Miami Rowing Club’s Eight Gets a Win and a Save in Henley Regatta

Miami Rowing Club’s eight-man crew rescued a man drowning in the Thames after it won its first race on the opening day of the Henley Royal Regatta Wednesday.

The crew spotted an overturned boat with two men in the water as it turned around after rowing toward a weir past the end of the course in the Ladies Plate.

“We turned back again and sprinted toward them after we heard shouts for help and saw someone throw a life ring in the river,” said Casey Baker, the Miami crew’s No. 7 oarsman.

“Apparently the guys could not swim. One of them got hold of the ring safely, but the other was trying to hold onto their boat. By the time we got there, he had gone under a couple of times and luckily we were able to pull him in with an oar.

“He said he was OK, but he wasn’t and I reckoned that, in another 30 seconds, he might have been gone. I’m not sure who he was, but I’m only glad that we were able to help get him to the shore.”