For the first time since 2000, women’s rowing headed abroad, to England where they competed in the Reading Amateur Regatta and the Women’s Henley — considered the pinnacle of women’s rowing.
Nineteen teammates spent two weeks across the pond, beginning June 8, rowing on the River Thames and sightseeing. The Raiders brought two eights’ worth of rowers and two coxswains, plus a spare rower.
The three-day Henley features a 1,500-meter race that cuts through the most iconic stretch of the River Thames. “The race format is knockout dual racing, with the winning team advancing until only one team stands as the winner,” Head Coach Jim Lister explains.
Henley — founded in 1988 to provide an international racing regatta for women — draws more than 2,000 rowers from the U.K. and the world each year. “The town is getting busier by the day as race day approaches, and the course is filling up more and more,” Claire Chesnut ’27 wrote on the team travel blog.
Spectators follow a dress code, which includes wearing “Henley jackets” and sun hats, which creates a formal atmosphere unlike any rowing event. The Raiders donned special fitted blazers with their initials embroidered on the pocket
Don Ferencz ’74 wore a kilt as he greeted the team with bagpipes on Henley Bridge when they headed toward time trials on their first day; he’d done the same for Colgate’s team in 2000.
The Raiders had two boats compete in the Friday time trial: the First Varsity Eight, coxed by Kat Metcalf ’26, and the Second Varsity Eight, coxed by Victoria Reale ’28. The 1V8+ advanced to Saturday’s race against Glasgow University. Colgate was one of 16 boats to advance to Saturday’s race. The 1V8+ was also one of four American crews to advance to the next round.
The 2V8+ concluded its season at the time trials, finishing approximately 2 seconds behind Sheffield University Rowing Club and Liverpool University Boat Club.
Saturday, in a closely contested race, Glasgow narrowly edged the 1V8+ in the final stretch and advanced, concluding Colgate’s 2025–26 season. Despite the conclusion of the Raiders’ season, the 1V8+ finished among the top 16 boats at the regatta.
“[It was an] amazing effort from both boats,” Lister says. “We are very proud of the commitment from the rowers to challenge themselves in a time trial format and for the coxswains to steer an excellent course along the wooden booms with their blades feet away.”
The team balanced its hard work with some time off to sightsee, including a day off to visit London and other places around the region. They toured the grounds and museum at Wimbledon, and had lunch at the home of co-captain Marie Clausen ’26, who hails from London.
“As our time in Henley came to an end, we reflected on how special the experience had been and how grateful we are for the opportunity to compete at such a historic event and share it with teammates, coaches, and especially our graduating seniors,” Sarah Slember ’26 reflected on the blog. “Although our time in Henley is ending, the memories and friendships made here will stay with us, and we head home carrying both the experience of racing and the people who made it unforgettable.”