Prince Albert Challenge Cup


The Prince Albert Challenge Cup is an event at Henley Royal Regatta. It is contested by Men's Student Crews in Coxed fours. It has been held since 2004.

Creation in 2004

The Britannia Challenge Cup was originally presented in 1969 as an event for four-oars with coxswain open to club and student crews, and was contested for its first 35 years by an entry of 32 crews, racing over 5 days - with many times its entry number entering qualification and pre-qualifying races.
The Britannia Challenge Cup was split between club and student crews in 2004, having created additional competition time by removing the Prince Philip Challenge Cup, which had been contested by a small entry of international elite oarsmen but was removed from the racing programme in line with the continued removal of coxed fours racing from international regattas meaning that it had lost value.
The Britannia Challenge Cup remained as the club coxed fours' competition, while the Prince Albert Challenge Cup for men's student coxed fours created in a similar mould, but with entry restricted to:
No composite crews are allowed to enter. The entry for each competition was set at 16 for both cups.
There are now coxed fours events for both clubs and universities at the regatta, and both events have been heavily contested since the change meaning qualifying races have been held for the events. The Prince Albert has attracted international competitors from the USA, the Netherlands and Ireland.

The Prince Albert Trophy

Given the success of the fledgling Students Coxed Fours event the stewards agreed to accept and to fund a permanent trophy to be awarded to the winners of the event, two years after its start. The trophy was designed and created by Hector Miller and was presented by Imperial College London - the 2004 winners. It is named after Prince Albert who became the first Royal Patron of the Regatta in 1851 and was also closely associated with the origins of Imperial College. The Cup was accepted by the Regatta in the presence of H.M. The Queen at Buckingham Palace in June 2006. As with other competitions at the Royal Regatta the names of the winning crew are inscribed on the trophy.

Winners

YearWinnersBeaten finalistsMembers of winning crew
2019Harvard University btDurham University Boat Club
2018Imperial College Boat Club btGoldie Boat Club
2017Newcastle University Boat Club btImperial College Boat ClubJ. Robson, W. New, A. Haynes, W. Stewart, Cox: A Turner
2016Edinburgh University Boat Club btNewcastle University Boat ClubR. Scholefield, C. Irvine, K. Tierney, J. Temple, Cox: R Margolis
2015University of Washington btYale University
2014Newcastle University Boat Club btHarvard UniversityJ. Holst, T. Ford, J. Rudkin, S. Arnot, Cox: C McRoberts
2013Imperial College Boat Club btIsis Boat ClubJ.C.Rankin, H.C.J.Goodier, B.R.Spencer-Jones, T.P.Richards, cox: E.J.Smith
2012University of London Boat Club btNewcastle University Boat Club
2011Harvard University btOxford Brookes UniversityJ.P.Hogan, B.French, J.Mundt, P.Scholle, cox: D.Fuller
2010University College Dublin btUniversity of BristolT.Doyle, F.Manning, C.Pierce, D.Neale, cox: J.Lynch
2009Oxford Brookes University btYale UniversityK.Hudspith, C.Abraham, M.Tarrant, S.Durant, cox: H.Clews
2008Newcastle University Boat Club btUniversity of the West of England Boat ClubN.O'Reilly, M.Wilcojc, M.Durant, F.Gill, cox: C.Johnson
2007University of London Boat Club btGoldie Boat ClubN.Reilly O'Donnell, C.Nichol, R.Irving, M.Neame, cox: M.Eldridge
2006Imperial College Boat Club btUniversity of London Boat ClubB.Smith, O.Moore, W.Laughton, O.Tietz, cox: A.Williams
2005Durham University Boat Club btNational University of Ireland, GalwayP.Evans, P.Thomas, J.Foster, N.Jones, cox: T.Hill
2004Imperial College Boat Club btIsis Boat ClubS.Hislop, G.Whittaker, H.Mackenzie, E.Johnson, cox: S.Pierce

Records

CrewBarrierFawleyFinishYear
Imperial College London1:553:156:462018