Here we are, the season finale. The last chance for everyone to show their best and where one victorious sculler will take home the prestigious title of the Women’s J18 British Champion. There is an enourmous field of over 40 sculler this is set to be an awesome 2 days of racing.
Wycliffe Junior Rowing Club
Having 3 scullers entered Wycliffe have got a strong entry into this year’s championship. All having achieved success this year including a 4th place at the National Schools’ Regatta in the championship quads. Furthermore, making the final of Henley Women’s Regatta just losing out to Shiplake. With this in mind, Fullman, Howe and Burton are all capable of reaching the semi-finals this weekend and I would not be surprised if we saw a them reaching the A final and fighting for medals. All three athletes are in their J17 year, however have valuable experience at this event, Fullman and Burton both medalled in the WJ16 singles at last year’s event, with Howe earning silverware in the Champ Quads.
Tideway Scullers School
Another club with multiple entries is Tideway Scullers School with an impressive 4 boats. The NSR gold medallists from the Girls champ 2x, Alice McCarthy and Orla Harvey have broken up into singles and I am sure there will be significant internal competition for the top TSS scullers. To add to this, Allegra O’Sullivan has come out of the coxed four which also medalled at NSR finishing second. Olivia Brett is the final entry and has shown constant performance on a national level. Tideway scullers school have 4 phenomenal scullers competing here, make no mistake about that.
Agecroft Rowing Club
Scarlett Dewar of Agecroft is without a doubt one of the favourites to take the win come Sunday. Placing 8th at the National Schools’ Regatta and making the semi-finals at HWR, it’s clear that she is one of the top junior scullers this year working almost exclusively in the single boat class. However with a competitive field this year things are going to be tight at the top and the time trial is vital to get right to secure your final, with star athletes coming out of their crew boat formations.
Peterborough BC
Ella Darrington and Devonne Piccaver of Peterborough are both coming into the season finale following from their 4th place finish. Following on from this they also competed at the Henley Women’s Regatta in the Junior 2x, just missing out on the quarter final spot. All of this in mind both these scullers are clearly at the top of their game, can they match the level of Wycliffe or Tideway?
Trentham BC
Furthermore, Meghan Knight of Trentham. She has already represented GB this season and along with her silver medal at NSR she is very much a front runner of this highly competitive field. Coming off the back of a HWR victory in this event and a successful HRR campaign, where she stroked the boat to a Friday loss against eventual winners Claire’s Court. Knight holds a formidable reputation in the world of jun for rowing and rightfully so, I suspect the world record holder to be in high contention for victory in this event.
Predictions
This event is going to be intense. With so many high-level scullers whoever wins this it will be won by the smallest of margins, Wycliffe and Tideway both with multiple top-quality scullers it is incredibly hard to call this one. I am predicting Knight to win, leaving the members of Wycliffe and Tideway to battle it out for the remaining podium spots. I would also expect the likes of Harvey, Howe and Darrington to all make the A final.
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