Before I begin my MIT/Henley story, I thought it might be helpful to write a few words about the Henley Royal Regatta from an historical perspective. I do not believe it is an exaggeration to say that the HRR has had more influence over the sport of rowing than any other event.

Beginning in the early 1800s, the Regatta was hosted by the town of Henley-on-Thames simply because this was the site of the longest straight stretch of water on the winding River Thames west of London. A course, exactly 1 5/16 miles in length, was laid out over a century ago. The positioning of the course on the river has been adjusted slightly over the years, but the original 1 5/16-mile distance became the de facto standard distance for most collegiate crew races, worldwide.  It remained so for lightweight crews until well into the 20th century. Here is a sketch of the actual Henley course, a sketch from the web site of the Henley Royal Regatta:

This aerial view is also from the HRR web site. The Finish Line is about 100 yards up from Henley Bridge:

  
"Rowing a Henley" is clearly different from "Rowing at Henley."  When our coach said that we were going to "row a Henley" during practice, he was referring to the Henley distance, a course of precisely 1 5/16 miles that is marked out along the Charles River Basin. For those who are familiar with Cambridge and the MIT Campus, the starting line for the Charles River Henley course is approximately in front of Walker Memorial on MIT's East Campus, and the finish line is at the old MIT Boathouse just a few yards downstream from the Boston University Bridge. Heavyweight crews raced over the same course, but with a starting line closer to the Longfellow Bridge, a distance of 1 3/4 miles.

One other definition might be helpful for those who are not familiar with the sport of rowing. On the title page I refer to “Lightweight Crew,” a term I will use over and over again in the chapters that follow. In order to increase the opportunities for participation, Crew is divided into two weight classes, Heavyweight and Lightweight. There are no weight restrictions in Heavyweight Crew, other than those imposed by the coach. A typical heavyweight oarsman, if there is any such thing, might be 6'3" tall and, in season, weigh 190 pounds.

Conversely, the Lightweight Crews have weight restrictions that are strictly enforced. The average weight for the eight oarsmen cannot exceed 155 pounds, and no single oarsman can weigh more than 160. Similar to the sport of wrestling, lightweight oarsmen are required to weigh in the night before each race. Even the slightest violation can result in disqualification. If I were to size up the ideal lightweight oarsman, he would be an athlete who might weigh between 160 and 170, off season, but who would train down to between 150 and 160 in time for the first race.