The clocks have gone back, Halloween has passed, but the festive season is not yet upon us. This can only mean one thing: it’s time for Fours Head of the River. Almost seven hundred crews have entered the Fours Head this year, and four hundred and sixty-five quads and fours (will take to the Tideway to compete on the 24th November. Twenty-five of these boats will be rowed (and coxed) by some of the country’s most promising junior talent, as they all vie to be crowned the fastest Open School/Junior Coxed Four. Here are some of the crews to watch out for at the weekend.
St Paul’s School Boat Club
Last season was a big one for St Paul’s School Boat Club. Seven of their boats came away with medals
from the National Schools’ Regatta, and they won back the The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup from
St Edward’s School Boat Club, who won it in 2023 (St Paul’s won it in 2022). Two St Paul’s School 4+s are entered for Fours Head this year, and each crew is packed with athletes with some impressive racing experience. St Paul’s School Boat Club ‘B’ will be rowed by Tans and Daffey, who came fifth in their
Pairs Head category and both raced in the silver medal-winning Junior 16 eight at the National Schools’ Regatta. They will row with Tallec-Botos and Wild, who came third in their category at Pairs Head and Bocquet, their cox, who, along with the latter two, won the Championship eight event at National Schools’ Regatta in the summer. More medallists are entered in St Paul’s School Boat Club ‘C’: Hueffer and Kalia were part of the victorious Second eight, and came seventh in their category at Pairs Head and Andreichuk and Martin came eleventh at Pairs Head and, along with cox Barnes, were part of the Junior 16 eight. I think it’s fair to expect big things from St Paul’s, who will be racing a number of well-experienced athletes on their home straight.
Radley College Boat Club
Another school programme that sees success year-round is Radley College Boat Club. Based on the
Thames in Oxford, three of their 4+s will be racing down the Tideway at the weekend. Hunter and Wenger of Radley ‘A’ raced a pair at Pairs Head this year, coming thirteenth in their category, and Wenger rowed in the six-seat of the National Schools’ Regatta second eight, which placed 4th this year. Byrnes and Cleugh also raced together at Pairs Head but favoured sculling, coming eighth in the Junior 18 double category. However, Byrnes does have some sweeping experience, having won a gold medal at the National Schools’ Regatta’ in the Junior 16 first eight. Their cox Bugeja was also a National Schools’ Regatta medallist, taking the silver in the Championship eight event. Love, Pullen and Pillar (fourth place in the Senior pair at Pairs Head), who all raced in the second eight in the summer (fourth in A-final), will be part of Radley ‘B’, joined by Coombes and Shepherd, who won the Junior 16 first eight. Radley ‘C’ will consist of Remnant, Hughes, who was part of the victorious Junior 16 first eight last year. It will also consist of Roundell and Hopkes, who competed in the Junior 18 pair at Pairs Head, and cox Marin, who won in the Junior 16 second eight. It would be a surprise if Radley doesn’t leave Fours Head with a victory this weekend.
Eton College Boat Club
Eton College Boat Club sounds prestigious when mentioned in any context, and discussing their rowers is no different. They are sending four boats to Fours Head, and every single seat will be occupied by an athlete who finished in a top eight position at the National Schools’ Regatta’ last year (A-final or top two in B-final). From Eton ‘A’, Richardson and Konig were in the Championship eight (which finished fourth in A-final), Gherendi was in the second eight, stroked by Bowker. Gotch coxed the third eight to their silver medal finish. Eton ‘B’ will contain Rybin and Bell from the Championship eight, Bateman and cox Timblo from the second eight and Slack from the third 8+. There will be three members (including the cox) from the Championship eight and two from the Junior 16 eight (second place, B-final at the National Schools’ Regatta) in Eton ‘C’ and three members (including the cox) in Eton ‘D’ are from the Junior 16 eight, one rower from the second eight, and the stroke seat from the third eight. It seems that Eton’s Head of Rowing, Guy Pooley, is hoping that, by mixing up last season’s top boat athletes with those in lower boats, each Fours Head crew will be similarly matched in terms of power, producing potentially quite close results. Whether those results will be in the top end over the weekend is unclear, although I think there’s certainly a good chance.
Prediction
Both of the St Paul’s School Boat Club 4+s should enjoy good races this weekend, with St Paul’s School ‘B’ most likely taking the win. I expect Radley College Boat Club and Eton College Boat Club will also be in the running for finishes near the top. Kew House School Boat Club will also have the advantage of racing on their home waters, and Hampton School Boat Club have shown great sweeping strength in the past.
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