Held on the championship course, yet with the finish line a few hundred metres further away than Schools Head, and given that coxed fours are slower than eights, this is going to be one of the longest races of the season for these athletes. Fitness and prowess between the Barnes and Hammersmith bridges, as these experienced senior crews should now know, is where all the time is to be gained or lost.
KCS Wimbledon
This is King’s top four and is made up of three athletes going to trials the weekend after the event as well as one of last year’s trialists Felix Iggo. Given the number of events they have entered so far this year as well as racing only for time at the event suggests they are looking for race experience rather than just a focus on fighting the competition, which will potentially pay dividends towards the end of the head season. The recent rugby result between KCS and SPS’s 1st XVs was a 24-24 draw, so the rivalry continues to the water.
Abingdon
This is the crew that won Op2-, J184- and J184+ at Upper Thames Autumn Head where their only competitors were Westminster’s top sweep rowers. With a new coach on board in the form of old boy and renowned former Oxford Brookes cox and coach Rory Copus, and fully prepared after their early season training camp in Banyoles over the half-term break, they will want to take the fight to the remainder of the traditional championship schools.
Westminster
The boys in pink have chosen to enter a top quad, so these fours are not their strongest rowers. Hal Barrow raced in youth singles at Head of the Charles Regatta, USA and came away with a 9th place finish out of 31 entries. As said above, these rowers have lost to Abingdon already this season, and will be hoping to turn that result around.
Shiplake
With only two returnees from last year’s eight which bronzed in Ch8+ at NSR and made semi-finals day at HRR, the challenge is up against the vikings to replicate and build on the success of last season. This is the first event they have entered all year, so it is hard to gauge their speed. I do not expect much from them at this stage.
Prediction
I can only comment for the side of the draw I have covered, but the rakings should look something like this:
Abingdon
KCS
Westminster
Shiplake
OarsomeBows
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