Henley Regatta: Police travel warning and Thames sewage fears on day one of rowing event

Thames Valley Police have issued a travel warning for the six days of Henley Regatta as more than 300,000 people make their way to Henley-on-Thames for the prestigious rowing races this week.

The hotly-anticipated event on The Thames began on Tuesday morning with some of the sport's most elite crews from across the UK and internationally set to battle it out along the famous 2,112 metres of water from Temple Island to Leander Club.

It's a landmark year for Henley Regatta in 2023 with double the women's entry and the opening of schoolgirl event The Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup as Chairman Sir Steve Redgrave looks to overhaul the event's elitist reputation.

Elsewhere, the longstanding dynasty of St Paul's School, Abingdon School and Eton College will be challenged in The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup with the addition of club rowers. Those three schools have won 12 of the last 13 events but will now have to fight clubs from the UK and internationally with American clubs Marin Rowing Association, Greenwich Crew and Green Lake Crew particularly head-turning.

Here's the latest on a police travel warning and environmentalist sewage concerns as day one of Henley Regatta gets underway.

Thames Valley Police issue Henley Regatta travel warning

Police have asked Henley Regatta racegoers and Henley-on-Thames locals to be 'patient and mindful' as hundreds of thousands of people pour through the city centre this week.

Superintendent Colin Hudson, tactical commander for the Royal Regatta said: “Henley Royal Regatta is one of the biggest policing events within the Thames Valley and takes a great deal of planning and organisation.

“The Neighbourhood Policing team in Henley will be an integral part of the event and will be on hand to provide support to the local community as normal. In order to ensure that members of the public can enjoy the Regatta in a safe and secure environment, Thames Valley are also deploying several specialist teams for this operation, with a number of security measures put in place.

“We expect to see a large number of visitors to Henley, which will increase traffic and congestion throughout the town centre so we ask that motorists be patient and mindful. Remember to leave plenty of time for your journeys, and to carefully follow the appropriate signs to the allocated car parks."

Henley Regatta rowers warned of Thames sewage levels

Environmental campaigners have claimed that 12 hours of sewage has been pumped into the famous Henley Regatta stretch of water since May and warned competitors to stay out of the water this week.

It's tradition for the winning crews at the event to toss their coxswain into the river in celebration but environmental charity River Action has warned that doing so could lead to sickness due to the river's pollution.

The Daily Star reports that local open-water swimming group Henley Mermaids have seen wet wipes, sanitary pads, sewage foam and stoma bags in the water which have led to one member vomiting three times in six years.

River Action Chief Executive James Wallace said: "I just can’t get my head around that. Whether that’s against the law or not isn’t the point. It is wrong for sewage pollution to be released into the course that is going to be in use.

"If we don’t sort out this problem is it right for rowers, the competitors, to go out on the water? Anyone here who rows will know you wipe down your blades when you get out so that you don’t get ill.

"Now, if you’re a competitor, the days are gone where you jump in the river to celebrate. It’s not safe. People are getting ill. We have got to act quickly."

Thames Water insisted that improving river quality was a 'key focus' with £6bn invested on reducing discharges and branded untreated sewage in the river as 'unacceptable'.