This short stretch of the river Wear will play host for the third time this season at the weekend. For many, this will be the first race of 2019 after a very long, but all important, winter of training. As ever with this course, steering will be pivotal for success, with the incredibly challenging; Elvet Bridge to take on. Temperatures are predicted to feel like -5, meaning Saturday’s racing will be nothing short of Brutal for these juniors.
WJ18 4-
Durham School
This crew is compiled mostly of Durham School’s top junior girls, who featured in the eight that won a bronze at the British Rowing Junior Championships, back in summer. Since then they have had a tendency to scull and so it will be interesting to see how they perform when they return to sweep racing. In singles and doubles, these girls had a lot of success in the sculling series but are yet to prove themselves in the four; this could be the perfect opportunity.
Yarm School
This coxless four appears to be their ‘B’ boat, who lost by over 2 minutes in the coxed four, at the Head of the Don, to their own school’s ‘A’ boat. Despite them struggling to perform well in the past, the combination of; the switch to coxless and their racing experience, could see them post a surprise result.
St Leonard’s School
These girls are all J17 yet spent a considerable amount of their J16 season in the four; coxless for JIRR and coxed for the British Championships. Though, the last time they raced sweep was at Rutherford Head, in a composite eight with Queen Elizabeth High School, where they suffered a 2 minute defeat. For the first time this season they will race the four and it will be good to see how the past two months of solid training has paid off.
WJ18/16 4+
Chester-Le-Street/ Queen Elizabeth High School
This is a combination that has not raced before and looks like a quartet of all J16s. It would be impressive if this composit could pull off a shock victory against their opposition, as they appear to lack experience together and will be up against some top WJ18s.
Yarm School
The Yarm ‘A’ boat races in this category and includes Portsmouth – who raced for GB in the Coupe last summer. Their top coxed four at Durham Autumn Small Boats Head were beaten by 30 seconds over the 1.8km, to a University college crew, and so against girls their own age, a win looks in sight. Their top boat also beat their ‘B’ boat at the Head of the Don and so have plenty of winning experience.
Durham School
This is the DS ‘B’ boat which seems to have raced at Rutherford Head, although they were a long way off the mark, for the win, in the senior category that they raced in on the Tyne. However, there is strength in depth in the Durham School WJ18 squad and with a home water advantage, on such a challenging course, these girls are definitely in with a chance.
Prediction:
WJ18 4-
1.Durham School
WJ18/16 4+
1. Yarm School
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