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South Kent School is proud to welcome back members of the Class of 1986 for a special Pathways conversation, “The Road to Henley.” In this conversation, we reunite some of the legendary oarsmen and coaches behind one of the most extraordinary chapters in South Kent’s athletic history: the 1986 crew that competed in the Henley Royal Regatta, the oldest rowing competition in the world, held before the Royal Family on the Thames in London.
The conversation features Coach and Alumnus Sid Stockdale ‘73, alongside alumni Andy Goddard ’87, Duffy Camins ’89, Nicholas Butts ’87, Ransom Duncan ’86, Henry Brownell ’86, and Stephen Nahley ’86, as they share memories of their training, camaraderie, and the once-in-a-lifetime experience of representing South Kent on rowing’s most storied stage.
A Legacy of Grit and Greatness
South Kent’s crew program in the 1980s was a model of discipline and determination. Early spring training was famously demanding, Hatch Pond’s bitter winds and icy waters forged some of the toughest rowers in New England. Coach Smith often said, “South Kent crews are never beaten by being out of shape,” and his 1984-86 teams embodied that philosophy.
In 1984, with only six returning varsity members, competition for boat seats was fierce. Even the novice crews rose to the challenge under the leadership of Stephen Nahley, the third boat won its Petite Final at Quinsigamond, the only crew that day to triumph from the toughest lane on the course.
By 1985, South Kent’s program had become one of the strongest in the region. The first boat missed victory against rival Salisbury by just 1.2 seconds, while the second boat nearly toppled Choate’s first. At Quinsig, South Kent’s top crew finished second in New England just one second behind Belmont Hill.
The Road to Henley
In 1986, South Kent’s momentum continued. With close to twelve boats and even a solo sculler, the team dominated Pomfret, Gunnery, and Choate, and placed second overall at Quinsig, only five seconds behind a record-setting winner. The lower boats brought home the prize oar from Salisbury, and Coaches Smith and Stockdale recognized that South Kent’s strength that year could take them across the Atlantic.
For the first time in twenty years, South Kent would return to the Henley Royal Regatta. The group trained rigorously on Hatch Pond and then in Brugge, Belgium, before crossing the English Channel to Henley.
For the boys from South Kent, rowing at Henley wasn’t just a race it was a moment of history, a culmination of years of discipline and teamwork, and a proud representation of what makes South Kent athletics so enduring.
Looking Back, Rowing Forward
Nearly four decades later, these alumni return to the Hillside to reflect on what the journey taught them about leadership, perseverance, and brotherhood. Their Pathways talk reminds today’s students that excellence is built not only through talent, but through relentless preparation and the courage to chase big dreams across oceans.
A thank you to Marge Smith for her book, Enduring Foundations (see pages 318-319), which supplied additional background for this Pathways talk.
