page_title: Henley Royal Regatta
section_title: Introduction of current events
hierarchical_section_title: Henley Royal Regatta / History / Women / Introduction of current events
caption_attribution_description: English: Henley Royal Regatta programme, 1986
context_page_description: Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. It was established on 26 March 1839. It differs from the three other regattas rowed over approximately the same course, Henley Women's Regatta, Henley Masters Regatta and Henley Town and Visitors' Regatta, each of which is an entirely separate event.
  The regatta lasts for five days ending on the first weekend in July. Races are head-to-head knock out competitions, raced over a course of 1 mile 550 yards. The regatta regularly attracts international crews to race. The most prestigious event at the regatta is the Grand Challenge Cup for Men's Eights, which has been awarded since the regatta was first staged.
  As the regatta pre-dates any national or international rowing organisation, it has its own rules and organisation, although it is recognised by both British Rowing and FISA. The regatta is organised by a self-perpetuating body of Stewards, who are largely former rowers themselves. One Exception to this rule is that the Mayor of Henley-on Thames Council is an ex-officio Steward.
context_section_description: The change of the international distance to 2000 m and the addition of a fifth day to the regatta in 1986 allowed the Committee of Management to revisit the decision. In 1993 the regatta introduced an open Women's Single Sculls event and from 1993–6 this counted as a round of the FISA World Cup. The first winner was Maria Brandin of Sweden and she subsequently won a further four times. Fittingly, the prizegiver in 1993 was Peter Coni. In 1996, the Stewards purchased a silver cup as a challenge trophy and named it the Princess Royal Challenge Cup; it was presented for the first time in 1997.
  An invitation event for women's eights was added in 1998. In 2000, this was replaced by an open women's eights event under the same rules as the Grand Challenge Cup. In 2002, the Remenham Challenge Cup was donated by Remenham Club as the trophy for this event. At the 2001 Regatta, an open event for Women's Quadruple Sculls was introduced. In 2003, this event became known as the Princess Grace Challenge Cup in memory of Princess Grace of Monaco. Her father, John B. Kelly Sr., had been controversially excluded from the Diamond Sculls in 1920 because of the regattas rules on amateurism; her brother, John B. Kelly Jr. had won the Diamonds Sculls in 1947 and in 1949. Princess Grace was the Regatta prizegiver in 1981.
  At the Stewards' meeting in December 2016, it was agreed to equalise the number of events for Men and Women in the Open category, leading to the creation of three new events: the Women's Fours (Town Challenge Cup), the Women's Pairs (Hambleden Pairs Challenge Cup) and the Women's Double Sculls (Stonor Challenge Trophy). These were raced for the first time at the 2017 Regatta. In December 2019 the stewards announced the Island Challenge Cup (Student Womens Eight's). With a further two events for junior women's and club women's eights announced to run in the 2021 regatta.
caption: A programme of events from the 1986 regatta
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