I arrived in Henley-on-Thames on June 27, 2022 after having been away for twenty-two years. This time, I wasn’t in Henley to compete at the regatta. Instead, I was in my inaugural year as a Steward of Henley Royal Regatta.
Twenty-two years ago, when I arrived at the regatta it was after losing the 2000 US Olympic Trials to Don Smith by thirty-three hundredths of a second. I decided to row at Henley Royal Regatta in that same year, because of two men, the late Steward Hart Perry and US Men’s Rowing Coach Mike Teti. The young man who showed up to the regatta back then was considering hanging up his oars and was unsure about the future of his rowing career. That young man looked out over the Henley bridge with uncertainty…
As my car from Heathrow Airport paused on Henley Bridge this year, I realized that I had a lot in common with that younger version of me; I had no idea what it meant to be a Steward of HRR, and I had a whole lot of uncertainty. I just knew that all of the Stewards I had read about were legendary, and to be honest I wasn’t sure that I was quite up to the task.
Stewards Jamie Koven and Aquil Abdullah, Henley Royal Regatta 2022
On the first day of the regatta, I was put on boat tent duty, with one of my fellow American Stewards, Jamie Koven. Jamie was a World Champion in both the Men’s Single Scull and Men’s Eight. Jamie and I go way back. Jamie won the Rowing World Championships, in the Single Sculls, in 1997. The following year I asked him if I could move to Boston and train with him. Jamie said yes, and then proceeded to mercilessly school me for several months on the Charles River (I’ve only forgiven him because I got a lot faster that year.)
In the boat tents, I witnessed firsthand the excitement of crews, their families and their friends. Their joy — their excitement — it reminded me of my first Henley. It began to dawn on me that my role as a Steward was to make sure that everyone was able to experience that same thrill.
While many things in the boat tent area were the same, including the blue and white coverings and the cold showers, some things were strikingly different. Most notably, the number of black and brown faces that I saw, like Vwairé Obukohwo, Schuyler Audley-Williams, Joseph Olagundoye, Alex and James Lamboll, fellow Steward Neil Chugani and more.
L: Steward Aquil Abdullah and Alex Lamboll, R: Steward Aquil Abdullah, Steward Neil Chugani, Steward Jess Eddie, and Rebecca Scown, Henley Royal Regatta 2022
On my second day, I was assigned to the race start with fellow Steward Rod Murray. Rod has an amazing eye for detail and his meticulous approach to making sure that everyone got a fair start provided me with the opportunity to reflect on the amount of care and effort each Steward put into making sure that their duties were executed with the highest standards.
Day after day I learned more from every Steward that I had the pleasure of meeting. Sarah Winckless reminded me to have a good time. Neil Chugani always asked me if I needed anything. Annamarie Phelps always gave me a smile and a nod to let me know that I was doing just fine. Guin and Miriam Batten reminded me to take a break in the Stewards Box when I needed to escape the excitement for a brief respite. And Chris Baillieu, was kind enough to let me know that my tie was upside down.
Through it all, I began to realize that there was a through-line to the history of each Steward, connecting us in ways that even we sometimes didn’t know. On a ride to the start of a race, Patrick Delafield told me a story about racing the American rowing legend, Jim Dietz. We had a good laugh when I replied that Jim coached me for a bit and that I now work with his son James Dietz at Hydrow.
I learned so much from each Steward and by the final day of the regatta I realized that I was beginning to be able to articulate what it meant to be a Steward of Henley Royal Regatta…
Time Keeping and Race Reporting, Henley Royal Regatta 2022
Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats
Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows
Henley Royal Regatta is so many things to so many people. For some it’s the pinnacle of the racing year. For others, it’s an opportunity to connect with old friends, drink a Pimm’s Cup and reminisce about their old rowing days. And for others still, it’s just one big party!
But for me, being a Steward of Henley Royal Regatta means that it is my job to ensure that every competitor has the opportunity to perform at their best; that each spectator has the opportunity to enjoy the highest quality races and environment; and that anyone who attends the regatta for any reason feels as though they belong. Because, ultimately, rowing is a sport that everyone can enjoy.
Did I get everything right this year? Nope! Is there more work to do to make Henley Royal Regatta even better? I’m sure there is! Can we bring even more diversity to our sport and do a better job of showcasing it at the regatta? Yes! Do I have all the answers? Nope! But I’m not stressed. Henley Royal Regatta has an amazing Chairman in Sir Steve Redgrave and a remarkable group of Stewards, and if I don’t get things quite right next year…I’ve got the rest of my life.
Special thanks to Oliver Horovitz, Ed Hewitt and Neil Chugani for their editorial comments on this article.
