Eastern suburbs local lives out dream at Henley Regatta

Its an iconic race thousands of kilmotres away that grasps the attention of the world - and Captain Nicholas Waugh will have the support of the eastern suburbs behind him at the iconic race in England next month.

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Australian Army officer, Captain Nicholas Waugh from Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs has been selected as a member of the Australian Defence Force’s King’s Cup rowing team to compete in England at the iconic Henley Regatta.

Nicholas has been passionate about rowing from the age of 13 when he first picked up his oars and started rowing at Cranbrook School in Bellevue Hill, Sydney.

Nicholas remained committed to rowing during a gap year as a house tutor and rowing coach at the Royal Shrewsbury School in England.

While at Shrewsbury, Nicholas saw the Henley Royal Regatta.

“It was an amazing sight; so inspirational — I just knew that is where I wanted to see myself,” Nicholas said.

Australia won the 1919 King’s Cup with nine personnel that formed the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) Number 1 Crew. The 2019 King’s Cup will include six crews from the Defence Forces of the original nations who participated including Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, along with crews from Germany and the Netherlands. Picture: Supplied.

“I vowed to myself that one day I will race in this pinnacle event for rowing,” he said.

Nicholas’ commitment to the sport of rowing and his vow has paid off with his selection as the Boat Captain and Rower with the Australian Defence Force King’s Cup team to compete at the Henley Royal Regatta 2019, 5-7 July on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England.

The ADF’s team has been drawn from across Navy, Army, and Air Force, and includes a gender mix of officers and other ranks.

This race will mark the centenary of the 1919 Royal Henley Peace Regatta, conducted as part of repatriation activities undertaken at the end of the First World War.

This race holds a special place in the proud history of the ADF as the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) Number One crew won the 1919 King’s Cup.

In July, the ADF will participate in a re-race of the King's Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta, England. This year marks the centenary of the 1919 Royal Henley Peace Regatta, conducted as part of repatriation activities undertaken at the end of the First World War. Picture: Supplied.

The 1919 crew defeated the Oxford University crew over the Henley course by a boat length in a time of seven minutes and seven seconds.

This was the fastest time recorded for the full course of the Regatta.

The original King’s Cup is now a perpetual trophy for the fastest State or Territory men’s eight in Australia, and is raced for each year at the Australian National Championships.

Nicholas joined the Australian Army in 2011 where he remained an active member of the rowing community in Canberra and was president of both the Australian Defence Force Academy Rowing Club and the Royal Military College Duntroon Rowing Club.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Balloon conducted an early morning flight over Lake Burley Griffin on 5 June 2019 to show support and encouragement for the 2019 ADF King’s Cup Team as the crew were training on the lake.

Posted to the 4th Regiment — Royal Australian Artillery in Townsville, Captain Waugh travelled to Papua New Guinea several times and deployed on operations to Iraq.

Captain Waugh is now posted to the headquarters of the 1st Division in Brisbane and finds time to row at the University of Queensland Boat Club.

Nicholas’s love of rowing is in his blood. Nicholas’ great grandfather, who had rowed at school and university, served as a surgeon at both Gallipoli and the Western Front.