Completed Event: Rowing at Head of the Charles on October 17, 2025 , , NTS
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Final
Rowing
at Head of the Charles
Duke Rowing Recruit Spotlight: Lena Mills
3/1/2022 1:44:00 PM | Rowing
DURHAM – Head Coach Megan Cooke Carcagno and the Duke rowing program are pleased to announce the addition of Lena Mills, who will compete for the Blue Devils in the 2022-23 season.
A native of Lymington, England, Mills currently attends King Edward VI School Southampton and competes for the Reading Rowing Club. She was a finalist in the women's junior singles event at the 2021 Henley Royal Regatta, and is a member of the Great Britain Rowing World Class Start program. Mills won a gold medal in the J17 division at the 2019 National Junior Indoor Rowing Championships (NJIRC).
Lena is the daughter of Hugo and Bernadette Mills. Her father, Hugo, represented Great Britain on junior and U23 international teams, competing at the Junior World Championships in 1990 and U23 World Championships in 1993 and 1994.
What is your favorite rowing memory?
LM: My favorite rowing memory was probably last year when I was competing in Henley Women's Regatta. It was an amazing experience and was really mind blowing to me that the regatta was being recorded live. I got lots of messages of support from members of my coastal club and friends who were watching.
Why did you choose to row for Duke?
LM: I went on a visit to Duke and was blown away by the team spirit and the camaraderie that the girls had with one another. Watching Duke practice on the water gave me a desire to be a part of that community. Duke also has amazing facilities for the rehabilitation and training of athletes, and I feel confident that as a student-athlete I would not only be supported but I would thrive and develop as an athlete.
What stuck out to you about the team that made the decision to attend Duke feel right?
LM: When I visited Duke, I really got to see just how close the team is with each other. Everyone was really supportive of their teammates, and had a drive to be the best athletes they could be. The rowers and coaches also had a really good bond, making the whole team feel like one strong unit.
What did you love about Duke/Durham when you visited? If you didn't visit due to COVID, what excites you about Durham?
LM: I loved the Duke campus – it was absolutely stunning and spacious with some really amazing architecture. I also really liked the food halls, and just the sheer variety of foods available to the students was astounding.
#GoDuke
A native of Lymington, England, Mills currently attends King Edward VI School Southampton and competes for the Reading Rowing Club. She was a finalist in the women's junior singles event at the 2021 Henley Royal Regatta, and is a member of the Great Britain Rowing World Class Start program. Mills won a gold medal in the J17 division at the 2019 National Junior Indoor Rowing Championships (NJIRC).
Lena is the daughter of Hugo and Bernadette Mills. Her father, Hugo, represented Great Britain on junior and U23 international teams, competing at the Junior World Championships in 1990 and U23 World Championships in 1993 and 1994.
What is your favorite rowing memory?
LM: My favorite rowing memory was probably last year when I was competing in Henley Women's Regatta. It was an amazing experience and was really mind blowing to me that the regatta was being recorded live. I got lots of messages of support from members of my coastal club and friends who were watching.
Why did you choose to row for Duke?
LM: I went on a visit to Duke and was blown away by the team spirit and the camaraderie that the girls had with one another. Watching Duke practice on the water gave me a desire to be a part of that community. Duke also has amazing facilities for the rehabilitation and training of athletes, and I feel confident that as a student-athlete I would not only be supported but I would thrive and develop as an athlete.
What stuck out to you about the team that made the decision to attend Duke feel right?
LM: When I visited Duke, I really got to see just how close the team is with each other. Everyone was really supportive of their teammates, and had a drive to be the best athletes they could be. The rowers and coaches also had a really good bond, making the whole team feel like one strong unit.
What did you love about Duke/Durham when you visited? If you didn't visit due to COVID, what excites you about Durham?
LM: I loved the Duke campus – it was absolutely stunning and spacious with some really amazing architecture. I also really liked the food halls, and just the sheer variety of foods available to the students was astounding.
#GoDuke
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