This preview is for the women’s junior boats who have opted to enter a different category than the WJ 4x and 4+ – either because of the singular junior entry rule or to experience a new field of competition.
WIM1 4x – Headington School I
What’s interesting about this crew is the fact they have chosen to race IM1 – considering the quality of the boat they definitely should of been in contention to win the women’s junior quads. Two members of the crew, Danielle Semple and Katie King-Smith, reached the final of the Diamond Jubilee at Henley Royal Regatta, and both also sculled at the 2016 Coupe de la Juenesse and won the CHG2x at national schools along with the CHG8+ with E Haskins who is also entered in this quad. Headington have a great pedigree in Junior women’s rowing at this boat should challenge the times of the winning WJ4x and be right up there with the top WIM1 quads too.
WIM1 4x – Latymer Upper School III
This is likely to be Latymer’s second fastest girls quad; and due to this they won’t be quite as competitive in this category as the likes of Headington. Two members of the boat, A Pevsner and L Whitehouse; raced the girls 4+ at national schools and reached the C final, while S Homes was a member of their CHG 4x who placed a credible 5th in the B final. As they are racing on home water, these girls may be able to produce a good time but it will be difficult to place highly in the tough IM1 field.
WIM1 4x – Sir William Borlase III
Borlase are another club who in recent years have developed a strong junior squad. This crew seems to be mainly made up of WJ16s, with L Heuser and P Rolfe racing in the J15G 4x+ at national schools and finishing 5th in the C final and together with S Helin second in the B final of the J15G 8+. These girls will also have had tideway experience, after finishing 9th in the J15 girls eights at the Schools Head last season. However; due to the fact they will be much younger and inexperienced compared to their competitors, I can’t really see this boat being competitive with the rest of the field and other junior boats.
WIM2 4+ – Henley RC VI
Henley are currently one of the strongest junior girls clubs in the country and have had great success at the fours head in the past; at last years race they won both the WJ4x and WJ4+. This boat features three members of the gold medalling J16G 8+ and 2nd J16G 4x from National schools; P Barter, G Johnson and R Lister, along with A Redman who finished 5th in the CHG 8+. Johnson and Lister also made the semi finals of the WJ16 4+ at Henley women’s regatta, while Barter and Redman made the second round of the WJ18 4x. Lister was part of the WJ4+ that won the fours head last year and despite this being Henley’s second four, they should be able to put in a good time which will be close to the top few junior girls fours.
WIM2 4+ – Headington School VI
Another strong four entered in the WIM2 4+, as with Headington’s WIM1 quad I believe this will be their top four. R Little was part of the CHG 8+ that dominated last season, winning everything from the schools head and national schools to Henley women’s regatta. T Burn and H Hornby were in the J16G 4x and J16G 8+ who picked up silvers at national schools and reached the semi final of Henley women’s. This is a strong crew and it will be interesting to see how they do against Henley and the other junior fours.
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