Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup

The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup is a rowing event at Henley Royal Regatta open to school 1st VIIIs.[1]

This article is about the Henley Rowing Eights race. For other uses, see Elizabeth Cup (disambiguation).
Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup
VenueHenley Royal Regatta, River Thames
LocationHenley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Dates1946 – present


History

The event was instituted in 1946 for public schools in the United Kingdom. It was opened to entries from overseas in 1964, and that year Washington-Lee High School (United States) became the first overseas crew to win the event.

The inauguration of this race coincided with future queen Princess Elizabeth's first visit to the regatta, and so permission was given to name the trophy "The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup".

The PE (as it is usually abbreviated) is one of only a few races in the regatta which does not allow composite crews to be entered, and as such each race is a straight competition between one club and another. As the most prestigious race of the schoolboy rowing year, the event attracts strong competition both from the UK and abroad. For British crews, winning the PE can be the final victory needed to win “the triple", a prestigious achievement which comprises winning the Schools' Head of the River Race, The National Schools Regatta and finally the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup, all in the same year.

Eton College have won the event 14 times, St Paul's School (London) 6 times, Ridley College (Canada) 5 times and Abingdon School, Bedford School, Hampton School, Pangbourne College, Shrewsbury School and St. Edward's School have each won the event 4 times. Radley College is the most frequent losing finalist having done so on 6 occasions, Eton College have done so on 5 occasions. Hampton School, St. Edward's School and St Paul's School (London) have been the losing finalists on 4 occasions. The King's School Canterbury shares the record with Oundle School for most losses (4) in finals without having ever won the event. The event was opened to foreign crews in 1964, since when American crews have won the event 14 times, Canadian crews 7 times and Australian crews 3 times.[2]

The current record holder for the event is St Paul's School (London), having finished the course in 6 minutes 06 seconds in the final against Eton College in 2018, completing “the triple” in doing so. They beat the previous record for the event by 11 seconds, held by Abingdon School.

Winners
Year Winner Runner-Up
1946Bedford SchoolRadley College
1947Bedford SchoolShrewsbury School
1948Bedford SchoolRadley College
1949Winchester CollegeWestminster School
1950St Paul's School (London)Bedford School
1951Bedford SchoolRadley College
1952Radley CollegeMonkton Combe School
1953St Paul's School (London)The King's School Canterbury
1954Winchester CollegeOundle School
1955Shrewsbury SchoolOundle School
1956Eton CollegeSt Paul's School (London)
1957St Paul's School (London)Shrewsbury School
1958St. Edward's SchoolOundle School
1959St. Edward's SchoolOundle School
1960Shrewsbury SchoolThe King's School Canterbury
1961Shrewsbury SchoolThe King's School Canterbury
1962Radley CollegeNautical College, Pangbourne
1963Nautical College, PangbourneSt Paul's School (London)
1964Washington-Lee High School, USAGroton School, USA
1965Tabor Academy, USAPhillips Exeter Academy, USA
1966Emanuel SchoolHalcyon Boat Club, St.Paul's School, USA
1967Eton CollegeTabor Academy
1968JEB Stuart High School, USAEton College
1969Washington-Lee High School, USAEmanuel School
1970Ridley College, CanadaHampton Grammar School
1971Pangbourne CollegeSt. Andrew's School, USA
1972Kent School, USABrentwood College School, Canada
1973Ridley College, CanadaSt. Paul's School, USA
1974Holy Spirit High School, Absecon, New Jersey, USAKingston Grammar School
1975Ridley College, CanadaSt. Paul's School, USA
1976Holy Spirit High School, USAEmanuel School
1977Ridley College, CanadaHampton School
1978Eton CollegeBrentwood College School, Canada
1979Ridley College, CanadaEton College
1980St. Paul's School (Concord, New Hampshire), USASt. Joseph's Preparatory School, USA
1981Holy Spirit High School, USAEmanuel School
1982Eton CollegeHoly Spirit High School. USA
1983Eton CollegeSt. Andrew's School, USA
1984St. Edward's SchoolSt. Joseph's Preparatory School, USA
1985Hampton SchoolSt. Paul's School, USA
1986Hampton SchoolBelmont Hill School, USA
1987Belmont Hill School, USAHampton School
1988Hampton SchoolEton College
1989Hampton SchoolShiplake College
1990Eton CollegeWestminster School
1991Eton CollegeThe King's School Canterbury
1992Pangbourne CollegeWestminster School
1993Brisbane Boys' College, Queensland, AustraliaEton College
1994St. Paul's School (Concord, New Hampshire), USAAtlantic City High School, USA
1995Eton CollegeHampton School
1996Brentwood College School, CanadaSt. Edward's School
1997St Paul's School (London)Canford School
1998Radley CollegeSt. Mary's Preparatory School, USA
1999St. Edward's SchoolSt. Peter's College, Australia
2000Saint Joseph's Preparatory, USAGroton School, USA
2001The King's School, Parramatta, AustraliaRadley College
2002Abingdon SchoolSt Paul's School (London)
2003Pangbourne CollegeSt. Edward's School
2004St. Paul's School (Concord, New Hampshire), USAAbingdon School
2005Eton CollegeSaint Joseph's Preparatory, USA
2006St. Ignatius College Preparatory, USAThe King's School Chester
2007Shrewsbury SchoolBrentwood College School, Canada
2008Shawnigan Lake School, CanadaEton College
2009Eton CollegeAbingdon School
2010Eton CollegeKent School, USA
2011Abingdon SchoolSt. Andrew's School, Delaware, USA
2012Abingdon SchoolRadley College
2013Abingdon SchoolSt. Edward's School
2014Eton CollegeSt. Edward's School
2015St Paul's School (London)Westminster School
2016Eton CollegeSt Paul's School (London)
2017Scotch College, Melbourne, AustraliaRadley College
2018St Paul's School (London)Eton College
2019Eton CollegeScotch College, Melbourne, Australia
2020cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic[3]

Record times

The course record times for the event are:

  • 1:46 to the Barrier (St. Paul's School 2018)
  • 2:58 to Fawley (St. Paul's School 2018)
  • 6:06 to the Finish (St. Paul's School 2018)

Sources

References
  1. "Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup". Henley Royal Regatta. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  2. "Results of Final Races - 1946-2003". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2007-07-18.
  3. "2020 REGATTA CANCELLATION - STATEMENT ON CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)". Henley Royal Regatta.
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