Abingdon's thrilling Henley victory

04 July 2012

Abingdon School’s 1st VIII rowed to a thrilling victory at the Henley Royal Regatta on Sunday beating Radley College by ¾ length in the final of the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup.  This is the second year running that the School has taken the prestigious title with three of this year’s crew also having rowed last year.  The Abingdon boat had beaten the Australian and US national champions as well as Latymer Upper School and St Peter’s School to reach the final. 

This win, together with victories at the Schools’ Head of the River and the National Schools’ Championship Eights earlier in the year, secures the three major rowing titles for Abingdon this season.  Winning the triple is a rare feat and has only been achieved once before in the School’s history in 2002. Athol Hundermark, the inspirational Master in Charge of Rowing at Abingdon, said, “The Henley win is the culmination of a fantastic year for the crew who have performed extremely well under pressure. Radley made us work for every inch and deserve praise for an impressive run in the Regatta and the challenge they have offered us both this year and last.”

18 year old Felix Newman, from Christmas Common, who is Captain of Boats at Abingdon and who was in the bow seat, was immensely proud of the crew’s efforts.  He said, ‘Finishing off the triple by winning at Henley was amazing, for all the work we had put in to come together was brilliant, and the racing was fantastic, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The support from the OAs and everyone else was incredible - it just made the week.’

The Abingdon 1st VIII crew:  Neil McKenzie, James Richards, Joel Cooper, Andrew Halls, Matthew Carter, Thomas Pagel, Alex Fisher, William Horlock and Felix Newman.