BUCS Head is a firm fixture on the racing calendar as each year university clubs flock to the Tyne to battle it out down the 5000m course to see who will take home the Victor Ludorum for their respective club. In this year’s edition we have four entries into the Open Championship Lightweight Coxless Four, who all will be thinking they have a shot at getting their hands on the win.
University of Surrey
Following the triumphant tenure of of Sam Tuck new coach Toby Rudkin will be hoping to show that his reign at Surrey will be just as fruitful as his predecessor. In recent years, Surrey have produced some outstanding lightweights on both the men’s and women’s side .This particular crew is decked with junior experience from Marlow and Claires Court and they’ll be racing alongside two graduates from the Surrey novice program. Surrey should be one of the three crews leaving Newcastle with a medal and something seriously wrong will have happened if they they don’t.
Newcastle University
An ever-present force in university rowing – and at BUCS Head – the blue star’s power has been somewhat diminished over the last few years, but I sense this year could be the beginning of a resurgence. The Blue Star are stroked by this year’s President, Rory Mainland who in his fourth and final year of university will be looking to go out on a high this season. Over the past decade Newcastle have been dominant in the Lightweight scene. The Blue star were untouchable particularly between 2016-2019 and swept up medals across various categories and just about every boat class. Talk about dynasties? That was one. One can spend too much time reminiscing and they’ve done too much of that in the north east. It’s time for new chapter to be written and where better to start than on your home water.
Imperial College London
Since reaching the Temple final in 2021 we’ve all been waiting for the Imperial men to do their next big thing. IC have quite the pedigree when it comes to lightweight rowing, producing the likes of GB Trials and Wingfield Sculls winner, Adam Freeman-Pask, but that was over 10 years ago despite. More recently, at last year’s BUCS Regatta, the only lightweight crew that was entered, finished well behind the pack in a repechage of the Lightweight Doubles. It’ll be a hard time for these tideway chaps to get themselves in contention for a major medal.
University of Nottingham
Under the previous stewardship of John McKirdy, Nottingham were starting to rise through the ranks of university rowing. Now with Ade Roberts at the helm and a just over a year under his belt on the Trent, the green and gold are starting to take some serious scalps. While lightweight rowing faces pressures at the very top of the sport, things couldn’t be more different in the midlands. At last year’s BUCS Regatta, their mighty lighties picked up a bronze in the Lightweight Quad and two silver medals in the Intermediate Lightweight single and Championship Lightweight Double.
Prediction
I predict the win to be competed for between the Newcastle and Nottingham crews but Surrey then Imperial not too far behind.
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