Hampton Small Boats Head is a 3000m race downstream on the Molesey stretch. It marks one of the first opportunities of the year for junior crews to race and test their speeds against one another. With 23 junior pairs in this category, we should have some fierce racing this weekend, providing us with a good estimate of this year’s speed order.
Hampton School Boat Club
Coming in with the home stretch advantage, Hampton School Boat Club are coming into this event determined to win. Making up a whopping fifteen of the twenty-three entries in this event, the entire Hampton senior squad is looking to take to the water on Saturday. Following a strong performance for the club last year, placing 8th at the National Schools’ Regatta in the Championship Eights category, as well as a 4th place finish for the Junior 16 1st 8, Hampton School have established themselves as a key player at the top level of schoolboy rowing. Key members of the squad racing this weekend include George Buckingham, who competed at the Coupe de la Jeunesse Regatta over the summer, taking home an impressive 3 medals in the 4+ and the 8, as well as Harry Bernard, who stroked the pair to a 4th and 5th place finish at the Coupe de la Jeunesse Regatta, demonstrating that Hampton School Boat Club clearly have no shortage of international experience. Taking this into account, it seems like a wise bet that the yellow-and-black boats will hit one of the first races of the season with a flying start, potentially dominating the medal podium this weekend.
Norwich School Boat Club
Following an outstanding performance for the club last year, Norwich School Boat Club will most likely prove themselves to be a quick squad on the Molesey stretch this weekend, setting themselves up nicely as ones to watch for the rest of the year. Last year’s season highlights for the club include a 4th place finish in the B final at the National Schools’ Regatta, in the Championship Eights category against some of the biggest names in the business – this was a best-ever position for the school. They also won the 1st Eights Category at the Schools’ Head of the River Race back in the spring, breaking a course record in the process, as well as a win in the same category at Marlow Regatta in the summer. Not only that, but Norwich’s senior squad this year has some returning internationals, Nicholas Conway and Archie Wilkins (although not confirmed to be competing), fresh off a victory in the pair at last year’s GB vs France J16 Match, highlighting the talent and potential of this squad, cementing themselves as ones to keep an eye on this Saturday.
Kingston Grammar School Boat Club
While only entering one pair into this event, Kingston Grammar School Boat Club are making it clear that this crew is not to be underestimated. Unlike other big names in the draw, Kingston Grammar School is a club focused on smaller boats, a field in which they excelled last season, taking a win at the National Schools’ Regatta in the Championship Coxless Fours Category, as well as a win at Poplar Regatta in the same category, establishing themselves as a clear player on the schoolboy rowing circuit. While perhaps lacking some of the international experience of other clubs, the Kingston Grammar School pair can nonetheless be expected to put up an aggressive performance against their competitors in this race, fighting for one of the top spots.
Predictions
Despite strong competition from other squads, it’s difficult to imagine a scenario in which Hampton School Boat Club don’t take the win, given strong performances against some of the top names in rowing last year, as well as a good amount of international experience present in the squad. However, I think we can also expect strong performances from several other crews, notably Norwich School Boat Club, given last year’s record-breaking run, and Kingston Grammar School Boat Club, whose key experience in smaller boats throughout the year could very well give them a slight advantage.
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