ANNAPOLIS, Md. - In a year in which the Navy Rowing program celebrates its 150th Anniversary, the student-athletes of Hubbard Hall will have an opportunity to make memories of their own this July as representatives of the United States Armed Forces at the 2019 King's Cup competition in association with the Royal Henley Regatta. Honoring the 100th Anniversary of the first-ever King's Cup, the original six nations of Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, in addition to Germany and the Netherlands will race in a knock-out format over the final three days of the 2019 Henley Royal Regatta on July 3 through July 7. All eight countries will have one crew comprised of male and female military officers. In the case of the United States Armed Forces team those competitors will come from the ranks of Navy Crew.
Below Navy Director of Rowing Rob Friedrich Introduces the King's Cup Regatta
From the Henley Royal Regatta's Official Release:
Sir Steve Redgrave, Chairman of the Regatta's Committee of Management, said: "The Regatta is delighted to host such an important commemoration. The 1919 Royal Henley Peace Regatta was a key milestone in our sport and was staged by the rowing community to help heal wounds and hasten the return to normality of the Allied nations and their troops recovering from the First World War".
Chris Hartley, who has been coordinating the international participation, said: "The 2019 King's Cup campaign has been several years in the making and has strong support from all eight nations. It once again demonstrates the power of sport to build positive change," he said. "As military forces around the world embrace gender inclusiveness, the prospect of mixed crews racing at the Regatta is tremendously exciting. As in 1919, the Regatta is breaking new ground and we anticipate highly competitive racing".
Friedrich on the history of the King's Cup and the role Midshipmen athletes will have as part of the United States crew.
Navy in the International Rowing Scene
The Naval Academy's crew program has a long and storied history of success in international competition dating back nearly 100 years, when the Mids' first varsity eight crew was selected to represent the United States at the 1920 Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. Navy was selected twice more as the United States' Men's 8+ representative in Olympic competition as they suited up at the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland and the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Italy. That 1952 crew, known as the "Great Eight" went on to defeat the Soviet Union for the gold medal. During their run as collegiate athletes, the "Great Eight" won 23 consecutive races and back-to-back IRA Varsity Eight Championships.
More recently, Navy's lightweight varsity eight qualified for international competition at the 2004 Henley Royal Regatta. In the prestigious multi-day event, the Mids raced their way to the semifinals by knocking off crews from England's King's College and Nottingham, in addition to the National University of Ireland. They were defeated in the semifinals by Holland's D.S.R. Proteus-Eretus.
All-time, Navy has had 75 student-athletes, graduates and coaches don the Red, White and Blue in international competition for the United States.
(On May 21, the United States' Defense Attaché received the competitor badges for the 2019 King's Cup.)
Up Next for Navy
All three Navy crew programs will complete their collegiate seasons next weekend with the women at the NCAA Championship in Indianapolis and the heavyweight and lightweight squads at the IRA National Championships in Sacramento, California. Following those regattas, the coaching staffs of all three teams will meet, make their selections and announce the United States Armed Forces Team. Check back with NavySports.com and the athletic department's social media outlets as each competitor will be individually profiled in preparation for July's historic event.
