Preliminary results from the first day of the Henley Women’s Regatta are in.

Exeter’s four, consisting of (from cox to bow) Andrea Nortey, Kate Morris, Anna Johnson, Catie Lucy, and Jess Flakne, was entered in the Senior 4+ event against an international field of college crews. Though Exeter was ahead at the start of their dual race, the much older University of London Women’s Boat Club came back to win in the end.

Exeter’s eight, consisting of (from cox to bow) Hannah Woodruff, Allison Courtin, Rory Erickson-Kulas, Erin Metcalf, Lizzy McDermott, Nancy McKinstry, Rebecca Kisner, Katrina Regan and Catherine McDermott, “easily” beat King’s School, Worcester (of Worcester, England) in the quarter-finals and will proceed to the semi-finals. The term “easily” is traditionally used when a boat wins by over five lengths and specifying the distance would be rude. Tomorrow at 14:05 UK time (9:05 EST) they will race local archenemy Phillips Andover (of Andover, Massachusetts) for a spot in the Grand Finals. This season Exeter’s girls’ first has a 2-1 record against Andover, including a 0.2 second victory at the NEIRA Championship Regatta. The schools in the other semifinal race are local rival St. Paul’s School (of Concord, New Hampshire) and South Niagara/E.L. Crossley (an affiliated school and club from Welland and Fonthill, Ontario). The winners of each semifinal will race in the Grand Final at 16:30 UK time (11:30 EST) for the Peabody Cup.

This weekend, Exeter girls will be competing at the Henley Women’s Regatta at Henley-on-Thames, England. Established in 1988 after growing frustration at the lack of women’s events at the Henley Royal Regatta, the Henley Women’s Regatta races the first 1500 meters of the same stretch of the River Thames as the Henley Royal Regatta. All races are “dual” races with only two crews competing at a time, but the bracket is single-elimination with no repechage races or petite finals.

Exeter’s four is entered in the Senior 4+ (coxed straight four) event where college and high-school crews compete for the Frank Harry Cup. Consisting of Andrea Nortey, Kate Morris, Anna Johnson, Catie Lucy, and Jess Flakne, the four’s first race is on Saturday at 14:06 UK time (9:06 EST) against the University of London Women’s Boat Club. The full bracket for this event is on the right (click to zoom).

Exeter’s eight is entered in the Junior 8 event where high-school crews compete for the Peabody Cup. Consisting of Hannah Woodruff, Allison Courtin, Rory Erickson-Kulas, Erin Metcalf, Lizzy McDermott, Katrina Regan, Rebecca Kisner, Nancy McKinstry and Catherine McDermott, the eight’s first race is on Saturday at 17:34 UK time (12:34 EST). Due to the fact that Exeter’s eight got a first-round by, their opponent is the winner of Race 204, in which Tabor Academy B and King’s School Worcester will race two hours earlier that afternoon. The full bracket for this event is on the right (click to zoom).

Good luck girls!

In another exciting day of post-season racing, Exeter’s girls’ eight took first place in the Women’s Junior Eight event at the Reading Amateur Regatta in Reading, England. The Regatta, founded in 1842, consists of dual-races along a 1500 meter stretch of the River Thames. Due to the limited number of lanes, the nine girls, Hannah Woodruff, Allison Courtin, Rory Erickson-Kulas, Katrina Regan, Lizzy McDermott, Erin Metcalf, Rebecca Kisner, Nancy McKinstry and Catherine McDermott, raced three times in one day as they progressed through the single-elimination bracket. In their first race, they beat Tabor Academy (of Marion, Massachusetts) by a half-length of open water. In the second round, the eight defeated Headington School (of Oxford, England) by over two lengths of open water. In the finals, the girls beat Molesey Boat Club (of Molesey, England) by over a length of open water. This victory also means that Exeter was awarded the Royal Military Academy Challenge Cup, pictured right.  Check out the videos section to see film of the eight in the semi and grand finals.

Exeter’s four, consisting of Andrea Nortey, Kate Morris, Anna Johnson, Catie Lucy, and Jess Flakne, raced well in the Senior 4+ (coxed straight four) event but lost by two lengths in their first race to Newcastle Univserity Rowing Club. Despite this loss, they performed exceptionally well considering the age difference between the two crews.

Godspeed girls as you train for the Henley Women’s Regatta next weekend.