Hampton Small Boats’ Head comes around again, and I would just like to go on record here to say that this is probably one of my favourite Head races of the season; the quality of racing is high, the stretch of river is lovely, and the amount of competitors is huge, often making for some very interesting and close cut races.
But alas, you don’t really care about what I think of the event, do you, you’re reading this to see what I think about the competitors. And so, without further ado, here is my preview.
I will start with some honourable mentions for girls who, in most other, situations,would probably win with their hands behind their backs, but this time will fall foul to some exceptional talent. These girls are Georgia Mulraine, of Sir William Borlase, who recently came 20th at the Early ID trials in Boston; Layla Wheeldon, Weybridge, 19th; and Emma Moores, Eton Excelsior, 11th. I expect to see all of these in the top 10, but I shouldn’t think they will be challenging for the top spots.
This brings me to the first of the women whom I believe will be challenging for the top spots, and she comes by the name of Georgia Hellard Timm, of Latymer Upper School. After coming 6th out of 19 come the beginning of last season at the Schools’ Head in a J17 4x, I’m sure many thought they showed quite a lot of potential for the coming months, their time would have placed them 5th in the open women’s 4x category. But, alas, it was not to be, and they crashed out in their semi-final of the National Schools’ Regatta, coming third by a gap of 18 seconds and, consequently, she came in to this new season without many expectations. However, after coming 2nd at the Fours’ Head and 9th at the Early ID trials last weekend, she may be starting to turn a few heads, and should be looking to cement that top 10 result with a top 5 finish at Hampton.
Very close indeed to Miss Hellard Timm, I would expect to find the rising star from Surbiton, Lola Anderson. Only a J17, she will have been coming in to this season feeling very confident, after a win in the GB France match in the Summer, and this confidence will only have been boosted after coming 8th in Boston. This girl doesn’t have the biggest of ergos, 7:39.1 at rate 24, but she really knows how to move her single, and I expect a medal positioning from her at the weekend.
However, when it comes to the top spot itself, this is looking like an open and shut case of Rosalind Wilson. Part of the Marlow quad that won Nat Schools’ and came runner up in the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup last season, she really hit the ground running in the new one, winning the Henley LDS, finishing 4th in Boston, no less than 21.5 seconds ahead of Anderson, and should be really motivated to win on Saturday. There is nothing much else to say really, other than what I already have, so there we go.
To summarise; Wilson for the win, with Anderson in second and Hellard Timm hot on her heels.
The Rowing Jesus
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