The School first entered the Ladies Challenge Plate at Henley Royal Regatta in 1912. In 1919 the regatta was named the Henley Peace Regatta and various Cups were loaned to the Regatta to mark the occasion. The Ladies Challenge Plate was not available and instead Shrewsbury entered for the Elsenham Cup which was presented by Sir Walter Gilbey, Bart. The qualification was the similar to the Ladies Challenge Plate in that it was open to schools and Universities. Considering the event is open to both schools and universities it is a great accomplishment for a school to reach the final or win. Other than Eton College Shrewsbury is the only school to have won the event more than once. In the 1931 final, the Shrewsbury School First VIII lost by just one third of a length to Jesus College, Cambridge.

1919   Elsenham Cup Winner

1924    Ladies Challenge Plate Winner

1931    Ladies Challenge Plate Finalist

1932    Ladies Challenge Plate Winner

1947    Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup Finalist

1955    Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup Winner

1957    Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup Finalist

1960    Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup Winner

1961    Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup Winner

2007    Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup Winner

This event was introduced in 1974 and held over the Saturday and Sunday of Henley due to difficulty with the A level exam timetable. Of the 14 occasions the event was available Shrewsbury won 7 and lost in the final 4 times. The Cup was renamed the Fawley Challenge Cup for Quadruple Sculls.

1974    Finalist

1975    Winner

1976    Winner

1978    Finalist

1980    Winner

1981    Winner

1982    Winner

1983    Finalist

1984    Winner

1985    Winner

1986    Finalist

Since 1987 Shrewsbury has entered the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup which was the last year of the Special Race for Schools. Since 1987 Shrewsbury has reached the Saturday Semi Final of The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup on just three occasions, 1994, 1997 and 2006. The 2006 Shrewsbury School First VIII crew has to be considered as one of the fastest on record being National Schools Champions of Great Britain by winning the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother’s Cup at the National Schools Regatta. This event has been won by the school on just two previous occasions 1976 and 1982. The narrow defeat of the 2006 crew in the semi final at Henley was to the eventual winners who were the United States Youth Champions.