At the first weekend of February, one of the most popular northern heads gets underway. With its exciting course full of turns and bends, this course is not for the weak and with the entries being spread across all four divisions- changing weather throughout the day may cause some interesting results. Five Women’s Junior 18 coxless quads have chosen to brave the winding course and hazardous bridges to fight against some of the top Northern crews for the season. Let’s take a look ahead:
Yarm School Boat Club
Located on the river tees, Yarm School Boat Club are rapidly rising through the ranks of school rowing to threaten some of the long standing names. With their championship girls quad getting through to the B-final at National Schools’ Regatta, the girls certainly have what it takes to challenge the big London clubs as well as the mighty northern clubs they will meet at this event. Returning from last year, I am sure many of the girls who were racing up last year are now ready to be top dog of junior women’s rowing and will definitely be striding to improve on the ground they made last year, an indent into the southern club domination that is all too common today. Set on maintaining their reputation, we will definitely see these girls bearing down on the top crews on Saturday.
Hexham Rowing Club
Boasting a strong Junior 16 season, Hexham Rowing Club are coming into this weekend the strong favourites to win and continue to dominate the Junior 18 circuit. With international experience after racing GB vs France in the summer, the quad are fierce racers who can certainly pull off a strategic race plan. Adding to their advantages, Hexham have no problem navigating bridges as they are common on their stretch of river meaning steering will not be an issue for bow of Hexham’s quad. Despite not being an identical crew to last season, the quad has already proved themselves in their Junior 17 year with a win at Rutherford Head only losing the top women’s crew of the day to Durham University Boat Club.
George Watson’s College Boat Club
Coming downland to race, Scottish George Watson’s College Boat Club are bringing two crews to this category racing in divisions two and four, hoping travel back home with medals. Another school with a strong influx of Junior 16’s, this college also has the previous success in championship categories at National Schools’ Regatta to continue to develop their athletes all the way through the junior rowing years. Continuing on from last season when their Junior 16 quad claimed 10th place at National Schools’ Regatta, I am sure these crews will be pushing each other hard this weekend.
Prediction
I cannot see anyone coming close to the Hexham Rowing Club quad with their national medals setting them apart from the rest of the field. The more interesting fight will surely be in the field for second and third place with Yarm School Boat Club and George Watson’s College Boat Club’s first quads seeming to be fairly closely matched. However, factoring in the conditions throughout the day- Yarm School Boat Club racing division one and four and George Watson’s College Boat Club racing three and four, the crews racing in division four hold the advantage of knowledge of earlier times and the sight of the other crew chasing them to give them an extra push at the end of the day. Ultimately I believe the results will end up as Hexham Rowing Club, Yarm School Boat Club, George Watson’s College Boat Club.
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