This is perhaps an odd time to be writing an article about Henley. MCSBC was not there, thanks to the scrapping of the Special Race for Schools and the First VIII's failure to qualify against the stiffer school and college opposition. There were compensations, however. One unforseen bonus of the recession was that the regatta was much less crowded. The Stewards' Enclosure was as much of an Edwardian fantasy as ever, and to judge by the blazers, exotic and antique, all the old oarsmen were there, but something was missing: the hospitality tents which have sprung up like a parasitic fungus around it were much less in evidence, and there was notably more interest in the racing and less interest in the bars. It was actually possible to see people in the crowd... and it was not long before I was counting Monktonians. It was not a bad tally; three sets of parents; more than one of the First Eight, walking advertisements for the school in their very recognisable blazers - no new logos there= - and, of course, JMB.

The First VIII members I saw made a striking contrast with some equally recognisable boys from one much larger and more famous rowing school, whose behaviour would not have encouraged me to put my son on its waiting list. There were several men of potential parent vintage I did not recognise, who were wearing Bluefriars ties, and I doubt if the lesson was lost on them and their friends. An OM who had fought in the Gulf was stewarding, and looking entirely relaxed: after a hundred hours spent behind Iraqi lines, the odd rowdy yuppie clearly held no terrors. Most important, though, were the sightings of Monktonians in action. To my knowledge there were four: Peter Alvis, now Oxford Polytechnic 1st VIII; Peter Askew, now captain of Brasenose, Oxford; Richard de Fleury, rowing for Bradford-on Avon; and Tim D'Oyly, coxing for Pengwem R.C. In short, it may be said that reports of Monkton's absence from Henley have been exaggerated.