From Philadelphia to Henley: Drexel men’s rowing takes on the world’s most prestigious regatta
The Dragons have been preparing all season to compete in the Henley Royal Regatta in England, says coach Matt Weaver. It marks the first time in four years that the men’s team will make the trip.
Drexel men’s rowing has long dominated on the Schuylkill and Cooper Rivers, but now, it will have to navigate international waters.
The Dragons are racing in the Henley Royal Regatta, which takes place on the River Thames in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England. They will compete in time trials on Saturday before they begin racing on Wednesday in an event that continues through July 5.
Drexel won its fifth consecutive points title at the Jefferson Dad Vail Regatta in May, with the varsity eight boat reclaiming first place for its fourth top-finish in five years. Head coach Matt Weaver said throughout the season that each race has felt like preparation for the Henley Regatta. The Dragons also competed at the IRA National Championship at Gold River in California three weeks after the Dad Vail.
“The Dad Vail was the deepest field ever this year, competitors from all over the country and even into Canada, so we feel like that prepared us really well,” Weaver said. “and then [since IRA we’ve] kind of been doing a training camp here in Philly with some good practices. We did some races against Vesper Boat Club, and we’re excited, and we’re going to feel good heading into Henley.”
» READ MORE: The Big 5 headlines the Dad Vail Regatta with IRA national championship stakes on the line
Making the trip to England for the Henley for the first time in four years, the men’s team has been working on fundraising and logistics since the 2022 trip ended.
And since January, the team has been in collaboration with Drexel fashion design professors Liz Goldberg and Jaeyoon Jeong, along with three students, to design the blazers that the rowers will wear at the regatta.
“We’re really proud to have these designed and made here at Drexel, and in Philadelphia, specifically,” Weaver said. “I think there’s probably never been a rowing blazer that’s been specifically designed and constructed in Philly, brought over to Henley, so probably the first of its kind there.”
With the program taking a trip overseas, Weaver said the rowers have focused on jet lag protocol ahead of their flight to make sure they are adjusted to the time zone.
During their day off this Sunday, the Dragons plan to roam London, Weaver said, hoping to gain educational and cultural experiences, but the focus is always on rowing and their upcoming races.
This is the first time Weaver is making the trip since becoming the head coach ahead of the 2023-24 season. He has, however, done it a few times as an assistant coach at the high school and college levels. He’s seen how the trip “pays huge dividends” for the following season, from connecting in races to the team living together in a shared house.
And it offers a new experience in terms of race format.
» READ MORE: How ‘belief, trust, and ambition’ powered Drexel back to the top at the Dad Vail Regatta
Unlike the other regattas the Dragons have participated in this season, Henley features a head-to-head bracket-style format. Weaver described it as “a little bit like March Madness,” with the crew hoping for some upsets, and having to bring their best every day. The hope is that the Dragons make it to next weekend, but it all depends on their draw, Weaver said.
Drexel had head-to-head races against Columbia, Cornell, and Navy this season, but did not have the bracket style that Henley uses. In the head-to-head races, the varsity eight won against Columbia and Navy but fell to Cornell.
The varsity eight is one of three Drexel boats racing in England.
The eight will be competing for the Temple Challenge Cup and face other college entries from around the world. The Dragons will also bring a coxed four to compete for the Prince Albert Cup, another college event. The third boat is a pair competing in an open event, which is the only pair event of the regatta and includes Olympians and high schoolers. The pairs race is for the Silver Goblets & Nickalls’ Challenge Cup.
“It’s an opportunity for us to get out and race some of the best crews in the world, even outside the U.S., so for us, it’s definitely a unique experience,” Weaver said. “This will set us up really well for next season. We return like 49 of the 55 guys that were on our team. So, the guys that are making this trip are setting the tone for next year.”