BUCS Head makes a timely return to the Tyne after being cancelled last year, racing over a shortened 3000m course on what is likely to be challenging conditions it will be a real test for these beginner crews. All these rowers have to have been rowing for less than a year to be eligible for this event and therefore coaches and coaching styles have a significant impact on the crew that is produced.
Reading University BC
The household name in university sculling Reading consistently produce high quality beginner crews that consistently contest for BUCS medals. The programme, led by Will Rand and Charlotte Taylor, focuses exclusively on sculling and the results from this do show, always having strong novice scullers at both BUCS Head and BUCS Regatta.
Surrey University BC
Well known for their beginner programme Surrey could well continue their upward trajectory and be mixing it with the big programmes this weekend. Winning BUCS Regatta in the Men’s Beginner Quad shows that they clearly have a strongly a novice programme for men’s sculling, led by Sam Tuck who won the British Rowing coach of the year award for his work with Surrey University BC last year.
Newcastle University BC
A high performance programme with an enormous squad size, Newcastle regularly have a strong field of entries in the beginner events at both BUCS Head and BUCS Regatta. Training on the River Tyne these crews will have good knowledge of the race course with the home advantage and this could be very useful in terms of the fastest line and marker points.
Prediction
I would put my money on Reading taking the win, swiftly followed by Newcastle and then Surrey in third. However, the beginner events at BUCS can be incredibly unpredictable so don’t be surprised if another programme comes out of nowhere to take the win.
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