The Beginning of a Legacy: KAND's First Henley Royal Regatta Campaign

KAND Rowing Club has concluded a remarkable inaugural campaign at the 2026 Henley Royal Regatta,with our Under 19 Men's Eight proudly representing KAND on one of the world's greatest rowing stages.

KAND Rowing Club during the Qualification Race at HRR

The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup, first contested in 1946, is one of the most prestigious junior rowing events in the world. Originally created for public schools in the United Kingdom, the event was later expanded to welcome international crews before opening to secondary schools and rowing clubs. The trophy was named in honour of HRH Princess Elizabeth, who would later become Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, following her first visit to Henley Royal Regatta in 1946. Today, competing for the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup is regarded as one of the highest honours in schoolboy rowing.

Simply qualifying for the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup is an achievement in itself. With many of the world's strongest schoolboy crews converging on Henley, the boys first had to earn their place in the regatta through the fiercely competitive Qualification Races. Racing together under the KAND banner for the very first time at Henley, they delivered an outstanding performance to secure their place in the draw and announce themselves on the Henley stage.

The reward was a first-round clash with Kew House School, where the crew produced a composed and confident performance to claim victory by 1½ lengths, crossing the line in 6:54 and progressing to the second round.

Round 1

Waiting for them was St Paul's School, widely recognised as one of the world's premier school rowing programmes. With an unparalleled tradition of success at Henley Royal Regatta, St Paul's entered the regatta as one of the favourites to lift the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup. (*EDIT: St Pauls did indeed go on to win on Sunday in the final and congratulations to them).

The challenge for KAND could scarcely have been greater. The KAND crew executed their race plan exactly as prepared, giving everything they had from start to finish. Despite a courageous performance, they were ultimately defeated by 2¾ lengths, with St Paul's crossing the line in 6:23. It was a performance the boys can be immensely proud of, competing fearlessly against one of the world's elite schoolboy crews.

Round 2

By qualifying for Henley and progressing to the final 16 crews in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup, KAND achieved something truly remarkable. The crew also recorded the fastest qualifying time of any crew from outside the United Kingdom, a remarkable achievement that reflects the dedication, professionalism and determination shown by every athlete throughout the campaign.

A Campaign Built on Support

None of this historic campaign would have been possible without the incredible support of our major sponsor, Leda Holdings. Their belief in the vision of KAND Rowing Club has given these young athletes the opportunity to compete on one of rowing's greatest stages.

Thank you to our Major Sponsor Leda Holdings

More importantly, their support has laid the foundations for what we hope will become a lasting Henley tradition for KAND Rowing Club. This wasn't simply a trip to Henley, it was the beginning of a legacy.

We would also like to sincerely thank every individual, family and supporter who donated to our fundraising campaign. Every contribution, whether large or small, helped make this incredible opportunity possible. The encouragement shown by our members, families, friends and the wider rowing community has been overwhelming. Knowing the entire KAND family was behind them gave the boys enormous confidence throughout the campaign.

As the crew entered the final stages of the race, applause echoed along the Henley course. The KAND boys never stopped fighting, earning the respect of spectators with their courage, composure and determination against a world-class St Paul's crew.

Behind Every Great Crew

A campaign of this magnitude is only possible because of the incredible people working behind the scenes.

A heartfelt thank you goes to Head Coach Charlie Betts, whose passion, dedication and commitment to both his athletes and KAND Rowing Club are second to none. Charlie devotes himself wholeheartedly to the club and every crew he coaches, and the professionalism, preparation and culture he has built were on full display throughout the Henley campaign. KAND is incredibly fortunate to have Charlie leading our athletes under the guidance of High Performance Manager Chris Holliday.

The KAND Rowing Club Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup Crew with Head Coach Charlie Betts (rear, second from left) and Club Captain & Team Manager Tom Coates (rear, far left) during their historic inaugural campaign at the 2026 Henley Royal Regatta.

We also extend our sincere appreciation to our Club Captain and Team Manager, Tom Coates, who generously took valuable time away from his extremely busy daily life to travel with the crew and ensure every aspect of the campaign ran seamlessly. From managing the team's daily needs to keeping everyone organised throughout the regatta, Tom's contribution was invaluable.

A special thank you also goes to Tom for organising the team's magnificent blazers, ties and cowboy hats. The boys looked absolutely dashing and perfectly captured the tradition and style of Henley Royal Regatta. They represented KAND with pride both on and off the water, and their presentation was a credit to the care and effort Tom put into ensuring the crew looked every bit the part.

Thank You, KAND Family

Watching from Home!

To everyone who tuned in from Australia and around the world to follow the racing, thank you. The messages of encouragement, support and congratulations throughout the campaign meant so much to the athletes and staff. The boys proudly represented KAND knowing their family and friends were cheering them on.

As the team now enjoys a few well-earned days sightseeing around London, soaking up the atmosphere of Henley Royal Regatta and watching the remainder of the racing before returning home to Brisbane next week, they can reflect on an extraordinary achievement.

Competing in the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup, widely regarded as one of the world's most prestigious schoolboy rowing events and recording the fastest qualifying time by a crew from outside the United Kingdom are accomplishments these young men will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

More importantly, this campaign has laid the foundation for something much bigger than one regatta. It has inspired future KAND athletes, strengthened our club culture and demonstrated that we can proudly compete alongside the very best schoolboy crews in the world at Henley.

The racing may be over, but the friendships, memories and legacy will endure for years to come.

The memories made, friendships forged and experiences gained throughout this journey will remain with these young men forever. For KAND Rowing Club, this was more than just a race campaign, it was the beginning of a legacy.

Congratulations to every athlete, coach, manager, family member, volunteer, supporter and sponsor who made this historic campaign possible. The standard has been set, the legacy has begun, and KAND Rowing Club will be back.