In a Sunday category like this, there are typically two types of entries. Those from better-established programs who’ve decided to step down into the pair, and those from clubs who’ve made the pair their boat all through the season. Possibly due to a change in rules this year, we see several athletes who will race in School Coxed Fours also racing the Sunday in pairs. Furthermore, those racing in Non-Championship Eights can only enter one Championship event on Sunday. A few have elected to enter this. In terms of feel, there’s a larger gap between the eight and the pair, than with the coxed four. Some athletes won’t feel the difference, and so the real boat movers have got a chance to show what they can do in a smaller boat. There are more entries than you can shake a stick at, and so this won’t be a decisive preview, but just a flavour of what’s coming.
Westminster School
Westminster seem to have chosen this event as their focus for Sunday. The three pairs entered are from their top quad, and eight. Rather interestingly, we see George Middleton and Jake Swann exchanging their sculling blades for sweep oars. From the eight we see bow four claiming independence in two separate pairs. Westminster have slipped down the ladder in recent years, and I wonder if they’ll climb back up. A marker for this will be the performance of the latter pairs – these are J17s who most likely will be rowing next year. A good result here would set a positive tone for next year. Regardless, I imagine Middleton and Swann will produce the top result from Westminster.
ASRA
These boys from Scotland are one of the top contenders for this event. Alongside some others in this event, they rowed in the eight at Coupe last year. I believe Miles Beeson and Robert Powell are the clubs best rowers, making it unsurprising that they’re the only pair from the ASRA eight to compete on the Sunday. This year they have achieved some great results, coming third in the A final at the GB pairs regatta, and both were invited to Munich. While Beeson did not attend, Powell took gold both days in the Eight. I imagine they’ve spent lots of time as a pair, a contrast to several of their competitors. Good things are expected
Eton
With a program that focuses on the eight, these entries could be scratch pairs. Both are from the 2nd Eight, a crew quite fast for its category. I imagine the B pair are some of the drivers in the eight – 5 and 6 seats. If they do well, it’ll be a prime example of crew rankings on the draw being unhelpful to draw conclusions from. Alex Rusis and Rorke Kuttel, who are in different pairs, have given the American trialling system a go, and Richard Taylor has medalled and won events at US Club Nationals and Canadian Henley. I don’t know how fast the combination of him and Rusis would be, but there’s experience in this crew.
St. Pauls
Another pair extracted from a 2nd Eight, Max Deering and Daniel Craig-McFeely. In the control room of the boat, these two should be used to working as a unit. The result of Saturday could boost or lower morale, but Sunday gives a chance to get one over Eton. Deering has had a decent run in the GB system – most recently he won the B Final at the GB Pairs Regatta. I can’t find much on Craig-McFeely, but I imagine he’s a decent oarsman given he’s been trusted with the eight’s stroke seat. Whether they do well or get dropped at the start isn’t something I can predict. If the Paul’s administration feels the 2nd Eight coxed four is better off without them, they could be expecting good results.
Walton
Another solid contender in this event, Matt Heywood and Ben Harris are the only pair entered from Walton. Results-wise, there’s quite the difference between Bow and Stroke. Heywood has enjoyed a victory in the J16 Champ Pairs last year, and represented GB at Munich this year. Harris however, didn’t make the A Final of Championship Pairs last year by a significant margin. I think it’s possible they’ll make the A final this year. It seems the four has been prioritised this season, but it’s likely these two are a good combination to boat.
There’s a wide range of speeds of these crews, and the gap between crews stands out most in smaller boats. For crews such as Wallingford and Sir William Borlase the pair is the priority. With 35 entries, and finals only for 24th and up, the time trial holds great importance. A course of this length will have split-second margins, and more than ever, every stroke counts. It’s a possibility only a few of the crews mentioned will make the A Final. This event is the 2nd most popular on Sunday and should be exciting to watch.
Good luck to all crews racing.
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