ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Henley Royal Regatta

Henley Royal Regatta is like a really big boat race where people from all over the world come to compete. Imagine you and your friends racing each other in your toy boats, but instead of being in a bathtub, you are on a really big river with lots of people watching you.

The boats that people use in this race are called "shells" and they are very long and skinny. Each shell has a team of rowers, and these rowers have to work really hard to make the boat go fast. They have to use special paddles called "oars" to move the boat through the water.

The race takes place on the River Thames, which is a famous river in England. There are lots of different races that happen during this event, and they all have different names based on how many people are rowing in the shell. For example, there is a race called the "coxless four" where four people row the boat and there is no one steering the boat.

The Henley Royal Regatta is a really big deal and people come from all over the world to watch or compete in it. It lasts for several days and there are lots of fun things to do and see besides the races. People wear fancy clothes and there are lots of yummy foods to try.

So, in summary, the Henley Royal Regatta is a big boat race where people use long, skinny boats called shells and paddles called oars to race on the River Thames. It's a really exciting event where people from all over the world come to compete and watch.