St. Joseph’s Prep’s crew will race Tuesday at the Henley Royal Regatta
The quintessentially British event brings more than 300,000 fans to the English countryside to watch top rowers from around the world.
From past experience, the St. Joseph’s Prep crew knows the 184th Henley Royal Regatta is unlike any rowing competition in the world.
Held annually on England’s River Thames, the event features top rowers and stands alongside the Olympics as the most prestigious competition in the sport. On Tuesday, St. Joe’s Prep will make its 14th appearance at the regatta, facing off against England’s Radley College in the start of the junior men’s eight competition. It is one of more than 300 races across 26 events that will take place over six days.
“It’s pretty cool and rare to compete overseas,” said senior cocaptain Owen Finnerty, who will row next year at Harvard. “That’s the big draw, especially for a United States team to go to England.”
St. Joe’s Prep coach John Fife and the team’s upperclassmen were a part of the program’s most recent trip to the Henley Regatta in 2021. For those who have attended the event before, the scenic English countryside and crowds totaling more than 300,000 are hallmarks of the experience.
“The first day will be special, especially for the kids who have never been there,” said Fife, who is coaching at the regatta for the sixth time. “If you’re a rower, the first time you walk onto the grounds at Henley, it’s special.”
The event also stands out for its quintessentially British flavor. The junior men’s eight competition is called the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup, named in honor of the late Queen Elizabeth II’s first visit to the regatta in 1946. Attendees must adhere to a strict dress code, and the schedule includes a late-afternoon break for tea.
“It’s a lot different than what we experience over here in the U.S. because they take it a lot more seriously … but it’s also a lot more fun,” senior cocaptain Luke Smith said.
“Especially with the clothing, that’s the first thing you’ll notice: Everybody’s wearing super nice dresses and [hats] and everything like that.”
» READ MORE: Jena Antonucci’s Belmont Stakes achievement inspires the women of Philly’s horse racing community
The actual racing features a unique match format in which two teams compete one-on-one, with the winner advancing to the next round of competition and the loser being eliminated. By contrast, most events St. Joe’s Prep competes in, as well as the Olympic Games, feature six lanes of boats racing at the same time.
“I love the racing style — just two boats going at it,” junior Braeden Montgomery said. “It’s really different because if you get up early, you can kind of break the [other] crew down [because] they’re not going to have another boat to keep pushing them.”
This competition also offers a rare opportunity to race against 31 other elite teams from the United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany.
“It’s a very weighty experience for the kids because they’re not just representing their school — they’re representing their country,” Fife said. “We’re looking forward to it, and hopefully we can both make St. Joe’s Prep proud and also the United States.”
While anyone can sign up for the Henley Regatta, it is up to the race’s stewards to review each entrant’s qualifications and set the draw. After a strong 2023 season, St. Joe’s Prep was selected for a spot directly in the main draw, rather than having to go through a play-in qualifying event that was held on Friday.
The highlight of St. Joseph’s Prep’s resumé was its third-ever sweep of the eights events at the Stotesbury Cup Regatta, the oldest and largest high school rowing competition in the world which is held annually on the Schuylkill.
“Ever since my freshman year, our goal has been to sweep the Stotesbury,” Montgomery said. “So to be a part of one of the three teams that’s done it is pretty special.”
Winning this week on foreign soil is expected to be a tall order. British teams have captured the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup every year since 2017, and no American team has won since San Francisco’s St. Ignatius College Preparatory School in 2006.
The Prep is attempting to win for the second time in school history and the first time since 2000.
“We’re trying to win — nothing less than that,” said Smith, a recent graduate who will continue his rowing career at Stanford. “Going over to England, it’s going to be different … so if we won, it would mean a lot more.”