Maidenhead Rowing Club Girls become club's first female crew to race at Henley Royal Regatta

Maidenhead Rowing Club girl’s quad have become the club's first female crew to race at the Henley Royal Regatta after they qualified to compete in the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup.

Coached by Victor Kleshnev, the crew of Ava lose-Daly 17, Niamh Campbell 16, Ione Parcell-Arregi 16, Rose Lose-Daly 17, will carry the fight to their rivals down the River Thames when the regatta gets underway this week.

The Royal Regatta began on Tuesday and runs through to Sunday, July 7, enabling a host of international crews and teams to compete in the world's best known annual regatta.

Henley is set to attract thousands of visitors this week while 300 races - featuring potential Great British and international Olympic medal prospects - will compete across a variety of prestigious events.

For context, Maidenhead Rowing Club was established in 1876 and they have had success in the Henley Royal Regatta before, but always among their male athletes.

In recent years, Henley have introduced several women's races into the programme, enabling female crews from clubs and schools across the region to push to qualify and race there.

The Maidenhead team pre-qualifying to race this week is an achievement but they'll be looking to make the most of the occasion by competing in the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup.

The Maidenhead girls won their first race on Tuesday, easily beating a crew from The Grange School in Manchester. 

They race again tomorrow against Molesey Rowing Club.

The team are principally coached by Kleshnev but the coaching team includes Stephen Hughes, Fred Smallbone and Simon Haworth.