With the introduction of the Wargrave to Henley Royal in 2021, it is perhaps unsurprising that women’s club rowing has found a new competitive edge.
The first women’s club event to be included at Henley has stimulated a growth in women’s squads across the country. Thames, Tideway Scullers, Vesta, Molesey, Leander: just some of the clubs which have become attractive prospects for female rowers in 2022.
The Spring
In March, the first big event of 2022, WEHORR, brought the head season to a close. In horrific conditions it was Tideway Scullers who triumphantly secured the Club Pennant. Scullers beat close rivals Thames by five seconds, with Leander a further second behind in third.
WEHORR set the scene for some tight eights racing throughout the summer season. In May, at Wallingford Regatta, Leander beat Thames by four seconds, before their positions reversed a month later at Met, as Thames finished second to UL both days, over third place Leander.
The sculling events provided more variety, with various composite crews winning the Double Sculls events, including a strong lightweight crew from Marlow Rowing Club and Reading University. Leander A and B crews proved dominant as usual in the Quadruple Sculls.
Henley Regattas
In late June, Henley Women’s Regatta was awash with different colours, as a plethora of clubs from across the country and world were victorious.
Crews in Leander pink won three of the Championship events (Pair, Coxless Four and Quad) in addition to a composite victory in the double sculls with Twickenham Rowing Club. The return of international crews for the first time since the pandemic saw domestic crews beaten by teams from the USA, Australia and the Netherlands in the Championship Eights, Championship Lightweight Double and Aspirational Double respectively. Thames and Vesta secured the remaining club events, the former regaining their Eights trophy they had won in 2021, and latter winning the Club Coxless Fours. Fast conditions meant records tumbled throughout the weekend, and there were notable performances from smaller clubs including Reading Rowing Club and Nottinghamshire County Rowing Club.
Henley Royal provided an exciting end to a thrilling season. The second edition of the Wargrave was won by Thames, avenging their defeat in the 2021 final. The crew dominated the competition, beating Leander in the final and smashing the course record by 12 seconds. The women in black and red delivered on what they had been promising all season.
Elsewhere Leander crews showed their strength across their women’s sweep quad. The Coxless Four went bow ball to bow ball with international crews in the Town, beating the Australian National Team in the quarter finals, before losing to the Danish in the semis. The Leander pair went one better to make the final of the Hambleden Pairs, with their winning streak eventually ended by the US National Team.
A New Season Begins
The 2022-2023 season has begun in earnest with the first major event of the season, Fours Head, dominated again by those in pink and red and black. Leander, helped by the return of a handful of Caversham athletes, were triumphant in the Championship Coxless Fours, Coxed Four and Quadruple Sculls. Course records were beaten in the latter two. Thames were dominant in the club categories, winning the Club Coxless and Coxed Fours. Upper Thames secured the Club Quads.
A Look Ahead
As we say goodbye to 2022 and look forward to the season restarting in 2023 it is hard not to be excited at the prospect of some upcoming mouth-watering battles.
Thames continue to build a formidable women’s squad, under the guidance of Head Coach Tom Mapp. Their strength in depth was demonstrated by their ability to qualify three eights for Henley Royal and enter seven crews into Fours Head events. They have finished 2022 on a high with a resounding win at the Remenham Challenge last weekend, and will look to carry this dominance into next year.
Watch out for Molesey who are gradually rebuilding their women’s squad and could be a force to be reckoned with if momentum builds. Vesta could also spring a surprise or two if they capitalise on their form in the latter part of last season. Meanwhile, Leander will be dangerous in 2023 as they look to right the wrongs of their defeat in the final of the Wargrave last season. With the cancellation of Wallingford Head last month, we will have to wait until WEHORR in March to see what their eights are looking like this season.
In women’s sculling there continues to be a lack of standout clubs, however this could prove interesting with composite crews taking on the likes of Leander. Watch out for Twickenham whose GB Start squad continues to grow, making for some exciting crew boats.
Here’s hoping women’s club rowing continues to go from strength to strength in 2023!
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