There is one thing about living here in the quiet of the Dordogne, France -- one is so far removed from the social scene -- the
'real' social scene, that is, that you can be forgiven to start thinking that the market day at Issigeac on a Sunday morning is THE social event of the week (u-hum-m-m.......)But -- with the daily flights from Bergerac Airport to any one of ten different destinations in the UK, nothing should stop anyone from flying across the ditch and attending any or all of the event on the British Social Season Calendar!I had the pleasure of doing just that last week -- and spent a glorious day in England, in a deck chair alongside the Thames -- enjoying a superb meal and champagne at the Leander Club and afternoon tea on Temple Island -- watching beautiful young men strutting their stuff...........
There is something quite unique about the Henley Regatta.
During the 'Season' in England, there are so many events -- something for everyone's taste, somewhere where you can go to see and be seen, where you can take out your glad rags and posh hats and old school ties and show the world that the pomp and ceremony, the tradition and heritage, the grand old ways of the grand old days are still alive and well and flourishing in the Britain of today.
Starting with the opening of the Salmon fishing season in January and the closing of the shooting season on 1 February, there is a host of events right through the year. But it is really towards May, with the glorious Chelsea Flower Show, that the Social Calendar starts -- the events for which the rest of the world flocks to London to experience something of the heyday of the upper classes in England.
Some of these are the Badminton Horse Trials, Glyndebourne Opera Festival -- bring your ball gown and picnic basket!, the Chelsea Flower Show, the PGA Championship at Wentworth, the Blair Athol Highland Gathering , the opening of the magnificent Summer Shakespeare Season , The Epsom Derby , The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition -- be sure to get tickets well in advance! the incomparable Grosvenor House Art and Antique Fair, the Eton And Harrow Cricket Match, Queen Elizabeth II's official birthday with the Trooping Of The Colour on the Horse Guards Parade , Royal Ascot of course where you can rub shoulders with the royals and aristocracy and the chimney sweeps and dustmen alike -- and spot the difference -- if you can! -- Wimbledon Tennis Championships -- and after the incredibly exciting finish this year between Federer and Nadal, this is sure to become an event to which everyone will want to come next year!, the RHS Hampton Court Palace International Flower Show, the Peterborough Royal Fox Hound Show, the opening of the wonderful BBC Proms concert season, the Cartier International Polo Final, ---- and then, of course, the one and only Henley Royal Regatta!
Henley Regatta was first held in 1839 and has been held annually ever since, except during the two World Wars. Originally staged by the Mayor and people of Henley as a public attraction with a fair and other amusements, the emphasis rapidly changed so that competitive amateur rowing became its main purpose.
The 1839 Regatta took place on a single afternoon but proved so popular with oarsmen that the racing lasted for two days from 1840. In 1886 the Regatta was extended to three days and to four in 1906. Since 1928 its increased popularity meant entries exceeded the permitted numbers in several events, and so Qualifying Races are now held in the week before the Regatta to reduce the number of entries to the permitted maximum. In 1986 the Regatta was extended to five days, with an increase in the maximum entry for certain events.
In 1851 H.R.H. Prince Albert became the Regatta's first Royal Patron. Since the death of The Prince Consort, the reigning Monarch has always consented to become Patron. This patronage means the Regatta can be called Henley Royal Regatta.
During the course of its history, the Regatta has often been honoured by visits of members of the Royal Family, the most recent including those of H.R.H. The Princess Royal in 1999 and HRH The Duke of Gloucester in 2004.
Rowing at Henley
As the Regatta was instituted long before national or international rowing federations were established, it occupies a unique position in the world of rowing. It has its own rules and is not subject to the jurisdiction either of the governing body of rowing in England (the Amateur Rowing Association) or of the International Rowing Federation (F.I.S.A.), but is proud of the distinction of being officially recognised by both these bodies.
Unlike multi-lane international regattas, Henley still operates a knock-out draw with only two boats racing in each heat. This entails the organisation of up to 100 races on some of the five days. To complete the programme by a reasonable hour, races are started at 5-minute intervals.
The length of the Course is 1 mile 550 yards, which is 112 metres longer than the standard international distance of 2,000 metres. It takes approximately seven minutes to cover, so that there are often two races at once on the Course for much of the day. The number of races is, of course, reduced on each successive day, leaving only the Finals to be rowed on the last day.
There are 19 events in total: 6 classes of race for Eights, 5 for Fours (3 coxless and 2 coxed), 4 for Quadruple Sculls, and races for Coxless Pairs and Double Sculls. In addition there are single sculling races for both men and women. 1993 was the first year women competed over the Course in a full Regatta event when a new event for women single scullers was inaugurated. In 2000 an open event for Women’s Eights was introduced, whilst in 2001 there were new events for Women’s and Men’s Quadruple Sculls.
In 2004 there were significant changes to the Coxed Fours events. The top event, the Prince Philip Challenge Cup, was withdrawn due to declining interest internationally. There are now two events at the lower level - the Britannia Challenge Cup, restricted to just club crews, and a new event for student crews, the Prince Albert Challenge Cup.
Recent years have seen entries of international quality from Australia, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, France, Poland, the Netherlands, the U.S.A., Germany, the Czech Republic, the Ukraine, South Africa, Slovenia and Great Britain. Every year Henley is visited by many crews from abroad and last year 112 crews were from overseas.
There is a magnificent array of Challenge Trophies, the most prized being the Grand Challenge Cup for Eights which dates from the first year of the Regatta. In 2006 Imperial College London donated a new trophy for the Men's Student Coxed Fours event. This trophy has been named the Prince Albert Challenge Cup, after the Regatta's first Royal Patron. In 2008 there will be a new trophy for the Men's Quadruple Sculls event which will be named The Prince of Wales Challenge Cup. The trophy has been donated by Mr. V. G. T. Edwards, the brother of H. R. A. (Jumbo) Edwards, the famous Oxford coach.
And then of course, there is the main event at the Regatta -- people watching! with such a colourful and eccentric array of people and sights, who watches the races --- well, who seriously watches the races??
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