With exclusively local northern clubs entered for this category, it should be interesting to see how experience and knowledge of the Wear will help these crews navigate the notoriously difficult Elvet Bridge whilst racing the course this weekend. As one of the most popular head races of the region there is always a good turn-out at Durham Small Boats Head, despite the inevitably icy temperatures!
Yarm School Boat Club – Portsmouth
Sarah Portsmouth was invited to GB Junior Trials, alongside fellow Yarm School rower Katie Anderson, to race in the women’s coxless pair, where they came in in second place behind a Henley Crew, a very strong achievement. The crew of Ward, Wood, Maddison and Portsmouth raced in the WJ16 4+ at the 2017 British Rowing Junior Championships, coming 5th overall in the A Final. At the 2017 Head of the Trent, Ward raced in the WJ18 4x- which came 4th, and Portsmouth was in the WJ18 8+ which also took fourth place. This crew has a solid set of results and their combined experience of sweep and sculling should set them in good stead for the challenging steering the race course can provide.
St Leonards School – Parkinson
The girls in this crew have a huge amount of success behind them, both as part of the coxless quad and in the coxed four, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if this was the crew to win. In 2017, the WJ16 4x- of Jude Parkinson, Emily Reilly-O’Donnell, Abbie Rogers and Anna Bancroft won at both South Hylton LDS and Tees LDS. In 2018, the girls continued their winning streak, with wins at Hexham Regatta, Talkin Tarn Regatta and in the WJ16 4- at Wansbeck Regatta, where Rogers and Parkinson also won in the WJ16 4x- with Lydia Hare and Abi Hopkins. In addition to this, Hare, Parkinson, Rogers and Bancroft won Tyne Small Boats Head in the WJ17 4x- and Reilly-O’Donnell, Bancroft, Parkinson and Hare won in the WJ16 4x- at 2018 Durham Regatta. Finally, two crews raced at 2018 BRJC. The first, a WJ16 4+ composed of Parkinson, Bancroft, reilly-O’Donnell and Rogers took second place, as did the WJ16 4x of Bancroft, Reilly-O’Donnell, Hopkins and Hare. Overall, though the crew order for the upcoming race isn’t certain, each these girls have proven that no matter the combination they will most definitely provide fierce competition – and I look forward to seeing how they do on the weekend.
Chester-le-Street ARC – Carey
Unfortunately, there isn’t much information on the Chester-le-Street crew other than that they came second at 2018 Durham Small Boats Head in the WJ18 4x-. However, I’d suspect that the crew will have experienced racing on this stretch of river before, so this should give them an advantage in the race. It will be interesting to see how they fare.
Cambois Rowing Club – Fairlie
Again, there’s little information on the crew, though Fairlie did come in 5th place in the WJ14 4x- at 2017 British Rowing Junior Championships. I should think that once again they will have had practice racing this course before, but it is difficult to predict how they will do due to lack of previous race results.
Predictions:
There is one other crew entered, which is the Tyne ARC crew of Rickelton, though unfortunately there’s no information on past races for this crew. Given the extent of their experience and success, I’d imagine that the St Leonard’s girls will be the winners, followed by the Yarm School crew. As for the Chester-le-Street and Cambois RC crews, it is difficult to make a clear prediction, though I imagine it could be quite close between them, as with the Tyne ARC crew. I look forward to seeing how all the crews do when racing on what are most likely familiar waters.
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