With the Schools’ Head of the River Race (SHORR) just around the corner, many junior crews are taking the chance to race the Championship course during the Head of the River Race (HORR) to dial in their line and race plan. The amazing variety in the junior entries this year, combined with the technical and challenging 6.8-kilometre course, is sure to make for some exciting weekend racing.
Westminster School Boat Club
One of the top junior sweep clubs based on the Tideway, the pink of Westminster School Boat Club is always a serious contender for medal positions regarding the Head of the River Race or Schools’ Head of the River. This year, they have all three of their senior eights entered, with their first eight leading the open junior category and starting in 33rd position overall. This boat is bolstered by Frye and Mazi, who took part in the Junior 16 Great Britain vs France match last year and also came fourth at the 2024 Pairs Head of the River. Additionally, Taylor sits in the four-seat; he was a member of the first boat last year, which went to Henley Royal Regatta and is sure to be looking to pass his experience down the boat. All three eights also raced at Quintin Head earlier this year, with the first eight finishing 11th, the second eight coming 17th, and the third eight placing 32nd. Although these are some solid results, I am sure that all three crews will be looking to improve their placements in the coming head races, so will have something to prove on Saturday.
Abingdon School Boat Club
As a school that does not row on the Tideway, this Abingdon School Boat Club first eight fall into the group of eights looking to rehearse on the course before the higher stakes of Schools’ Head of the River. This year’s boat is comprised mainly of newcomers, with only Bell, Bayfield, and Horner returning from last year’s crew. This historic old boat club have been pretty hit-or-miss when it comes to the Tideway over the last few years. Since 2021, they have had only one placement within the top ten, with two 12th-place results. Their finishes at Quintin Head have been slightly better, with a sixth place (excluding St Paul’s School Boat Club in the championship eights category) results. This, combined with the fact that they were the one of the fastest eights in the National Schools’ Regatta B-final last year, shows that they may be better suited to shorter racing. I am confident, given the composition of the entries this year, that they will place well this Saturday.
Notable Mentions
There is huge depth and diversity in the entries into the junior category this year, with the Scottish Argonauts, St George’s College Boat Club, and Kew House School Boat Club all present, just to name a few. Although I cannot see a crew other than those from Westminster School Boat Club or Abingdon School Boat Club taking the gold medal position this year, there is potential for upsets in the rankings beneath them. Looking at the 2024 Schools’ Head of the River results, St George’s College Boat Club may have the best shot, as they finished in an impressive third place in the first eight category. Closely behind them were Emmanuel School Boat Club in seventh and then Kew House School Boat Club in 12th. Interestingly, at the 2024 Head of the River Race, Kew House School Boat Club narrowly beat a St George’s College Boat Club crew by four seconds. Considering that the St George’s College Boat Club crew was marked as a ‘B’ entry into the event, it is very possible that this was a matched eight.
Prediction
It is hard to see anyone but Westminster School Boat Club topping the event this year, with Abingdon School Boat Club following them in second place. The bronze medal position is much more heavily contested, but I think either St George’s College Boat Club or Kingston Grammar School Boat Club will fill out the podium.
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