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The last national junior event of the season is just around the corner and this year, differing from its
usual home at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham, Brit Champs will be held at
Strathclyde Country Park in Scotland. After a full season of racing, competitors are now aware of the
athletes to watch out for yet some new crew combinations appear to be present on the draw,
throwing off their opposition. 18 quads will be fighting it out in this category, all with the hopes of
finishing their season on a high and bringing home some silverware.
Hartpury College
Making it through the first round of the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta, the girls from Hartpury have really come together in the last few weeks. This crew also qualified and won their heat at Henley Women’s Regatta and therefore have plenty of high-end racing experience. The Hartpury quad also finished 5th at the Schools’ Head of the River Race, demonstrating their ability to row on a range of courses and distances and providing the confidence needed to race on the likely choppy waters of Strathclyde Park. Certainly a crew to keep an eye on!
Kingston Grammar School
Also competitors at this year’s Henley Royal Regatta, Kingston Grammar School is used to a strong set of results that will not differ when they compete at BRJC. Similarly to Hartpury, this crew also made it through their heat at Henley Women’s Regatta, yet also came 4th at the National Schools’ Regatta and finished 6th at the Junior Sculling Regatta. Strong results throughout the season place this quad in an assertive position ahead of Brit Champs and will result in many other crews trying to catch them. Can they maintain their reputation for yet another event?
Sir William Perkin’s School
Another crew to compete at Henley Royal is the Sir William Perkin’s ‘A’ crew who were the first crew in the school’s history to make the quarter-finals at this world-renowned event. The ability of these athletes can be backed up even further by their performance at HWR where they made it through to the semi-finals, as well as their 4th place finish at Wallingford Regatta. Another strong performance could therefore mean that SWPS’s season culminates with a British Championships medal.
Kingston Rowing Club
Qualifying for Henley Women’s Regatta and finishing 13th overall in a competitive field at NSR, Kingston Rowing Club will be another strong contender in the Women’s J18 Quads. Other results include a 9th place finish at the Schools Head of the River Race, 5th at Wallingford Regatta and a win at Nottingham City Regatta. Can the girls from Kingston build on their performance even more, to take home a medal from BRJC? Only time will tell.
Lea Rowing Club
Lea’s ‘A’ quad emphasised their strength as a crew when they won their heat in the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. This crew also achieved an impressive 10th place finish at National Schools’, a result that could pip them slightly ahead of their Kingston RC competition. Therefore, this is another crew that has exhibited strong results, providing a self-assured start to their campaign at BRJC.
Predictions
With crew changes, new crews emerging and established ones building on their speed throughout the regatta season, truly anything could happen at BRJC. Crews that I would predict to medal include Sir William Perkin’s School, Hartpury College and Kingston Grammar School. However, we can be sure to expect the unexpected. For many this will be the last national race of the season – we hope you make the most of it!
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