No recession fears for Henley Royal Regatta

HENLEY Royal Regatta has not been hit by the credit crunch, organisers have claimed.

HISTORIC: Henley Royal Regatta celebrates its 160th birthday with a strong international field

The event, which celebrates its 160th anniversary this year, claims it continues to attract strong international fields, with entries scheduled to close today.

American universities and schools, who make an annual pilgrimage to the event, are back in again in numbers.

The regatta will also have a Chinese entry for the first time.  

Crews from Sichuan Province have been training in Nottingham for the last week alongside Loughborough University Boat Club head coach Mitchell Rosenlund.

The Diamond Challenge Sculls, the men's single sculls event, looks set to feature at least three of the four top scullers in the world.

World champion Mahe Drysdale, Olympic champion Olaf Tufte and British Olympic finalist Alan Campbell have all announced their intention to race.

Olympic gold medallists Andrew Triggs Hodge and Peter Reed, who racing in a pair, are expected to challenge in the Silver Goblets, an event once dominated by Sir Steven Redgrave and Sir Matthew Pinsent.