Victory for Delaware Crew Alumni at the 140th Royal Canadian Henley, Eyeing World Championships
Delaware Crew’s legacy of high-level competition continued this summer with standout performances from its athletes. Collin Hay (Class of 2022), Justin Schmidt (Class of 2023), and Jimmy McCullough (Class of 2019) represented the Blue Hens at the 140th Royal Canadian Henley Regatta, held in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, from July 30th to August 4th. The regatta features a unique style of racing where boats that fail to progress to the next race are not offered any secondary consolation race. With no B-final, the regatta creates an intense atmosphere, with all participants fighting to advance in hopes of racing the next day.
Justin Schmidt and Collin Hay both showed their international racing pedigree, collecting 3 gold medals between the two of them. Justin outpaced his competitors in the Men’s Senior Lightweight Single, clinching first place with an impressive lead of 9 seconds and a time of 6:49.52. Justin also competed in the Men’s Championship Single, missing out on advancing to the final by just 11 hundredths of a second, despite having the third fastest time across all heats.
Collin Hay, alongside Nathaniel Sass, showcased impeccable coordination and endurance. The duo proved they haven’t missed a beat since their 2022 U23 World Championship victory, securing the gold in the Men’s Championship Pair with a time of 6:28.73, just over 1 second ahead of a strong Calgary Rowing Club pair. The two athletes also raced in the Men’s Senior Eight, earning another gold medal ahead of Mendota Rowing Club with a time of 5:33.23.
Jimmy McCullough and the US Men’s Lightweight Quadruple Sculls dominated the Men’s Senior Quad Event, winning the Charles M. Adams Memorial Trophy with a time of 5:56.64. The crew used the regatta as a practice run in preparation for the upcoming World Rowing Championships, also set to be held in St. Catharines from August 18th to 24th. This championships will bring together the world’s best rowers to compete in events not held at the Paris Olympics. The University of Delaware community eagerly anticipates Jimmy’s performance, while he continues to gear up to represent the United States at the World Championships