Always one of our favourite head races here at JRN, the Bedford Eights and Fours head takes place on the River Great Ouse on a stretch just shy of 2km. With the event running across six – yes, six – divisions, it allows the opportunity for lots of racing with almost every crew doubling, or in some cases, tripling up.
Open Eights
The open eights – which has Norwich and Bedford School entering their top boats alongside a mixture of Cambridge and Oxford college crews including big names like Jesus College, Cambridge and University College, Oxford – will be sure not to disappoint. As one of the first racing opportunities since Christmas, I’m sure the school crews will be eager to show they can keep up with the older college crews.
Women’s Eights
The women’s eights shows a similar pattern as the open equivalent, with Jesus College and University College making up the first two starters from the first division. In addition to this, Oriel, Downing and Lucy Cavendish College make up the rest of the entries, all racing in the later divisions. It will be intriguing to see how these crews fare and whether the women’s eights title will be going to Cambridge or Oxford.
Open Coxless Fours
With six entries into the event from four clubs, this promises to be a closely-fought event. Norwich School are seemingly splitting their first eight into two fours to race again in the later divisions alongside two entries from Staines BC and one from home favourites Bedford. I personally can’t see anyone beating the home advantage of the Bedford crew, particularly if this is a boat that is gearing up for a Henley Royal Regatta campaign later in the season.
Women’s Coxed Fours
With no coxless fours on the draw, the speed of these three crews will be under much closer scrutiny. With Lea RC, Bedford Girls School and Somerville College all entering across divisions three, four and five, it will be another close race between college students and school pupils, who hope to prove that they are ready for the next level.
Open Quads
It is hard for me to look past the three entries from home club Bedford and they will surely be assertive heading into this clash on home water. However, watch out for Oundle School, who will be hoping to cause an upset alongside the sole entry into this event from Star Club.
Women’s Quads
Bedford again have two entries in their home race alongside what I expect to be a very strong challenge from Wallingford RC. It should be an enticing affair to see which of these two come out on top, or whether it will be the girls from Bedford Modern School – who have had a series of strong quads in the past few years – who charge to victory.
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