Princess Grace Challenge Cup
VenueHenley Royal Regatta, River Thames
LocationHenley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Dates2001 – present

The Princess Grace Challenge Cup is a rowing event for women's quadruple sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to female crews from all eligible rowing clubs. Two or more clubs may combine to make an entry.[1]

John Kelly, Sr

The event is named after Princess Grace of Monaco, who was the Academy Award-winning American actress Grace Kelly. Upon marrying Rainier III, Prince of Monaco in 1956, she became Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, but was generally known as Princess Grace of Monaco. Her father John B. Kelly Sr. was an Olympic rowing gold medal winner, and her brother John B. Kelly Jr. won the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley in 1947 and 1949. A year before the Princess's death in 1982 she was invited to and presented the prizes of the Royal Regatta.[2]

The event was incepted in 2001[3] and the cup was first presented in 2003 by the president of the Australian Olympic Committee John Coates.[4] In 2004, the son of the Royal guest presenter, Prince Albert of Monaco did likewise, as to all prizes.[5]

Results

Year Winner Runner-Up
2001 Potsdamer Ruder-Gesellschaft e.V., Germany Nautilus Rowing Club
2003 TSSKA Ukraine Australian Institute of Sport
2004 Leander Club & University of London TSSKA Ukraine
2005 TSSKA Ukraine Thames Rowing Club
2006 Marlow Rowing Club & University of London University of London
2007 South Australian Institute of Sport Hollandia Roeiclub
2008 Wallingford Rowing Club & Reading University Upper Thames Rowing Club
2009 Leander Club & Westminster School Waiariki Rowing Club, New Zealand
2010 Gloucester Rowing Club & Leander Club Waiariki Rowing Club, New Zealand
2011 Princeton Training Center "B", USA Australian Institute of Sport
2012 National Rowing Centre of Excellence, Australia Hollandia Roeiclub
2013 Leander Club & Minerva Bath Rowing Club California Rowing Club, U.S.A
2014 Leander Club & Gloucester Rowing Club Gloucester Rowing Club & Northwich Rowing Club
2015 Imperial College & Tees Rowing Club Molesey Boat Club
2016 Reading Rowing Club & Leander Club AZS Warszawa & KW Wisła Grudziądz, Poland
2017 Hollandia Roeiclub Nottingham Rowing Club & Warrington Rowing Club
2018 Cambridge University & Imperial College Christiania RK
2019 Chinese National Rowing Team Hollandia Roeiclub
2020 No competition due to COVID-19 pandemic[6]
2021 Leander Club[7] Thames & Neptune, Ireland
2022 Chinese National Rowing Team[8] Rowing Australia
2023 Leicester Rowing Club & Leander Club[9] Shawnigan Lake School BC, Canada

References

  1. ^ "Qualification and Rules" (PDF). Henley Royal Regatta. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  2. ^ "History of Henley Regatta". BBC. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Twelve Open Events". Henley Royal Regatta. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Rare Henley Honour for John Coates". Sydney University Boat Club. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  5. ^ "ROWING; Europeans Vanquish American Crews at the Henley Regatta". New York Times. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  6. ^ "2020 REGATTA CANCELLATION - STATEMENT ON CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)". Henley Royal Regatta.
  7. ^ "Results 2021". Henley Royal Regatta. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Results 2022". Henley Royal Regatta. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  9. ^ "2023 Princess Grace Challenge Cup". Henley Royal Regatta. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
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