Princess Royal Challenge Cup

The Princess Royal Challenge Cup is a rowing event for women's single sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to all eligible female scullers.^[1]

In 1982 an invitation exhibition event for women's singles was added to the race programme. The start for this event was moved to Fawley so that the course was closer to 1000 m. As the intermediate start installations were required for the shorter distance, the races had to take place during intervals in the normal racing programme (the lunch or tea breaks) which meant that only the dedicated stayed to watch.^[2]

In the end, the final of the Women's Invitation Single was a highlight of the regatta, with Beryl Mitchell of Thames Tradesmen's Rowing Club (World Silver medallist in 1981) beating Stephanie Foster of Waiariki Rowing Club, New Zealand (World Bronze medallist in 1982) by one length.

Women's singles disappeared off the race programme until 1993 when an open Women's Single Sculls event, over the full course, was introduced. From 1993 to 1996 this counted as a round of the FISA World Cup.^[3]

The first winner was Maria Brandin of Sweden and she subsequently won a further four times. In 1996, the Stewards purchased a silver cup as a challenge trophy and named it the Princess Royal Challenge Cup; it was presented for the first time in 1997.^{[4] [5]}

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Events at Henley Royal Regatta

Men's eights

• Grand Challenge Cup
• Ladies' Challenge Plate
• Thames Challenge Cup
• Temple Challenge Cup
• Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup

Men's coxed fours

• Britannia Challenge Cup
• Prince Albert Challenge Cup

Men's coxless fours

• Stewards' Challenge Cup
• Visitors' Challenge Cup
• Wyfold Challenge Cup

Men's coxless pairs

• Silver Goblets & Nickalls' Challenge Cup

Men's quad sculls

• Queen Mother Challenge Cup
• Prince of Wales Challenge Cup
• Fawley Challenge Cup

Men's double sculls

• Double Sculls Challenge Cup

Men's single sculls

• Diamond Challenge Sculls

Women's eights

• Remenham Challenge Cup
• Wargrave Challenge Cup
• Island Challenge Cup
• Prince Philip Challenge Trophy

Women's coxless fours

• Town Challenge Cup

Women's coxless pairs

• Hambleden Pairs Challenge Cup

Women's quad sculls

• Princess Grace Challenge Cup
• Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup

Women's double sculls

• Stonor Challenge Trophy

Women's single sculls

• Princess Royal Challenge Cup

Former events

• Town Challenge Cup (men)
• Prince Philip Challenge Cup
• District Challenge Cup
• Silver Wherry
• District Goblets
• Presentation Cup
• Public Schools Challenge Cup
• Special Race for Schools
• Women's Invitation Coxed Fours
• Women's Invitation Double Sculls