THIRD ANNUAL STANFORD HENLEY REGATTA
Stanford Men Conclude Fall Trading with Intrasquad Pairs Racing!
Cardinal hit the water for the third annual Stanford Henley
Stanford Henley is a single elimination, 2- (coxless pairs) event that takes place over two days on our home racecourse at Redwood Shores. We are forever grateful for the efforts of Kent Mitchell and those alumni who made it such that we can call RWS our “home course,” and we intend to make it a competitive advantage.
As we evaluate our opportunities here at Stanford, we’ve clearly identified that maximizing water time over the course of an entire year is a priority – being able to row year-round in the Port and at Redwood Shores should be an advantage we can capitalize on. With that goes the opportunity to use small boats for skill development, internal competition, and selection.
Stanford Henley has become a point of focus — if not a point of pride — for our squad in the fall quarter. Athletes have the opportunity to spend meaningful time in the 2–, both with coaches and through miles of independent study, to develop boatfeel and an “athlete-driven” mindset, which we believe to be consistent with the Stanford pedagogical model.
Distance: 2000m
Timetable of Racing:
Day 1 - Saturday 12/13
Time Trial (AM). Top Eight Pairs to inform:
The Draw and Quarterfinals (PM)
Day 2 - 12/14
Semifinals (AM)
Finals (PM)
Ten pairs of returning oarsmen, less a few out with injury, and several freshmen squared off Saturday AM for the Time Trial. Results established the top eight pairs for The Draw, and of note, four frosh pairs earned spots in The Draw!
The afternoon Quarterfinals saw strong racing across the board, with the seeded crews advancing to the semifinals.
Semifinal 1 featured A.C. Scalfi and J.M. Pullinger against C.D. Vacharis and H.B. Harvey. Scalfi is a junior, and Pullinger is a senior and co-captain this year. Scalfi is a former U.S. Junior National Team member who raced in our second varsity eight at the IRA Championship last spring. Pullinger raced in the varsity eight last season and won the inaugural Stanford Henley as a sophomore in 2023.
Vacharis, a sophomore, raced in the varsity four at the IRA last year and reached the finals of Stanford Henley in 2024 with fellow sophomore Gabriel George. He has switched sides this fall and is aiming for another Henley final appearance. Harvey is the defending Stanford Henley champion after winning the 2024 event. He has also switched sides to port this year after rowing starboard last season and sitting seven seat in the second varsity eight.
Scalfi and Pullinger proved too much for Vacharis and George, and advanced to the Final.
Semifinal 2 featured L.W. Smith and G.M. George against E.C. Donovan Davies and T.O.J. Corbett. Donovan Davies, a sophomore, and Corbett, a junior, entered as the favorites after racing in the stern pair of the varsity eight last spring and setting the fastest time of the fall during our 6k racing on the Port of Redwood City. They were challenged by Smith and George, who also spent last spring in the varsity eight. George was the Stanford Henley runner-up last year as a freshman.
Donovan Davies and Corbett showed their stern-pair strength, besting Smith and George, and advanced to the final.
The two top pairs squared off Sunday afternoon for the Final, their fourth 2000-meter race of the weekend. The race was closely contested, with Donovan Davies and Corbett finishing first, though under protest. It was determined that interference had affected the outcome of the race, and a re-row was scheduled for the next day. Ultimately, in a show of inter-team sportsmanship, Scalfi and Pullinger dropped their protest, and Donovan Davies and Corbet were crowned 2025 Stanford Henley Champions.
