The Bates eight competing in the Royal Henley Regatta (from left to right): Tim Henderson '09, Graham Pearson '10, Brian Klein '09, James Grant '10, Charlie Biddle '09, Lindsay Thomson '10, Glenn Kelly '10, Joe Nowak '11, Brian Quarrier '09, Cory Sanderson '10 and Matt Martone '09. (Photo courtesy of Lindsay Thomson)

HENLEY, England -- The Bates College men's varsity eight fell in the Round of 16 of the Royal Henley Regatta's Temple Challenge Cup on Thursday, finishing its venture to the U.K. with a more than respectable showing.

A day after defeating Trinity College of Dublin, Ireland in the opening round of the regatta, Bates was defeated by 1 3/4 lengths by Amsterdamsche Studenten Roeivereeniging Nereus of the Netherlands. A.S.R. Nereus completed the 2,000-meter course in 6:32, significantly bettering its winning first-round performance of 6:39. The Dutch boat advanced to row against Oxford Brookes University tomorrow in the quarterfinals.

On Wednesday, the Bobcats outpaced their Irish competition by three lengths to advance to Thursday's second round, covering the 2,000-meter course in 6:36.

As Bates assistant coach Tom Guncik described in his blog, The Bates Rower, "Perhaps it was the extra days spent in the weight room; or maybe it was the pent up energy since their last race in early May, but the crew flew off the line and never looked back."

Go to the official Web site of the Henley Royal Regatta