) side of the race course. The coxswains or steersmen are expected to keep their crew on the allocated side of the course at all times during the race, else they risk disqualification. The only exception is when a crew leads by a sizeable margin and is not deemed by the umpire to be impeding the trailing crew. There are several progress markers along
3072-521: Is flowing, the Berks station enjoys considerable shelter from the stream, particularly in the last ¼ mile. Conversely, when there is a strong south-westerly wind it is better to be on the Bucks station because it is more sheltered from the wind. The course is now piled and boomed along its entire length, except for crossing points. The booms can present a hazard for the inexperienced coxswain or steersman. When
3200-549: Is limited to the basic body position and movements. However, this action can still allow a workout comparable to those experienced on the water. Indoor rowing has become popular as a sport in its own right with numerous indoor competitions (and the annual World Championship CRASH-B Sprints in Boston) during the winter off-season. There are several formats for rowing races, often called " regattas ". The two most common are side by side and head races . Most races that are held in
3328-489: Is now a Grade II listed building . From 1974 (following the Local Government Act 1972 ) local administration was run on a two-tier system where public services were split between the county council and five district councils ( Aylesbury Vale , Chiltern , Milton Keynes , South Bucks and Wycombe ). In 1997, the northernmost part of Buckinghamshire, until then Milton Keynes District, was separated to form
3456-668: Is organised by a self-perpetuating body of Stewards, who are largely former rowers themselves. One exception to this rule is that the Mayor of Henley-on Thames Council is an ex-officio Steward. Pierre de Coubertin modelled elements of the organisation of the International Olympic Committee on the Henley Stewards. The regatta is regarded as part of the English social season . As with other events in
3584-561: Is served by four motorways, although two are on its borders: Six important A roads also enter the county (from north to south): Also less important primary A roads enter the country: The county is poorly served with internal routes, with the A413 and A418 linking the south and north of the county. As part of the London commuter belt , Buckinghamshire is well connected to the national rail network, with both local commuter and inter-city services serving some destinations. Chiltern Railways
3712-434: Is the home of various notable people in connection with whom tourist attractions have been established: for example the author Roald Dahl who included many local features and characters in his works. Artists William Callow and Harriet Anne Smart Callow produced many paintings of the area in the late 19th century. Sports facilities in Buckinghamshire include half of the international Silverstone Circuit which straddles
3840-441: Is wide enough to allow two crews to race down with a few metres between them. As such it is not uncommon for inexperienced steersmen or coxswains to crash into the booms, possibly costing their crew the race. The race begins at the downstream end of Temple Island, where the crews attach to a pair of pontoons. The race umpire will then call out the names of the two crews and start them when they are both straight and ready. Each crew
3968-735: The County Museum and the Roald Dahl Children's Gallery in Aylesbury, consumer services and some aspects of waste disposal and planning. Buckinghamshire Council is a unitary authority covering most of the ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire. It was created in April 2020 from the areas that were previously administered by Buckinghamshire County Council and the district councils of South Bucks, Chiltern, Wycombe, and Aylesbury Vale. A local authority for North Buckinghamshire
Henley Royal Regatta - Misplaced Pages Continue
4096-602: The Henley Town Hall , normally at 3 pm on the Saturday before the regatta. For each event the names of all selected crews are placed on pieces of paper which are then drawn at random from the Grand Challenge Cup. These crews are then placed on pre-determined positions on the draw chart, as far apart as possible. The remaining qualifying crews are then drawn from the cup, filling in from the top of
4224-721: The River Thames up the gentle slopes of the Chiltern Hills to the more abrupt slopes on the northern side leading to the Vale of Aylesbury and the City of Milton Keynes UA, a large and relatively level expanse of land that is the southern catchment of the River Great Ouse . The county includes parts of two of the four longest rivers in England. The Thames forms the southern boundary with Berkshire , which has crept over
4352-660: The River Thames . The Ridgeway Path, a long-distance footpath, passes through the county. The county also has many historic houses. Some of these are opened to the public by the National Trust , such as Waddesdon Manor , West Wycombe Park and Cliveden . Other historic houses are still in use as private homes, such as the Prime Minister 's country retreat Chequers . Claydon House (near Steeple Claydon ), Hughendon Manor (near High Wycombe), Stowe Landscaped Gardens, and Waddesdon Manor (near Aylesbury) are in
4480-626: The Rothschild banking family of England in the 19th century (see Rothschild properties in England ). The county has several annual agricultural shows, with the Bucks County Show established in 1859. Manufacturing industries include furniture-making (traditionally centred at High Wycombe ), pharmaceuticals and agricultural processing. Pinewood Studios in Iver Heath is a principal centre of operations for film and TV production in
4608-625: The West London Line from Milton Keynes Central to East Croydon . Avanti West Coast operates inter-city services from Milton Keynes Central to Euston, North West England , the West Midlands , the Scottish Central Belt , and North Wales . Great Western operates non-stop services through the south of the county from Paddington to South West England and South Wales . There are four main lines running through
4736-404: The finish or release , when the rower removes the oar spoon from the water. After the oar is placed in the water at the catch, the rower applies pressure to the oar levering the boat forward which is called the drive phase of the stroke. Once the rower extracts the oar from the water, the recovery phase begins, setting up the rower's body for the next stroke. At the catch, the rower places
4864-517: The 19th century these races were to become numerous and popular, attracting large crowds. Prize matches amongst professionals similarly became popular on other rivers throughout Great Britain in the 19th century, notably on the Tyne . In America, the earliest known race dates back to 1756 in New York, when a pettiauger defeated a Cape Cod whaleboat in a race. Amateur competition in England began towards
4992-535: The 19th century, when a combination of cholera and famine hit the rural county, forcing many to migrate to larger towns to find work. Not only did this alter the local economic situation, it meant a lot of land was going cheap at a time when the rich were more mobile, and leafy Bucks became a popular rural idyll: an image it still has today. Buckinghamshire is a popular home for London commuters, leading to greater local affluence; however, some pockets of relative deprivation remain. The expansion of London and coming of
5120-588: The 2012 Summer Olympics in London included six events for women compared with eight for men. In the US, rowing is an NCAA sport for women but not for men; though it is one of the country's oldest collegiate sports, the difference is in large part due to the requirements of Title IX . At the international level, women's rowing traditionally has been dominated by Eastern European countries, such as Romania, Russia, and Bulgaria, although other countries such as Germany, Canada,
5248-412: The 4x and 8x, but most rowing clubs cannot afford to have a dedicated large hull which might be rarely used and instead generally opt for versatility in their fleet by using stronger shells which can be rigged for either sweep rowing or sculling. The symmetrical forces also make sculling more efficient than sweep rowing: the double scull is faster than the coxless pair, and the quadruple scull is faster than
Henley Royal Regatta - Misplaced Pages Continue
5376-567: The 6.8 kilometres (4.2 mi) Boat Race . Two traditional non-standard distance shell races are the annual Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge and the Harvard-Yale Boat Race which cover courses of approximately 4 miles (6.44 km). The Henley Royal Regatta is also raced upon a non-standard distance at 2,112 meters (1 mile, 550 yards). Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire ( / ˈ b ʌ k ɪ ŋ ə m ʃ ər , - ʃ ɪər / , abbreviated Bucks )
5504-570: The ARA rules; Henley's rules were changed the following day, coming into effect from the 1938 regatta. In September 1997, FISA removed all references to amateurism in its rules and in December 1998 Henley followed suit. The regatta is therefore now entirely open. The first 'overseas' entry to the regatta was in 1870 when Trinity College, Dublin entered the Grand, Ladies', Visitors' and Wyfold. As Dublin
5632-595: The Amateur Rowing Association of Great Britain would also cause a 66-year schism in British rowing, when in 1890 a rival National Amateur Rowing Association was set up, with a less restrictive definition of amateurism under which persons who worked in manual labour as their occupation could still be considered amateur rowers. One well-known incident was the exclusion of future Olympic champion John B. Kelly Sr. , who had served an apprenticeship as
5760-409: The Berkshire side upstream of Poplar Point, in an attempt to minimise the advantage given to the crew on the Berkshire station. In 1884, a sub-committee of the regatta's Committee of Management discussed options for reducing the unfairness of the course. Their recommendation was to move the finish line downstream to Poplar Point (thus avoiding the bend) and the start to the bottom of Temple Island. This
5888-666: The Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire border, the Adams Park Stadium in the south and Stadium MK in the north, and Dorney Lake (named 'Eton Dorney' for the event) was used as the rowing venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics . The county is covered by three overlapping TV regions Local radio stations are BBC Three Counties Radio , BBC Radio Berkshire (covering Marlow ), Heart Thames Valley (now Heart South ), Heart Four Counties (now Heart East ), Greatest Hits Radio Bucks, Beds and Herts (formerly Mix 96) and Wycombe Sound (covering High Wycombe ). Buckinghamshire
6016-478: The Buckinghamshire bank and provided shelter from the prevailing wind. The course now ran close to this bank and crew on the Buckinghamshire station gained the advantage of shelter whenever a 'Bushes Wind' was blowing. From 1886 to 1905, Bucks took 59% of wins against 41% on Berks. To attempt to reduce the effect of the Bushes Wind, the course was narrowed and pushed further to the centre of the river. The width
6144-541: The Chiltern Forest that once covered almost half the county. Either side of the shield are a buck , for Buckingham, and a swan, the county symbol. The motto of the shield is Vestigia Nulla Retrorsum . This is Latin and means 'no stepping back' (or 'no steps backwards'). Buckinghamshire has a modern service-based economy and is part of the Berkshire , Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire NUTS-2 region, which
6272-493: The Committee will examine the form and calibre of the entrants and may choose to pre-qualify some of them. The qualifying races take the form of a timed processional race up the regatta course, with the fastest crews qualifying. Times are released for non-qualifying crews only. This does not stop an enthusiastic band of unofficial timers with synchronised watches working out how fast their first round opposition might be. If it
6400-555: The Henley Stewards. Kelly's exclusion was widely reported in newspapers in both the UK and USA, with many seeing it as an attempt to prevent an American from winning the Diamonds. Kelly's son John B. Kelly Jr. would dramatically win the 1947 Diamond Sculls, and his daughter would become the famous Academy Award-winning actress and Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly , keeping the incident in the public eye for decades afterwards. In 1936, there
6528-514: The London Guilds and Livery Companies . Amateur competition began towards the end of the 18th century with the arrival of "boat clubs" at British public schools . Similarly, clubs were formed at colleges within Oxford and Cambridge on the programme for the 1896 games, racing did not take place due to bad weather. Male rowers have competed since the 1900 Summer Olympics . Women's rowing
SECTION 50
#17327726840756656-539: The Milton Keynes UA, is home to Cowper and Newton Museum which celebrates the work and lives of two famous figures: William Cowper (1731–1800) a celebrated 18th-century poet; and John Newton , a prominent slave trade abolitionist who was curate in the local church. Together, Cowper and Newton wrote the Olney Hymns , including one of the world's most popular hymns, Amazing Grace . Buckinghamshire
6784-593: The Netherlands, Great Britain and New Zealand often field competitive teams. The United States also has had very competitive crews, and in recent years these crews have become even more competitive given the surge in women's collegiate rowing . Now there is usually the same number of girls and boys in a group. While rowing, the athlete sits in the boat facing toward the stern and uses the oars (also interchangeably referred to as "blades"), which are held in place by oarlocks (also referred to as "gates"), to propel
6912-632: The Olympics and the World Rowing Championships is 2 kilometres (1.24 mi) long. In the United States, some scholastic (high school) races are 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi), while many youth races are the standard 2 kilometres. Masters rowers (rowers older than 27) often race 1,000m. However the race distance can and does vary from dashes or sprints, which may be 500 metres (1,640 ft) long, to longer dual races like
7040-609: The Red Lion. Other spectators could watch from the adjacent roadway (in front of the Little White Hart Hotel) while those with carriages surveyed the scene from a vantage point on Henley Bridge. There were three racing stations (Berkshire, Centre and Buckinghamshire). When only two crews raced, the Centre Station was not used. The Old Course had a large lefthand bend in the last quarter-mile. This benefited
7168-542: The UK. This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of Buckinghamshire at current basic prices published by the Office for National Statistics with figures in millions of Pounds sterling (except GVA index). Buckinghamshire is notable for its open countryside and natural features, including the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty , Stowe Landscaped Gardens near Buckingham , and
7296-588: The United Kingdom had to be made on or before 1 March and had to be 'accompanied by a declaration made before Notary Public with regard to the profession of each member of the crew', which then had to be certified by the British Consul , the mayor, or the chief authority of the locality. Under these new rules, Shoe-wae-cae-mette were refused entry in 1879 as were Hillsdale Boat Club of Michigan in 1882. The Germania Ruder Club of Frankfurt became
7424-538: The United Kingdom, and for the Goblets and Diamonds to British subjects domiciled in the UK. Warre seconded his proposals. The Amateur Rowing Association canvassed its member clubs on the proposal and the results were decisive: all clubs opposed the proposals save for Oxford University Boat Club which supported them with the caveat 'Committee decide against foreign entries provided they can row other than Henley'. Rowing (sport) Rowing , often called crew in
7552-813: The United Kingdom, the Australian Rowing Championships in Australia, the Harvard–Yale Regatta and Head of the Charles Regatta in the United States, and the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta in Canada. Many other competitions often exist for racing between clubs, schools, and universities in each nation. An Egyptian funerary inscription of 1430 BC records that the warrior Amenhotep (Amenophis) II
7680-549: The United States , is the sport of racing boats using oars . It differs from paddling sports in that rowing oars are attached to the boat using rowlocks , while paddles are not connected to the boat. Rowing is divided into two disciplines: sculling and sweep rowing . In sculling, each rower holds two oars, one in each hand, while in sweep rowing each rower holds one oar with both hands. There are several boat classes in which athletes may compete, ranging from single sculls , occupied by one person, to shells with eight rowers and
7808-425: The arms towards his or her chest. The hands meet the chest right above the diaphragm. At the end of the stroke, with the oar spoon still in the water, the hands drop slightly to unload the oar so that spring energy stored in the bend of the oar gets transferred to the boat which eases removing the oar from the water and minimizes energy wasted on lifting water above the surface (splashing). The recovery phase follows
SECTION 60
#17327726840757936-410: The boat forward (towards the bow ). Rowing is distinguished from paddling in that the oar is attached to the boat using an oarlock or a rowing gate, where in paddling there is no oarlock or attachment of the paddle to the boat. The rowing stroke may be characterized by two fundamental reference points: the catch , which is placement of the oar spoon in the water, and the extraction , also known as
8064-430: The body action in sculling is more anatomically efficient (due to the symmetry). The spoon of oars is normally painted with the colours of the club to which they belong. This greatly simplifies identification of boats at a distance. As many sports teams have logos printed on their jerseys, rowing clubs have specifically painted blades that each team is associated with. Indoor rowing (on indoor rower , or rowing tank )
8192-582: The border at Eton and Slough so that the river is no longer the sole boundary between the two counties. The Great Ouse rises just outside the county in Northamptonshire and flows east through Buckingham, Milton Keynes and Olney . The main branch of the Grand Union Canal passes through the county as do its arms to Slough and Aylesbury , as well as the disused arms to Wendover and Buckingham . The canal has been incorporated into
8320-659: The care of the National Trust . Mentmore Towers , a 19th-century English country house built by the Rothschilds is located the village of Mentmore . It is the largest of the English Rothschild houses and is known for its Jacobean-styled architecture designed by Joseph Paxton . Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes is the site of World War II British codebreaking and Colossus , the world's first programmable electronic digital computer . Together with
8448-601: The co-located National Museum of Computing , it is a nationally important visitor attraction. Examples of historical architecture in the Chiltern region are preserved at the Chiltern Open Air Museum , an open-air folk museum near Chalfont St Giles . The 45-acre (180,000 m ) site contains reconstructed buildings which might otherwise have been destroyed or demolished as a result of redevelopment or road construction. The market town of Olney , in
8576-480: The county and two-thirds of its population, and Milton Keynes City Council , which administers the remainder. Buckinghamshire County Council was founded in 1889 with its base in new municipal buildings in Walton Street, Aylesbury (which are still there). In 1966, the council moved into new premises: a 15-storey tower block in the centre of Aylesbury (pictured) designed by county architect Fred Pooley . It
8704-581: The county's southern boundary. Notable service amenities in the county are Pinewood Film Studios , Dorney rowing lake and part of Silverstone race track on the Northamptonshire border. Many national companies have head offices or major centres in Milton Keynes. Heavy industry and quarrying is limited, with agriculture predominating after service industries. The name Buckinghamshire is Anglo-Saxon in origin and means The district (scire) of Bucca's home . Bucca's home refers to Buckingham in
8832-765: The county. The ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire consists of both unitary authority areas combined. The ceremonial county has a Lord Lieutenant and a High Sheriff . Since November 2020, the Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire is The Countess Howe and the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire is Dame Ann Geraldine Limb , DBE of Stony Stratford The office of Custos rotulorum has been combined with that of Lord Lieutenant since 1702. The ceremonial county has two top-level administrations – both are unitary authorities – Buckinghamshire Council , which administers about four-fifths of
8960-422: The course came to be described as "about 1 mile and 550 yards (2,112 metres)", which was the distance covered by an eight. In 1967 the start of the Straight Course was relocated exactly 1 mile 550 yd from the finish. In the same year, moving pontoons were introduced at the start which allowed all boats, from singles to eights, to be aligned with their bows precisely on the start line. Since then all crews have raced
9088-408: The course. Intermediate times are recorded at two of them – "the Barrier" and "Fawley", in addition to the time to the finish. The regatta has official commentary, which is announced at these points along the course. The commentary is renowned for being unemotional and factual, with the commentator only allowed to announce the rate of striking , which crew is leading, the distance between the crews, and
9216-519: The coxless four. Many adjustments can be made to the equipment to accommodate the physiques of the crew. Collectively these adjustments are known as the boat's rigging . Oars, sometimes referred to as blades, are used to propel the boat. They are long (sculling: 250–300 cm; sweep oar: 340–360 cm) poles with one flat end about 50 cm long and 25 cm wide, called the spoon. Classic blades were made out of wood , but modern blades are made from more expensive and durable synthetic material,
9344-401: The crew on the Berkshire side of the course not only because they raced a shorter distance but also because they avoided the worst of the river's current. Between 1866 and 1885, 57.7% all races were won by the crew on the Berkshire station, with the Buckinghamshire and Centre crews sharing 42.3%. The course was not boomed or piled, although between 1871 and 1873, poles were roped across the bay on
9472-404: The deadly inroad of professionalism, which is already making a business of so much that ought only to be pleasure, and threatens to crush the life out of the sports of "merrie England". Let us restrict our Henley pots to the United Kingdom and set up a proper international regatta elsewhere, if that is thought desirable. Edmond Warre, The Times W.H. Grenfell MP proposed a motion for
9600-424: The draw chart downwards, until all places have been filled. Each event in the regatta takes the form of a knockout competition, with each race consisting of two crews racing side by side up the Henley course. The course is marked out by two lines of booms (wooden bars which float on the water, secured between vertical poles), which are placed along the river to form a straight course 2,112 metres long. The course
9728-404: The drive. The recovery starts with the extraction and involves coordinating the body movements with the goal to move the oar back to the catch position. In extraction, the rower pushes down on the oar handle to quickly lift the spoon out of the water and rapidly rotates the oar so that the spoon is parallel to the water. This process is sometimes referred to as feathering the blade . Simultaneously,
9856-657: The end of the 18th century the age before technology. Documentary evidence from this period is sparse, but it is known that the Monarch Boat Club of Eton College and the Isis Club of Westminster School were both in existence in the 1790s. The Star Club and Arrow Club in London for gentlemen amateurs were also in existence before 1800. At the University of Oxford bumping races were first organised in 1815 when Brasenose College and Jesus College boat clubs had
9984-399: The exercise. This drill aids in isolating and understanding the distinct elements of the drive sequence and their interconnectedness. The cut-the-cake drill typically involves the entire boat. Rowers execute the drill collectively, starting with a normal stroke and transitioning into the subsequent recovery. During this process, the entire crew pivots forward with their bodies, swings back to
10112-427: The eyes-closed rowing drill, performed by the whole boat, rowers execute the rowing motion with closed eyes and heightened auditory awareness. Rowers row with eyes closed, relying solely on their sense of touch and careful listening to the boat motion and the coxswain . This drill is designed to enhance rowers' ability to feel the subtle movements of the boat and synchronize seamlessly with their teammates. By eliminating
10240-408: The finish (without letting the oars drop in the water), then swings forward again to reach the catch position. The swinging motion, referred to as "cutting the cake," involves coordinated movements by all rowers, creating a unified and synchronized exercise aimed at improving boat balance, swing, and recovery timing. Designed for the entire crew or smaller groups, this drill involves rowing using only
10368-723: The first Boat Race and subsequent matches led the town of Henley-on-Thames to begin hosting an annual regatta in 1839. Founded in 1818, Leander Club is the world's oldest public rowing club. The second oldest club which still exists is the Der Hamburger und Germania Ruder Club which was founded 1836 and marked the beginning of rowing as an organized sport in Germany. During the 19th century, as in England, wager matches in North America between professionals became very popular attracting vast crowds. Narragansett Boat Club
10496-565: The first annual race while at Cambridge the first recorded races were in 1827. Brasenose beat Jesus to win Oxford University's first Head of the River; the two clubs claim to be the oldest established boat clubs in the world. The Boat Race between Oxford University and Cambridge University first took place in 1829, and was the second intercollegiate sporting event (following the first Varsity Cricket Match by 2 years). The interest in
10624-527: The first entry from continental Europe in 1880, losing in a heat of the Grand to London Rowing Club. Foreign entries grew over the next twenty years, to the consternation of some who felt that the regatta should be restricted to domestic entries only. There were also a number of disputes over amateurism and the two issues were often bound up together, as in this letter to The Times from Edmond Warre , headmaster of Eton College in 1901: I most earnestly desire that our amateur oarsmanship may be preserved from
10752-426: The first royal patron. Since his death, every reigning monarch has agreed to be the patron. At the regatta's inception it was intended for amateur oarsmen rather than those who rowed professionally. In 1879 Henley produced its first formal definition of an amateur: No person shall be considered an amateur oarsman or sculler, or coxswain: Henley Royal Regatta, 1879 In 1884, amateur status for overseas oarsmen
10880-449: The forces symmetrically to each side of the boat, whereas in sweep oared racing these forces are staggered alternately along the boat. The sweep oared boat has to be stiffer to handle these unmatched forces, so consequently requires more bracing and is usually heavier – a pair (2-) is usually a more robust boat than a double scull (2x) for example, and being heavier is also slower when used as a double scull. In theory, this could also apply to
11008-543: The greatest impact on Buckinghamshire: the geography of the rural county is largely as it was in the Anglo-Saxon period. Later, Buckinghamshire became an important political arena, with King Henry VIII intervening in local politics in the 16th century, and just a century later the English Civil War was reputedly started by John Hampden in mid-Bucks. Historically, the biggest change to the county came in
11136-531: The landscaping of Milton Keynes. The southern part of the county is dominated by the Chiltern Hills. The two highest points in Buckinghamshire are Haddington Hill in Wendover Woods (a stone marks its summit) at 267 m (876 ft) above sea level and Coombe Hill near Wendover at 260 m (850 ft). Quarrying has taken place for chalk, clay for brickmaking and gravel and sand in
11264-705: The last quarter of the 20th century, a large number of Londoners in Milton Keynes. Between 6 and 7% of the population of Aylesbury are of Asian or Asian British origin. Likewise Chesham has a similar-sized Asian community, and High Wycombe is the most ethnically diverse town in the county, with large Asian and Afro-Caribbean populations. During the Second World War there were many Polish settlements in Bucks, Czechs in Aston Abbotts and Wingrave, and Albanians in Frieth. Remnants of these communities remain in
11392-443: The lively interest which had been manifested at the various boat races which have taken place on the Henley reach during the last few years, and the great influx of visitors on such occasions, this meeting is of the opinion that the establishing of an annual regatta, under judicious and respectable management, would not only be productive of the most beneficial results to the town of Henley, but from its peculiar attractions would also be
11520-476: The market town of Olney. The traditional flag of Buckinghamshire comprises a chained swan on a bicolour of red and black. The flag was registered with the Flag Institute on 20 May 2011. The coat of arms of the former Buckinghamshire County Council features a white mute swan in chains. This dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period, when swans were bred in Buckinghamshire for the king's pleasure. That
11648-460: The most common being carbon fiber . An 'oar' is often referred to as a blade in the case of sweep oar rowing and as a scull in the case of sculling. A sculling oar is shorter and has a smaller spoon area than the equivalent sweep oar. The combined spoon area of a pair of sculls is however greater than that of a single sweep oar, so the oarsman when sculling is working against more water than when rowing sweep-oared. They are able to do this because
11776-535: The north of the county, and is named after the Anglo-Saxon landowner, Bucca . The county has been so named since about the 12th century; however, the county has existed since it was a subdivision of the kingdom of Mercia (585–919). The history of the area predates the Anglo-Saxon period and the county has a rich history starting from the Brittonic and Roman periods, though the Anglo-Saxons perhaps had
11904-420: The oar in the water and applies pressure to the oar by pushing the seat toward the bow of the boat by extending the legs, thus pushing the boat through the water. The point of placement of the spoon in the water is a relatively fixed point about which the oar serves as a lever to propel the boat. As the rower's legs approach full extension, the rower pivots the torso toward the bow of the boat and then finally pulls
12032-528: The oldest international sports federation in the Olympic movement. FISA first organized a European Rowing Championships in 1893. An annual World Rowing Championships was introduced in 1962. Rowing has also been conducted at the Olympic Games since 1900 (cancelled at the first modern Games in 1896 due to bad weather). Women row in all boat classes, from single scull to coxed eights, across
12160-534: The professional watermen in the United Kingdom that provided ferry and taxi service on the River Thames in London . Prizes for wager races were often offered by the London Guilds and Livery Companies or wealthy owners of riverside houses. The oldest surviving such race, Doggett's Coat and Badge was first contested in 1715 and is still held annually from London Bridge to Chelsea . During
12288-431: The progress marker which the crews are passing. Henley Royal Regatta has always been raced over a distance of 'about one mile and 550 yards' from Temple Island upstream towards Henley Bridge. However, four distinct courses have been used over the regatta's history, with smaller changes also being made incrementally. Changes to the course have all been aimed at improving the prospects for fair and safe racing. This ran from
12416-460: The railways promoted the growth of towns in the south of the county such as Aylesbury , Amersham and High Wycombe , leaving the town Buckingham itself to the north in a relative backwater. As a result, most county institutions are now based in the south of the county or Milton Keynes , rather than in Buckingham. The county can be split into two sections geographically. The south leads from
12544-421: The recovery, the rower squares the oar spoon into perpendicular orientation with respect to the water and begins another stroke. Rowing technique drills are essential components of a rower's training routine, focusing on specific aspects of the rowing stroke to refine skills and enhance overall performance. These structured exercises, whether performed individually (on the erg ), in groups, or whole boat provide
12672-562: The regatta is the Grand Challenge Cup for men's Eights, which has been awarded since the regatta was first staged. As the regatta pre-dates any national or international rowing organisation, it has its own rules and organisation, although it is recognised by both British Rowing (the governing body of rowing in England and Wales) and FISA (the International Federation of Rowing Associations). The regatta
12800-414: The removal of feet from the shoes and placement of feet on top of the shoes. This drill helps rowers maintain continuous pressure on the footboard, especially during oar release. Despite challenges like early leg finishing or excessive layback, feet-out rowing reinforces improved leg connection and more reasonable layback, translating on-the-water skills to the erg for a more efficient rowing experience. In
12928-406: The rest of the stroke, which affords the rower a moment to recover, and allows the boat to glide through the water. The gliding of the boat through the water during recovery is often called run . A controlled slide is necessary to maintain momentum and achieve optimal boat run. However, various teaching methods disagree about the optimal relation in timing between drive and recovery. Near the end of
13056-424: The river valleys. Flint, also extracted from quarries, was often used to build older local buildings. Several former quarries, now flooded, have become nature reserves. The administration of Buckinghamshire is further sub-divided into civil parishes. Today Buckinghamshire is ethnically diverse, particularly in the larger towns. At the end of the 19th century some Welsh drover families settled in north Bucks and, in
13184-421: The rower pushes the oar handle away from the chest. The spoon should emerge from the water perpendicular or square and be feathered immediately once clear of the water. After feathering and extending the arms, the rower pivots the body forward. Once the hands are past the knees, the rower compresses the legs which moves the seat towards the stern of the boat. The leg compression occurs relatively slowly compared to
13312-454: The rowing action and provide a means of training on land when waterborne training is restricted, and of measuring rowing fitness. Ergometers do not simulate the lateral balance challenges, the exact resistance of water, or the exact motions of true rowing including the sweep of the oar handles. For that reason ergometer scores are generally not used as the sole selection criterion for crews (colloquially "ergs don't float" ), and technique training
13440-474: The same age ranges and standards as men, from junior amateur through university-level to elite athlete. Typically men and women compete in separate crews although mixed crews and mixed team events also take place. Coaching for women is similar to that for men. The world's first women's rowing team was formed in 1896 at the Furnivall Sculling Club in London. The club, with signature colors
13568-494: The same course, Henley Women's Regatta , Henley Masters Regatta, and Henley Town and Visitors' Regatta, each of which is an entirely separate event. The regatta lasts for six days (Tuesday to Sunday) ending on the first weekend in July. Races are head-to-head knock out competitions, raced over a course of 1 mile 550 yards (2,112 m). The regatta regularly attracts international crews to race. The most prestigious event at
13696-603: The season, certain enclosures at the regatta have strict dress codes. Entries for the regatta close at 6 pm sixteen days before the Regatta. In order to encourage a high quality of racing, create a manageable race timetable and to ensure that most crews race only once a day, each event has a limited number of places. Qualifying races are held on the Friday before the regatta. The regatta's Committee of Management decides at its absolute discretion which crews are obliged to qualify;
13824-450: The sport's current status as an amateur sport. At its founding, it had nine clubs; today, there are 12. At least 23 other clubs have belonged to the Navy at various times. Many of the clubs have a rich history, and have produced a large number of Olympians and world-class competitors. The sport's governing body, Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron , was founded in 1892, and is
13952-415: The spring and summer feature side-by-side, or sprint racing; all the boats start at the same time from a stationary position, and the winner is the boat that crosses the finish line first. The number of boats in a race typically varies between two (which is sometimes referred to as a dual race ) to eight, but any number of boats can start together if the course is wide enough. The standard length races for
14080-496: The start and finish positions of the Old Course had become established, the distance between them was found to be 1 mile 570 yds (2,131 metres). However, boats were aligned by their sterns at the start and judged by their bows at the finish. This meant that the course was slightly longer for shorter boats (such as single sculls) than for longer boats (such as eights). The length of an eight was assumed to be twenty yards and as such
14208-515: The swan is in chains illustrates that the swan is bound to the monarch , an ancient law that still applies to wild swans in the UK today. The arms were first borne at the Battle of Agincourt by the Duke of Buckingham . Above the swan is a gold band, in the centre of which is Whiteleaf Cross , representing the many ancient landmarks of the county. The shield is surmounted by a beech tree, representing
14336-473: The top of the island. This produced 53.2% wins on Bucks and 46.8% on Berks, deemed enough of an improvement on the New Course to justify a permanent change. The consent of the landowners of the Berkshire bank and Temple island (Lord Hambleden and W.D. Mackenzie respectively) was obtained to widen and deepen the Berkshire channel; 10,000 cubic yards (7,600 m) of material were excavated. The Straight Course
14464-505: The towns of Slough and Eton . The Chiltern Hills , an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty , occupy the south of the county and contain its highest point, Haddington Hill (267 m (876 ft)). The Chilterns are the source of the River Ouzel , which flows across the lowland Vale of Aylesbury in the north of the county and through Milton Keynes before meeting the River Great Ouse at Newport Pagnell . The Thames forms part of
14592-425: The upstream end of Phyllis Court, very close to the current finish line. There were two slight bends (at Remenham and just after Fawley) and a staggered start to compensate for them. The course was also piled for the first time, although not boomed. Unfortunately, it became apparent that in trying to eliminate the unfairness of the Old Course, a new problem had been introduced. Downstream of Fawley, bushes grew alongside
14720-890: The visual element, rowers focus on developing a heightened sense of touch and teamwork, fostering a deeper understanding of the rowing experience. This drill enhances the overall coordination and sensitivity to the dynamics of the boat, contributing to improved synchronization and a more nuanced rowing performance. Broadly, there are two ways to row, sometimes called disciplines: Within each discipline, there are several boat classes. A single regatta (series of races) will often feature races for many boat classes. They are classified using: Although sweep and sculling boats are generally identical to each other (except having different riggers ), they are referred to using different names: Sweep boat classes: Sculling boat classes: Racing boats (often called shells ) are long, narrow, and broadly semi-circular in cross-section in order to reduce drag in
14848-543: The water. There is some trade off between boat speed and stability in choice of hull shape. They usually have a fin towards the rear, to help prevent roll and yaw and to increase the effectiveness of the rudder. Originally made from wood , shells are now almost always made from a composite material (usually a double skin of carbon-fiber reinforced plastic with a sandwich of honeycomb material) for strength and weight advantages. World Rowing rules specify minimum weights for each class of boat so that no individual team will gain
14976-402: Was 135 feet in 1887, in 120 feet in 1888 and then progressively until by 1914 it was down to 100 feet at the start tapering to 80 feet at the finish. In 1899, floating booms secured between the pilings which mark the course were also introduced along part of its length in an attempt to keep spectators from obstructing races. In around 1920, the Stewards carried out a survey canvassing the idea of
15104-589: Was a further controversy when the Australian national eight, preparing for the Berlin Olympics, was excluded from the Grand Challenge Cup because the crew was composed of policemen, deemed to be 'manual workers'. The resulting embarrassment persuaded the Amateur Rowing Association and the Stewards of Henley Royal Regatta of the need for change. On 9 June 1937, the offending references to manual labourers, mechanics, artisans and menial duties were deleted from
15232-562: Was added to the Olympic programme in 1976 . Today, there are fourteen boat classes which race at the Olympics. In addition, the sport's governing body, the World Rowing Federation , holds the annual World Rowing Championships with twenty-two boat classes. Across six continents, 150 countries now have rowing federations that participate in the sport. Major domestic competitions take place in dominant rowing nations and include The Boat Race and Henley Royal Regatta in
15360-492: Was also renowned for his feats of oarsmanship, though there is some disagreement among scholars over whether there were rowing contests in ancient Egypt. In the Aeneid , Virgil mentions rowing forming part of the funeral games arranged by Aeneas in honour of his father. In the 13th century, Venetian festivals called regata included boat races among others. The first known "modern" rowing races began from competition among
15488-609: Was at that time within the United Kingdom , this was not a foreign entry. TCD won the Visitors' and reached the final of the Ladies'. The first international competitors came in 1878 when G.W. Lee of New Jersey and G. Lee of Boston entered the Diamonds, Shoe-wae-cae-mette BC of Monroe, Michigan , a crew of French Canadian watermen, entered the Stewards' and Columbia College entered the Stewards' and Visitors'. Lee of Boston made little progress but Lee of New Jersey lost his heat in
15616-589: Was formed by the Local Government Act 1972, styled as the "Milton Keynes District Council" and subordinate to Buckinghamshire County Council. Its (district) council was first elected in 1973 , a year before formally coming into its powers and prior to the creation of the District of Milton Keynes on 1 April 1974. The council was granted borough status on its foundation, entitling it to be known as "Milton Keynes Borough Council" and to annually appoint
15744-593: Was founded in 1838 exclusively for rowing. During an 1837 parade in Providence, R.I, a group of boatmen were pulling a longboat on wheels, which carried the oldest living survivor of the 1772 Gaspee Raid . They boasted to the crowd that they were the fastest rowing crew on the Bay. A group of Providence locals took issue with this and challenged them to race, which the Providence group summarily won. The six-man core of that group went on in 1838 to found NBC. Detroit Boat Club
15872-454: Was founded in 1839 and is the second oldest continuously operated rowing club in the U.S. In 1843, the first American college rowing club was formed at Yale University . The Harvard–Yale Regatta is the oldest intercollegiate sporting event in the United States, having been contested every year since 1852 (excepting interruptions for wars and the COVID-19 pandemic ). The Schuylkill Navy
16000-486: Was not popular with spectators as it made previous viewing points obsolete. The sub-committee also recommending reducing the racing lanes from three to two and extending racing from two days to three. The Committee gained support from the Captains of competing Clubs and the changes were introduced for the 1886 Regatta. The New Course started just downstream of Temple Island, on the Buckinghamshire side and finished opposite
16128-467: Was now ready for use. The Straight Course runs from the upstream end of Temple Island to a point opposite the upstream end of the Phyllis Court. It is 80 feet (24 m) wide. The Straight Course has generally addressed the problems of unfairness: for example, between 1975 and 1984, 50.52% of races were won on Bucks and 49.31% on Berks (with the remainder dead heats). However, when a strong stream
16256-414: Was put on the same basis as for home oarsmen, thus ending the concession on racing for money prizes. By 1886 a phrase had also been added debarring any person "engaged in any menial activity". These rules would become the cause of growing controversy as international entries to Henley increased; most foreign countries having a different definition of amateur. The adoption of Henley's definition of amateur by
16384-493: Was the seventh richest subregion in the European Union in 2002. As well as the highest GDP per capita outside Inner London, Buckinghamshire has the highest quality of life, the highest life expectancy and the best education results in the country. The southern part of the county is a prosperous section of the London commuter belt . The county has fertile agricultural lands, with many landed estates , especially those of
#74925