Open Eights
Pegged as favourites coming into the weekend, it was a tough day on home water for London Rowing Club, who fell to third place with the University of London instead leading the senior pack. Molesey Boat Club split the aforementioned crews, which leaves us with the tantalising possibility that – given London and Thames Rowing Club were separated by a mere canvas at the Boutstead Cup – Molesey could be on their way to disrupt the Putney powerhouses.
In the intermediate eights, the Tideway Scullers School secured a much-needed win ahead of the University of Exeter and the University of London. Exeter secured another top-three finish in the club eights, being beaten across the line by Auriol Kensington and Putney Town.
Women’s Eights
Following an excellent set of GBRT February Trials results, Molesey Boat Club topped the charts in the women’s championships eights. Behind them, a duo of University of London crews completed the podium, continuing their promising start to the 2025 season; though, with most of their summer competitors electing to race on the Tyne this weekend, the Women’s Head of The River will be the true indicator of UL’s speed.
The intermediate and club eights saw provincial crews edge out their Tideway rivals, with City of Cambridge winning the intermediate eights by nigh-on 20 seconds, a feat they were unable to repeat in the club eights thanks to stiff competition from a rapid Southampton University crew that forced Cambridge into second ahead of local rival Cantabrigian Rowing Club in third.
Open Junior Eights
What on the surface looks to be the starting gun for another season dominated by the immutable St Paul’s School may, in fact, be the start of a new schoolboy duopoly, with Shiplake College finishing a little over three seconds behind St Paul’s. Further down the order, Hampton School, King’s College School and Bedford School beat Radley College – the third school racing in open championship eights – to third, fourth and fifth place, respectively. The question now facing this cohort is whether Shiplake can shake their unfortunate habit of peaking in March, only to slip behind their peers when regatta season starts – and if they fail, can anyone do battle with Bobby’s boys?
Lifting spirits in Wimbledon, the King’s College School dominated the Junior 16 eights, meticulously dispatching typical challengers from St Paul’s School, Hampton School, Radley College, and Shiplake College. Combined with a respectable performance from their top crew, could we be witnessing the early inflexion of a long-awaited KCS redemption arc?
Women’s Junior Eights
No doubt needling their male counterparts on their return trip to Oxfordshire, the Shiplake College women took a convincing win in the junior women’s eights. Behind them, a revitalised Lady Eleanor Holles School looks to finally be in a position to mount a sustained challenge to the establishment for the first time since 2021. Rounding out the top three, Henley Rowing Club beat the Tideway Scullers School and Headington School into the medal positions, with the latter weakened by their top athletes opting to race in the quad instead.
Garnering far better fortune than their older counterparts who succumbed to a snapped rudder mid-race, Surbiton High School were victorious in the Junior 16 eights, narrowly beating Henley Rowing Club to the top spot. Godolphin & Latymer School led the chasing pack, with Lady Eleanor Holles rounding out the top four.
Open Junior Quads
The Windsor Boys’ School led the way in the open junior quads, with Molesey Boat Club and Claires Court School for company on the podium. Mark Wilkonson’s programme has looked more dominant than ever in recent years, with few – if any – in a position to challenge. Yesterday’s results may start to turn the screws, however, with Molesey snapping at the heels of The Fawley Challenge Cup title holders. Only the summer will reveal whether shorter, side-by-side racing will see Windsor re-establish separation from the chasing pack or if this particular institution is under threat from downriver.
Westminster School’s decision to ply their trade in the Junior 16 quads appears to be a stroke of genius. Systematically knocking the top punters off their soapboxes, the (other) pink palace relegated Marlow Rowing Club, Molesey Boat Club, Henley Rowing Club, and The Windsor Boys’ School to claim a win.
Women’s Junior Quads
A flash of red, white, and yellow has become a harbinger of doom for competitors of the Tideway Scullers School in recent seasons, and today was no exception. TSS topped the timing sheets in the junior women’s quads, comprehensively beating Headington School and Marlow Rowing Club, who themselves were separated by only three-tenths of a second.
Headington School regained the top spot in the Junior 16 quads, beating Marlow Rowing Club and Molesey Boat Club in the process. Marlow, although likely disappointed to find themselves unable to claim top honours, still looks to be the most robust junior women’s sculling programme in the country, fielding five quads across the junior categories; a few seat swaps could well catapult the top crew onto the Sunday start list at Henley Royal Regatta.
About The Author
Discover more from JRN
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
