Update: Since the writing of this preview the Fours Head of the River 2024 has been cancelled. This preview was written with the assumption that the event would go underway.
Thames
Perhaps the safest bet you can normally put on a crew, Thames are a powerhouse of strong willed rowers. With two crews entered, it could perhaps be an early tell for the Thames coaches to see where their athletes stand in the rankings, and where the talent is worth putting. With the crew of Potter, Hume, Secunda, Neame and cox Mueller-Koegler not competing at pairs head, it’s a hard tell to see where they might come. The second crew of Newton, Stobbs, Young, Murphy and cox Ramakrishnan also were not seen at Pairs Head, but Stobbs did race at GB trials in the single where he placed 46th. With the minimal racing it’s hard to tell where the crews are at, but there’s no doubt that they have been training hard and will have something to say.
London
Another tideway-based club, London always packs a punch and draws out some good results. Fletcher, Oglesby, Edmondson, Chaele and cox Lewis make up their only crew. With London crews racing at the Head of the Charles Regatta, the Wingfield Sculls and GB trials, the training has been tough and the work has been put down, which no doubt will echo through the whole squad. With training during the dark mornings, and fighting the weather, the resilience may come to show when their crew take to the water.
Marlow
Vibhishanan, Hearnden, Cummings, Evans and cox Berry make up Marlow’s crew. Having come off of a strong season with an 18th place at HORR, Friday of Henley Royal in the Thames Cup, and the win in the Wyfold Challenge Cup, there’s no doubt this club is on an upwards trend. With a big shift in squad development, Marlow has been creeping up the rankings at every regatta they have been to. There’s certainly no striking off this crew.
Upper Thames
Having been hit hard by the rain, Upper Thames have had to balance a mix of training both at Henley and at Dorney so far this season. Elliot, Brothers, Smiths, Griffiths and Douglas are the line up, and have been seen at Pairs Head. Griffiths raced with Buckett, coming 26th overall and seventh in the open coxless pairs championship. The tideway experience will help them as they come into this head race, but will it be enough to beat the other crews who call the tideway home?
Vesta
It’s no secret that Vesta has a new head coach, two-time Olympic gold medallist James Cracknell. The squad at Vesta is known for being large, and with a new coach and a new direction, the Fours Head will be the first show of what the new training has done for them. With many personal bests already, it’s clear that the training is certainly doing something. If Cracknell’s 13th overall place and 4th fastest pairs results at pairs head shows anything, it’s that he knows how to row the tideway well. The question is, does he know how to teach it? With two crews entered, we could see some strong results and perhaps both crews being up there in the standings, cementing Vesta as a top contender club.
Predictions
Thames are a strong crew who get results year after year, but I want to give the win to London. Thames no doubt will take home second, followed closely by Marlow. Vesta just miss the top three with a fourth place, but have a time that leaves them close enough to the win to be able to draw in the gap before Henley. We see Thames’ second crew take fifth, with Upper Thames and then Vesta’s second crew following behind.
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