For many of these clubs and athletes, it will be the first of several runs down the iconic Tideway course this season, and they will all be looking to put down an early strong performance.
Leander Club
The most recent winners of this event in 2022, where they set a course record, this Leander crew certainly looks capable of putting forward a vigorous defence of their title. Lauren Irwin, who recently got a bronze medal at the Paris Olympic Games in the women’s eight, featured in the 2022 and the 2024 crews at this event. The 2024 crew also contains previous U23 GB medallists Amelia Standing and Isy Hawes, who both performed excellently at the recent GB November trials. Leander also have a second boat entered here, featuring athletes who raced in The Princess Grace Challenge Cup and The Town Challenge Cup in 2024. Whilst they will undoubtedly be fast, amongst the international experience of their A crew and the other boats entered, they will be unlikely to be challenging for the win here.
Oxford Brookes University
Brookes came up just short of Leander’s stellar crew in this category in 2022, but the pedigree of this crew should make for an excellent race this weekend. Ariana Forde and Grace Richards are current U23 world champions in the women’s coxless four, and won The Remenham Challenge Cup alongside Martha Birtles at Henley Royal Regatta this summer. Aggie Burt, the fourth athlete in this crew, was part of the winning Island Challenge Cup eight. They also demonstrated that their speed in the eight transfers well into the coxed four, with a victory in championship coxed fours at BUCS Regatta last season. These athletes will no doubt be hungry for a victory this weekend, and it would not be a surprise to see them potentially overturn Leander here.
Durham University Boat Club
Durham are not typically seen at the early season Tideway races, so the fact they are making the long journey down from the North East implies some early season speed. Featuring three of the crew who won silver in championship coxed fours at BUCS Regatta in 2024 behind Brookes, Durham will be hoping the addition of Zoe McCutcheon, who recently placed a solid 29th at November GB trials, to a crew already containing U23 and previous junior world champions in Anna Grace and Isadora Kennedy, will close the gap on the ladies in maroon.
Thames Rowing Club
The strength and depth in the women’s squad at Thames Rowing Club continues, with two strong crews entered in this championship coxed four category. The likely faster of the two crews contains multiple Wargrave Challenge Cup winners from 2023 and 2024 in Darla Matthews, Abby Pape, and Lydia Cronin, alongside previous Cambridge Blue Boat athlete Rosa Millard. The second coxed four contains athletes from the winning Copas Cup eight from Henley Women’s Regatta, alongside some newer faces to the club. Whilst they may not have the equivalent international experience to some of those mentioned above, it would be foolish to count Thames out from putting down a strong challenge here on their home water.
University of Oxford
There are three Dark Blue entered in this category. Cambridge’s decision not to race Fours Head this year will earn these Oxford athletes further valuable Tideway racing experience in their quest for Boat Race glory in March. They will certainly be in the mix this weekend, particularly the crew featuring returning Blue Boat athletes Tessa Haining and Sarah Marshall.
University of London
UL earned a bronze medal in the championship coxed four at BUCS Regatta 2024, and had a fantastic semifinal at Henley Royal Regatta in The Island Challenge Cup, missing out on the final by half a length. The four rowers in this crew for the weekend were involved in these excellent results, and alongside their Tideway home advantage, they will undoubtedly be competitive here.
Conclusion
It is set up to be an excellent battle between Oxford Brookes and Leander for the win here, and I think Brookes may just take the spoils. However, it would be foolish to count out the outside challenges from Thames and Durham, and Oxford University and University of London will also certainly be in the mix.
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