As the days get shorter, the races get longer; and Chester Long Distance sculls is no exception. This year’s new cohort of J16 sculler will battle it out through rain and wind, to claim the gold at the first major head race of the season.
For these boys, it will be their first race as J16’s – the most important category of their lives to date. So what can we expect from these scullers?
Hallsworth – Trentham Boat Club
A strong favourite coming into the new season, D. Hallsworth ended last year on a high with a spectacular win at the National Championships, coming home seven seconds before his closest competitor; just weeks after a win at the J16 GB vs France match in the single sculls racing up a year. Daniel will be looking to impress this year, and the LDS is the perfect opportunity for him to test his own fitness and strength coming into the new season.
Kings School Chester
After a successful season last year, being kicked off with a training camp in Tilburg, the new J16 cohort will appear en-mass at the start line this year. With this being a J16 category at the start of the new season we have little history for the individual scullers. However we are all aware of the calibre of athlete that Kings Chester continues to pump out; with their athletes representing the club at international level, we can be sure of strong competition from the boys on their local stamping ground.
Trafford Rowing Club
Another local club making up a solid third of the entries for the J16 sculls in band one. The two athletes racing – Winstance and Dickson-Brown – will be sporting the black and green colours of their home club. The boys from Trafford will be aiming to start their season on a high, the club is based on the famously straight Bridgewater Canal; so will the twists and turns of the Dee throw them off course?
Predictions
Hallsworth is certainly set to take home the title here, with experience and success of that level under his belt, we would be foolish to think otherwise. The rest of the top spots are all to play for; with new names on the rowing circuit, this is the perfect stage for these boys to prove themselves in a vastly competitive national category.
Onescull
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