Royal Henley Regatta : Lewis Reaches Finals of Single, Double Sculls

Olympic gold medalist Brad Lewis of the United States moved closer to a rare double win Saturday when he reached the finals of the single and double sculls at the Royal Henley Regatta.

Lewis, 30, of Corona del Mar, Calif., who won the double sculls at the Olympic rowing competition on Lake Casitas last summer with Paul Enquist, beat Simon Larkin of Britain for a place in the Diamond Challenge for single sculls against Steve Redgrave of Britain.

Redgrave, the gold medalist in the Olympic coxless four, beat former Diamond Challenge winner Ricardo Ibarra of Argentina by five lengths. Redgrave is the favorite in today’s final.

In double sculls, Lewis and Greg Springer, both from the Dirty Dozen Rowing Club, beat lightweight rowers Carl Smith and Stuart Forbes of Britain, who broke a rigger and failed to finish.

The only rower to win a single and double sculls title was Martin Studach of Switzerland in 1967.

The United States is favored in the 146-year-old regatta’s premier event, the Grand Challenge Cup, for the first time in five years.

In Saturday’s semifinals, Harvard beat Cambridge by 2 1/2 lengths, and Princeton came from behind to beat the University of London.

Harvard hasn’t won the Grand Challenge Cup since 1959, and Princeton has never won it.

Princeton rowed in the more thrilling race, coming from behind to win by two-thirds of a length over London. The English eight took an early lead, but faded in the last 100 meters.

“When I saw London’s rate was up to 38 (strokes per minute), I knew that they were having to do something to stop our advance and that we could then win,” Princeton Coach Larry Gluckman said.

Harvard, meanwhile, led from start to finish. The Crimson finished eight seconds ahead of Princeton’s time.

Harvard’s second heavyweight crew, however, was beaten in Henley’s second most important race for eights, the Ladies Plate, losing by a half-length to Garda Siochana of Ireland.

Princeton’s lightweight eight advanced to the final four of the Ladies Plate by beating Temple University’s heavyweight crew.

St. Paul’s of Concord, Mass., is favored to win the Princess Elizabeth Cup, the main event for schools, after defeating King’s Chester, an English school.

In the final, St. Paul’s will meet another English eight, Hampton School, which came from behind to beat St. Andrew’s School of Maryland.

In the Thames Cup final, favored Ridley College of Ontario, Canada, meets the University College of Dublin, Ireland.