Royal Regatta Announces New Stewards & Prince Philip Challenge Trophy
Henley Royal Regatta is delighted to announce the election of three new Stewards at the AGM on Tuesday, December 14.
The three new Stewards – Aquil Abdullah, Jess Eddie and Adam Freeman-Pask – join an illustrious body made up chiefly of successful rowers and scullers. The Stewards have been responsible for helping run the annual Regatta since 1885 and have become a model for other events, including the Olympic Games.
“On behalf of the Stewards of Henley Royal Regatta, I am pleased to welcome Aquil, Jess and Adam,” Sir Steve Redgrave, Chairman of the Committee of Management, said. “The Stewards are the heartbeat of the Regatta. It is their responsibility to make sure that Henley remains true to its founding principles whilst always continuing to lead the way.
“There are always new challenges for each generation – something the past two years has emphasised if there was any doubt – and we have gone from strength to strength by renewing ourselves. Our new Stewards embody all the virtues of the Regatta, they have given much already and we look forward to much more.”
At Henley Royal Regatta 2022 will see the creation of The Prince Philip Challenge Trophy to commemorate keen sportsman The Duke of Edinburgh, who passed away aged ninety-nine on 9 April this year.
The Junior Women’s Eights event – which had a stunning inaugural year in 2021 – will become The Prince Philip Challenge Trophy for the annual Henley Royal Regatta held at Henley-on-Thames. The new Trophy means the event for Junior Men’s Eights is called The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup and the event for Junior Women’s Eights is The Prince Philip Challenge Trophy.
“The historical roots of Henley Royal Regatta are entwined with the Royal Family, and we wanted to honour and celebrate the life of Prince Philip, whose ties with the rowing community were appreciated by all,” Sir Steve Redgrave, Chairman of the Committee of Management, said.
The Junior Women’s Eights was one of three new women’s events in 2021, and this year the Regatta will move from a 5 to 6-day format for the first time in its history, to better accommodate them. The Regatta returns to its traditional place in the calendar, starting on Tuesday 28 June, after moving to the second week of August in 2021 to enable it to be staged after coronavirus restrictions. Historically, the Regatta has run from Wednesday to Sunday, with 5 days of head-to-head knockout racing over a 2,112m course.
The 2022 Regatta will be held from Tuesday, 28 June to Sunday, 3 July
