Intermediate Eights, where the old guard meets the young pretender. Where kingslayers emerge and dreams are stamped on.
This event is far from a melting pot. It’s a collection of rag tag racers with a chip on their shoulders and a point to prove. Intermediate Eights brings together all those who won Beginner the year before to those who lost out on a seat in their first eight, or use unis out to stick it to the championship programmes and flip the script. 40 crews are participating in this year’s event. Will anyone be caught out trying to paddle the time trial, who’s not going to make the A final and will anyone topple Brookes? All will be revealed Saturday.
Oxford Brookes
Let’s get this one settled early. Brookes are the crew to beat, none of these if, buts or maybes, Brookes look set to win this event yet again. The question is how many crews will they have on the podium. With two eights racing Championship and two in Intermediate, the Brookes war machine looks set to divebomb into BUCS Regatta and sweep up like they do in the Men’s Eights like they do year after year. No University second eight came close to Brookes E; their second University crew at HORR.
University of London
Another of the clubs who missed BUCS Head this year. UL are under new leadership and Smithy has picked up from where Phil Grey and Hugo Gulliver left off. It was disappointing to see UL not making the trip to newcastle, particularly after Rutherford Head was cancelled, however, their entry into Inter is somewhat motoring as they outclassed many first VIIIs and all of the second VIIIs at HORR, granted this was on their home water.
University of Edinburgh, Durham University, Newcastle University & Imperial College London
I’ve lumped these three crews together as they will all be challenging to get themselves in to the A Final. Newcastle missed out by the skin of their teeth last year and Durham didn’t Championship so this year is a true reflection of some heavyweight second VIIIs. At HORR their order went Imperial, Edinburgh, Newcastle then Durham and at BUCS Head the order was different was Durham got bragging rights over Newcastle, Edinburgh and Imperial. Crew line ups will have changed since then so now is the perfect opportunity to see who’s actually quicker, no stream, no windy river just a 2km drag race.
University of Bath, University of Exeter & University of Bristol
This is the group of 1st VIIIs who will find themselves in the A/B semis battle. With Bath and Exeter fifth and third respectively at BUCS Head and Bristol six seconds behind Edinburgh’s second VIII at The Head the race for the top three positions in each semi final could come down to the last stroke.
University of Nottingham
Back in February Nottingham stepped out of their comfort zone and had a crack at Champ 8s. perhaps it was for the BUCS points, or just having a crack against the best. Either way, fair play them levelling up and sticking their hand in the fire. This time, on home water, they’re going after a medal in Inter 8s and to be honest, they’re in with a shout for a place in the A Final. Their BUCS Head time would put them very close to Imperial’s 2nd VIII so watch out for the men from the Midlands catching a few 2nd VIIIs off guard.
University of Surrey
Surrey were 59th at the Head, a little behind some of the 2nd VIIIs but 20s over the Championship course suddleny isn’t all that far when you start to break it down to a 2km…perhaps a couple of length or so. I like Surrey and what they’re about. They’re one of the great programmes on the rise at the moment and they won the Medium Academic Pennant in March. 9th at BUCS Head gives them a real possibility of an A/B semi berth.
My prediction – Brookes, Brookes UL
BUCS Images credit: Drew Smith
Drew Smith Photography
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