U.S. Rowers Break Mark

The United States gave a warning of its intention to retain the world heavyweight eights title with a record-breaking victory in the premier event at Henley Royal Regatta.

With six of the eight oarsmen who won the Grand Cup at Henley and the world title at Indianapolis last year, the San Diego Training Center boat held off a strong comeback by Britain’s national team, Leander and Molesey, to win by one-third of a length.

The Americans became only the second crew in the 156-year history of the world’s oldest regatta to break the 6-minute mark for the one-mile, 550-yard course and showed they were ready to defend their world title in Finland next month.

Their time of 5:59 was 1 second off the record.