Image Credit: fransmartens1
The junior quad is the most popular and prestigious event for young athletes at the Heineken Roeivierkamp. For over three years, it has been won by the Leiden club Die Leythe, often as part of a combination crew. The crews developed here have consistently gone on to represent the Netherlands at the U19 World Rowing Championships.
The combination of Willem III/Die Leythe/Hoop is likely one of the fastest Dutch crews in this event. They will be coming into the race with the legacy of their club’s success in past years and as the fastest Dutch crew, having won last week’s Head of the River.
The Windsor Boys’ School is returning for a second year. After a narrow second-place finish at last year’s event, they want to make a strong impression. They have brought four crews to the U19 event; you can expect them to be quick. However, the Heineken course is unique compared to other regattas, which may put this overseas crew at a disadvantage. The crew from Zurich may also struggle with this. While not much is known about them, the Dutch certainly won’t be underestimating them.
The second Dutch combination in the event—Alkmaarsche R&ZV / Beatrix / Rijnland / Zwolsche R&ZV—did not start last week’s head race but is packed with top athletes. Stroked by Cuup Kuilboer from Alkmaar, who has shown strong performances in the 2025 preseason, this crew has excellent potential. However, their success will depend on how well these different clubs can gel together in training.
Notable Mentions
While not competing in the junior event, both Leander Club and the Windsor Boys will be racing in the men’s elite quad with nearly complete junior crews. Both British crews will be preparing for The Fawley Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta this year. While there is one other entry in this event, these two schoolboy crews will likely be the fastest and should put on a great show for the crowd.
Prediction
With strong entries all around, there is no guaranteed winner. However, after building on last year’s experience, I expect the Windsor Boys to make up for the small time deficit they lost in the short pieces last year. That said, the race between the Dutch combinations could go either way and is one to watch.
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