With Storm Bert cancelling Fours Head, we head one hour west of the tideway to the waters of Hampton School Boat Club this weekend. While Hampton Small Boats Head isn’t as prestigious as the Fours Head, it does not seem to have a small number of entries, with 30 clubs and schools entering the open junior quadruple sculls event. Several high-calibre rowing programmes will battle it out on the Thames to take the top spot on Saturday.
The likely favourites for this event are Molesey Boat Club, Lea Rowing Club, and potential underdogs Reading Rowing Club. Hampton and Molesey each have three or more entries into the category, giving them the best chances; however, with big names such as Lea Rowing Club, I think this could be a closer match than it might seem.
Molesey Boat Club
Two out of the three boats in Molesey’s entry for this race include members from the top Junior 16 boat from last season, namely, Thomas and Heado. However these boys are in separate boats for Hampton Small Boats Head, which shows substantial depth in the new season for Molesey. The Junior 16 boat finished up ninth in their respective category at the National Schools’ Regatta which was respectable in a field of 23, however, the step up into the Junior 18 category is much more complicated, so I think it will be interesting to see whether these crews have what it takes to come out on top.
Lea Rowing Club
There is only one entry from Lea Rowing Club, who, more often than not, send out an impressive boys and girls quad each year, so I expect the crew under the name Brooks to finish within the top five as a minimum standard. With no crew lists for this event, figuring out who is filling up the seats is difficult, but with Jayden Brooks returning from a tenth-place finish at the National Schools’ Regatta in the championship double, I expect this squad to be driving forward. I would also expect a few of Lea’s Junior 16 quad from last season to be present, who finished just three places behind the Molesey Boat Club Junior 16 quad.
Reading Rowing Club
With the Snoxall brothers from Reading Rowing Club taking home the Fox Tankard Trophy at the National Schools’ Regatta,, I would anticipate that a good quad can be formed with the same coaching as the brothers benefitted from last season. Again, with little information about who is in the boat, I cannot say for sure what will happen on Saturday. However, it will be no shock if Reading joins Lea in the top ten at Hampton Small Boats Head.
Prediction
I think any crew in the draw has a reasonable chance of winning on Saturday; however, I expect one of Molesey’s entries to top the charts contested by Lea and Reading. Don’t write off home favourites from Hampton School either, who will be desperate to impress on home water.
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