Following a rigorous winter season spent drilling the rowing fundamentals of ‘hands, body, slide’, the beginners will finally take to the water for their first taste of side-by-side racing. Novice eights racing is exciting because successful crews are not always the most physically fit, but those with the best grasp of moving as a unit.
With 21% of the athletes on Team GB’s Rio 2016 team having started their rowing careers at university, this event is also a sneak peek at potential future international talent. Last year’s winners, Edinburgh University Boat Club, along with the silver medallists, Birmingham University Boat Club, will not be returning to the event this year. This presents an exciting opportunity for other universities to break into the A final.
Queen’s University Belfast Boat Club
After narrowly missing out on medalling in this event last year, Queen’s University Belfast Boat Club (QUBC) are coming into this regatta as a strong contender for the win. This crew have already demonstrated their potential by coming away from BUCS Head with a silver medal. With the only crew managing to beat QUBC at BUCS Head not entered at the regatta, not much appears to stand in the way of a gold medal this weekend. Furthering this confidence this crew also have the advantage of having experienced cox, John Harte, leading them down the course. Harte led last year’s crew that narrowly missed out on medalling, he will be keen to ensure the same does not repeat this year.
Durham University Boat Club
The overall winners of last year’s BUCS Regatta Victor Ludorum, Durham University Boat Club (DUBC), will be vying for a medal in this event. As a club, DUBC has not been in the A-final of beginner women’s eights since 2019. However, this year’s third-place BUCS Head crew indicates a promising resurgence in their development squad’s depth and competitiveness.
University of Surrey Boat Club
Following their 2022 victory in this event, the University of Surrey Boat Club (UOSBC) are returning to compete in beginner eights. Their time at BUCS Head placed them fifth, only one-tenth of a second behind the University of Birmingham Boat Club.
University of Nottingham Boat Club
Sixth place BUCS Head finisher, the University of Nottingham Boat Club (UONBC), recorded a time just seven-tenths of a second behind USOBC. This crew benefits from training at the National Water Sports Centre, giving them the advantage of familiarity with the two-kilometre regatta lake. With narrow margins separating the crews, this could provide UONBC with a competitive edge.
Notable Mentions
Both University of Manchester and University of Glasgow are two clubs which will have their eyes on a spot in the A at this weekend’s regatta. Manchester clocked a time that placed them seventh at BUCS Head. Separated by a mere three-tenths of a second, they were followed closely by the University of Glasgow Boat Club. Both clubs have expanding development squads, so it will be exciting to see how they perform this weekend.
Predictions
The path to a gold medal appears to be relatively clear for Queen’s University Belfast Boat Club. However, with such narrow margins among the rest of the crews, the rest of the A-final looks set for some tight racing this weekend.
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