Henley Royal Regatta | Live Results | Team Blog

HENLEY-ON-THAMES, England—The Hobart varsity eight won its opening race in the Temple Challenge Cup in the world famous Henley Royal Regatta today. The Statesmen topped Southampton University by a boat length.

The 2,112-meter Henley (1 mile, 550 yards) pits crew against crew in win-or-go-home bracket similar to March Madness. The course features two time checks, the Barrier and Fawley. The former in about a third of the way into the race, while the latter is just shy of halfway. There are 32 crews in the Temple Challenge Cup and racing is spread out over five days.

Hobart led the Stags at both checks, reaching the Barrier in 1:55, Fawley in 3:14 and the finish in 6:46. Reynaldo Kelly, Maxwell Swagler, Gerry Samson, Jack Trimble, Andrew Cobb, Harald Zurakowski, David Roberts, Peter Nettl, and Coty Burgess powered the Statesmen.

All six U.S. entries survived the first day of racing in the Temple Cup Challenge. Joining the Statesmen in the second round are California, Florida Institute of Technology, Harvard, Virginia, and Yale.

Hobart will face the University of London in the second round on June 30. UL is considered by many to be the strongest British entry in the Temple Challenge Cup. London posted a 2.25 lengths victory over Newcastle University with the day's second fastest time, 6:36.