The 2014 edition of The Henley Classic represents both the 10th anniversary of the iconic open water swimming event and the inaugural running of the Open Water Swimming Varsity Match between arch rivals Oxford and Cambridge.
At dawn on 29 June, Captains Dan Brackenbury (Cambridge) and Anthony O’Driscoll (Oxford) will lead their teams of 8 swimmers, four male and four female, into the inky waters of the world famous Henley Royal Regatta course to defend the honour of their universities.
Parallels with The Boat Race are hard to avoid, not least because the Regatta course was the original venue for Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race before it moved onto the Tideway in the 1830s. Similarly, stations will be decided on the toss of a coin; not in the case of The Henley Varsity Match an 1829 sovereign, but a 2011 World Championship Medal provided by Britain’s Olympian Open Water Swimmer Keri-Anne Payne.
At stake is the honour of the universities they represent; and the Bremont Cup, which is awarded to the winning team.
Co-founder Tom Kean said of the event, “Although the Varsity event is in its formative year, it feels steeped in history. We’ve uncovered a rich legacy of open water swimming in the Thames, and with the obvious rowing heritage we feel the venue has a natural resonance with the two universities.”
The Henley Classic was started in 2004 by two recently retired oarsmen Tom Kean and Jeremy Laming. It is now recognised as one of the world’s most iconic open water swims.
It takes place at dawn on the iconic Henley Royal Regatta course and starts with a torchlight procession down the course to the start line. Last year’s winner Alex Studzinski will carry the torch at the procession this year.
The dawn start originated from the need to be clear of the course before rowers moved onto it at 06.30, but it has since become an integral part of the appeal of this unique event. For 2014, swimmers will converge on Henley from four continents and twenty six countries around the globe.
