photo creds to @a_blind_photographer
Once again we return to the Tideway, progressing from the 2-man boats into the coxless fours. The course is also most likely to be the longest these juniors will have ever raced – the full 6.7km stretch in the form of the Championship Course in reverse from Chiswick Bridge to Putney Pier (a few hundred metres longer than the Schools’ Head course they raced in March). Given that this coxless four band is not the top one, it is unlikely that these crews will be the top athletes in their respective programs. However, there are still a number of home crews racing, and as we know with the Tideway more than any other race, rudder control can be the difference.
Westminster School
With no name entered alongside this Westminster crew, Josh Butler has handed us a huge question mark against the capabilities of this crew. Looking at the rest of the draw it seems Westminster are fielding their top athletes in the 4+ band 1.
Walton RC Robinson
Making the trip from the non-tidal Thames and their perfect stretch of calm water to the imposing murkiness of the Tideway, the 4- is a favourite of Walton, whose juniors enter the Wyfold over the Fawley usually. Their junior men’s program also has two quads entered, so they do have more depth than usual this year which is good to see. Whether they can compete in the wash is another question, which they proved at Pairs Head with a win in J18 senior 2x, 21st place in the whole event, and the 6th fastest junior double. Clearly the Walton eggs are in the coxless four basket, and this crew will be ready to unsettle the home crews.
Bedford School Toms
Electing for sweep entries this year with a coxed four as well compared with last year’s band-winning coxless quad (albeit with questionable sportsmanship), Bedford are one of those non-tideway crews that the competition usually overlook, only for their oversight to come back and haunt them. Not much can be said of this crew in terms of recent results, many event have been cancelled and Bedford did not race at Pairs Head, this is the first Tideway test of the season for them.
Emanuel School Olby
One of the lower-ranked Tideway school programs in recent years, Emanuel will have a tough race competing here. That being said, this is a top four containing the pairing of Olby and Bligh who were 11 seconds off the pace of the Walton double mentioned earlier at Pairs Head. Such a large margin at a shorter course on the same stretch of river means Emanuel are probably not in the fight to win this time around.
More specialised to sculling, Claire’s Court and Tideway Scullers’ will have a tough race, especially under the pressure from St Paul’s School (Seery) chasing them both down. The St Paul’s development crew will no doubt be under strict instruction to clear Claire’s Court before Barnes Bridge and have a clear run through the bend as they go on the hunt for TSS.
Prediction
Fours Head last year was one of the most fun races I ever had as a junior. It was not my best finish position, nor did I witness a spectacular crab or crash from another crew and have to try and hold in the laughter at race pace – it is the sheer distance of the course and nailing a race rhythm for so long that made it enjoyable and (to a certain extent), effortless. With race rhythm being the deciding factor, I believe this to be a three-horsed race with Walton coming out on top, ahead of a battle between Emanuel and Westminster.
OarsomeBows
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