The Fours Head of the River takes place on Saturday 3rd of November as a time trial over 6,800 metres on the championship course from Mortlake to Putney. Last year we saw Henley, Lady Eleanor Hollis and Putney High School take the top three spots in the Women’s junior challenge 4+ event. Fours Head is the perfect opportunity for slightly larger crews to tackle the tideway and gain experience on the course before racing at Schools’ Head and Women’s Head later on this season. With so many crews entered this year and the nature of racing on the Tideway, Fours Head is the perfect race to test a coxes ability to steer and the rower’s ability to react quickly.
Putney High School
After a very successful year in fours last year, it will be interesting to see if the girls from Putney will be able to stay at the top this year. Two boats, Putney high school A and B, reached the final of school G4+ at National Schools’ Regatta in May. The first boat claimed gold, an astonishing ten second ahead of the rest of the field. The second finished in seventh place, demonstrating the squads depth in fours. Some of Putney’s more recent achievements include first and sixth in the WJ18 Championship 2- and second in WJ18 club 2x at Pairs Head of the River earlier in October. Additionally, Putney High school A beat Henley in Junior fours in the Henley women’s Regatta final.
Emanuel
Emanuel have had a solid start to their season, winning both the WJ18 club 2- category (beating second place Putney by over a minute) and the J16 club 2x by nearly twenty seconds at Pairs Head of the river. Wallingford Long Distance Sculls also proved Emanuel’s strength this season with First and second place in WJ18 2x. Emanuel reached the A Final of J16 G4+ at National Schools’ Regatta last May and finished in a very commendable fifth place. The senior girls achieved fifth in the School G4+ B final.
Henley
Henley have also had a strong start to the season, starting with Wallingford Long Distance Sculls where they had wins in the W 4x- and the WJ18 4x-, we look forward to seeing if this years squad can translate these sculling skills into the sweep boats. Henley dominated junior rowing last year, winning girls championship eights at National Schools’ and reaching the final of Henley Women’s Regatta being only two of their many achievements. The club also have experience racing fours and took bronze in champ fours at National Schools’.
With 15 very competitive entries into the women’s junior challenge fours this year I have no doubt there will be some very close times and maybe a few surprise victories. However, my predictions for the top three spots are:
- Putney High School
- Henley Rowing Club
- Emanuel school
A few other notable crews include; Marlow RC, Godolphin and Latymer school and St Pauls Girls school.
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