Harvard Lightweights Conclude Season at the Henley Royal Regatta

Earlier this month, the Harvard Lightweights competed across the pond at the Henley Royal Regatta (HRR), an event known for decadent dressing and setup, as well as large crowds and popularity among international rowing fans who travel from all over the world to attend.

While the team recorded a dominant undefeated campaign in the United States – earning The Crimson’s 2026 Team of the Year title — it concluded its season in the quarterfinals of the Prince Albert Challenge Cup, where it fell to a talented Oxford crew.

After making history by winning the prestigious Temple Challenge Cup for the first time last summer, Head Coach Billy Boyce was unable to race an eight because strict regulations bar repeat winners from competing, thinning his list of eligible athletes. Therefore, Boyce sent a coxed four and a spare pair to compete in the Prince Albert Challenge Cup and the Silver Goblets & Nickalls’, respectively.

Compared with the veteran crew that won the title in 2025, Harvard fielded a fairly young lineup this year. The four-man boat was comprised of rising sophomores Jackson Violich, Herbie Austin-Baker, and Brody Luce, graduating senior Zarrett Mills, and rising sophomore coxswain Nathalie Gregg.

Despite the Crimson’s younger roster, the student-athletes certainly did not lack experience beating successful teams, as this spring Harvard won its third consecutive national championship.

That being said, the Crimson’s trip across the Atlantic did not come without logistical challenges.

Following a month of training post-IRA competition on the Charles, Harvard’s Henley campaign was suddenly jeopardized when visa issues prevented a member of the first four from joining the team in the UK. Instead of honing its rhythm as a crew, the team was forced to spend the final days of its training block in England swapping members of the pair into its top boat, uncertain of who would eventually race in the competition.

Luckily, just two days before the race, the visa issues were resolved, so the lineups were reset to those of the original training block, allowing the Crimson to breathe a sigh of relief.

The four had pre-qualified ahead of the regatta, so only the spare pair, made up of freshman Maxton Kilroy and sophomore Lucas Pinsent, had to compete in the grueling time trial.

Unfortunately for the Crimson duo, they were pipped at the post, falling to internationally successful rowers, including Harvard heavyweight graduating senior Alex Grundy, who is from Henley-on-Thames and eventually advanced to the finals of the event.

With all of the Crimson fans’ attention back on the four, Harvard drew a bye to the third day of the regatta, giving the team more time to prepare. Bright and early on Thursday morning, the Crimson faced off against Melbourne University.

As a lightweight crew racing in an openweight category, it was no surprise when the Harvard crew sat behind the Australians within the first 500 meters of the race.

“It honestly is challenging, especially in such a slow boat, to be so light,” said Gregg. “You’ve really got to get that boat going. It’s a different game.”

Yet, despite the weight differential, it didn’t take long for the Crimson to find its speed. Spurred on by Gregg’s coxing, the Harvard crew made efficient work of Melbourne, rapidly creating an open-water margin between the boats.

Entering the race, the Crimson had little experience playing catch-up during competitions, primarily due to the program’s vast, sustained success. The impressive effort against the Australians highlighted the crew’s versatility and confidence in its race plan.

With the win on Thursday and a final time of 7:07, the Crimson advanced to a quarterfinal race against Oxford the following day.

Many alumni, family members, and friends lined the riverbank to clap out the Harvard team as it boarded its boat for the quarterfinal battle between the two historic universities.

“We knew this was going to be a hard race, and that this was going to be the one, the decider,” Gregg explained after the race. “Everyone was super relaxed, to the barrier. We were sitting on their stroke, man, for basically the entire time. I thought that the Oxford crew were super mature and super relaxed.”

Despite having comparatively less experience, the Harvard crew did well to stay in touch with its older opponent. As the boats faced off in good conditions, the Crimson trailed at the first checkpoint and nearly overtook Oxford halfway through the race. However, Oxford managed to pick up the pace and increase its lead, while Harvard was unable to repeat its comeback from the day prior, thereby concluding its Henley campaign.

Oxford ultimately won the race to earn a semifinal spot while setting a course record of 6:21.

“I think we had a really good race. Everyone put in their 100 percent,” summed up Gregg.

“Unfortunate that we lost, but I’m really proud of the boat,” Luce added. “They were the domestic favorites. Great boat. But we came out and executed how we wanted to.”

The Crimson’s stellar win on Thursday – alongside its mature performance on Friday despite the loss – exemplified the team’s athleticism and professionalism.

The Harvard lights will return to competition at the Head of the Charles Regatta on the Charles River on October 16.

—Staff writer Asher M. Meron can be reached at [email protected].