Hampton small boats head is 3000m downstream, the weather is not looking the best with a strong but steady tailwind and then a strong crosswind. Scullers will have to deal with the change of wind well and deal with the drop in temperature. A strong effective warm up is essential to any sculler who wants to take the win. I’m excited to cover the open women single scull as early IDs have just finished and many scullers who making their mark this year are racing on Saturday. With 33 scullers entered theres a big field to cover so I have chosen to cover a few clubs who I think will be in the top 10 on Saturday.
Molesey –
A club with a very good reputation, and ever-growing with sculler Georgie Grant having come 1st at early ID’s, has really set the standard of junior women scullers this year. Wheeler, Truett and Naylor also from Molsey are entered, and while I do not know much about these scullers but I’m sure they will as capable as anyone entered to get a respectable results with the right warm up and a good race plan. I’m expecting good things from the girls in black.
Lady Eleanor Holles-
With the most crews entered in this category it is clear that LEH are showing that they’ve got a decent amount of girls confident in singles, which is good for this time in the season. You’re only as good as your weakest rower, building strong individuals to make a strong crew, LEH will reap the benefits of this coming into regatta season. It will be interesting to see whether or not they can get up there with the likes of Headington – or, more likely this year, Henley RC.
Putney High School-
Emma Andrews from Putney High has gone from strength to strength in a single scull; after going to Coupe last year and this year coming 5th at early ID’s she is really setting up a good base for a strong season. Emma has shown that she can handle any distance in a single scull and I believe she will handle the weather well and be aiming for the win this Saturday. She’ll have a tough task, though, with both Grant and Surbiton’s Lola Anderson entered.
Surbiton High School –
Lola Anderson is similar to Andrews insofar as she’s showing promise for GB this year. Anderson is a very strong and competitive single sculler. She sculled at the Coupe de la Jeunesse, winning gold on both days. Through her achievements in crews boats at Henley Royal and her performance in a single this year at Weybridge Sliver Sculls and Early ID’s Lola’s definitely in the top 5 fighting for the win.
Walton & Westminster-
I could not find much about Denham but Walton have in the past achieved some very respectable results and this race could be an opportunity for this sculler to put her name in the game this year. Natalija Wollny is a sculler who you should not underestimate; she’s small but can be very fast, her results at National Schools and Henley Women’s in a double last year reflect this. These two scullers, if they deal with the course and weather right can be in the top 7 of the competition.
My prediction is Grant for the win, followed closely behind by Anderson then Andrews.
Good luck to all who are racing, Keep warm and stay focused.
Bowball
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