Henley Royal Regatta drew a record British entry in 2025, added its first women’s event in the Intermediate category and saw sixteen records fall.
Henley Royal Regatta drew a record British entry to Henley Reach at Henley-on-Thames from Tuesday 1 to Sunday 6 July 2025. Of 768 entries from 19 nations, 589 were British.
The regatta was established on 26 March 1839, before any national or international rowing body existed. It still keeps its own rules, and British Rowing and World Rowing recognise it.
Crews race head to head in knockout rounds, upstream over a mile and 550 yards. The Grand Challenge Cup for men’s eights has been awarded at every regatta since the first.
The Bridge Challenge Plate, for women’s eights in the Intermediate category, made its debut, the first women’s event added since 2021. The Grand Challenge Cup drew the Paris Olympic finalists Great Britain, the Netherlands and Australia. Australia beat the Netherlands in a time that equalled the record set in 2018.
By the final Sunday, 16 records had fallen. Lauren Henry of Leicester Rowing Club won the Princess Royal Challenge Cup three lengths clear of Frida Nielsen, seven seconds inside the previous record. Shiplake won the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup for the first time, by one length from Radley.