Schoolgirl eights racing in NSW has been at its very best this year. As a writer and commentator, watching these girls battle it out over the last six months has been a thrill. Three schools have won this season, and all six crews have found themselves in the top three at different points in the year. There’s a lot at stake, too. St Catherines will aim to win three in a row for the first time since the dominant Pymble crews of the early 2000s. Kinross are hunting just their third win in this event in the school’s history, whilst Pymble will be trying to convert a fast start to the season into a win at its conclusion. The first eight races this weekend will likely be the closest fought battle we’ve seen in a long time at the NSW Schoolgirl Head of the River.
Pymble Ladies College
The most successful school in this event’s history, Pymble Ladies College arrive into this race with a point to prove, having not won it since 2018. The girls from Sydney’s upper north shore have enjoyed a more successful season over the course of the past few months than in the last few years, winning the opening two races and enjoying top-three finishes at all those thereafter. The way this crew has raced can only be described as aggressive; they certainly have no issues getting out of the blocks, having led in the first kilometre of the last two races. It’s in the third 500m where St Catherines and Kinross’ power has proven too much. The exception to this, however, was at the IGSA Regatta a fortnight ago, where Pymble were able to come back in the closing stages, finishing just a canvas down on the girls from Waverley. It’s clear this crew are one to watch and are finding speed week-on-week. New Head Coach Harry Randell is known for peaking at the right time, as shown with last year’s King’s second eight. Expect Pymble to be right in the mix come 3:05 pm on Saturday.
Kinross Wolaroi
The state champions in this boat class, we haven’t seen much of Kinross since Christmas. Except for a dominant performance at the NSW Championships, the girls from Orange have opted to stick to Spring Creek Reservoir in Term 1, keeping their powder dry in the leadup to HOTR. We’ve only seen the blue boat come down the course three times this season. In their first race, NSW All Schools, they finished a narrow fourth on a day where the entire crew competed in the four, quad, and eight. Two weeks later and only doubling up in the four, they were five seconds clear of the field – leading from lights to flag. It was a similar story at the NSW Championships, four seconds up at the halfway point and holding that margin to the line, despite a strong third quarter from St Cath’s. Despite limited racing, I’m positive the wisdom of coach Andrew Gannon and the national championship-winning experience of Searle, Wong, Reidy, and Jarick will prove the rest to be the right decision.
St Catherines
The reigning national champions and holders of the NSW Union of Ex-Oarswomen Trophy, St Catherine’s will come into this event determined to get one back on Kinross as revenge for their efforts at the State Championships. The 2025 crew have certainly not been able to enjoy the dominance of last year’s almost undefeated combination. The season began with a rude awakening when Pymble shocked many with a dominant victory at the All Schools Regatta. Emerging from the summer break, they had certainly found a turn of speed but have raced all term without six-seat Chelsea Baker, a returner from last year’s crew. Despite falling short of Kinross at states, the girls from Waverley have cemented themselves as best placed to upset them this weekend.
Queenwood
2008 was the last year Queenwood finished off the podium at the Head of the River, and in that year they won the quad, so it was hardly a show of poor form then. This year may prove to be the greatest challenge yet for the girls from Mosman, with the highest quality field we’ve seen in many years. Many would have quickly written Queenwood off at the start of the season, finishing fifth at the first outing. Things have been tighter since the summer break; however, the girls in red and black managed to stay right in touch for the first 1250 of the race at the last two regattas. The top four of this crew are clearly a talented unit, too, with the combination of McLaren, Tompson, Bennett, and Taylor dominating the U19 coxed four at the state championships. If this crew can assemble their best race of the season on the weekend, they could be a dark horse for a podium.
Prediction
Kinross Wolaroi will have a target on their backs as soon as they arrive over the mountains to SIRC this weekend. Other crews will have built confidence in their race plans at the last two regattas and will be looking to knock them off the podium’s top step. Success breeds success, though, and this Kinross crew has enjoyed success in spades over the past two years; I think they’ll hang on for the win, but only narrowly over a fast finishing Pymble, who will peak at the right time to hold off the incumbent champions St Catherines.
About The Author
Discover more from JRN
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
