Henley Fours and Eights Head 2019 – Women’s Junior 18, 16 and 15 Fours

As one of the Henley Open Events, which also includes Henley Sculls, Henley Fours and Eights Head is another of the popular head races which allows rival junior crews to compete with one another on familiar waters. With many local clubs, as well as crews from further afield entered in the WJ18, WJ16 and WJ15 coxless fours categories, it is an event which allows junior crews to begin to line up their competition for the new season.

WJ18 4+

Henley RC – HEN 2

Henley have had lots of success in the past season. At 2018 Wallingford regatta, the Henley crew won the Women’s Schools’ coxed fours category, with Henley crews coming third in both the Sch G4+ B final and the Ch G4- A final at 2018 National Schools’ Regatta. At 2018 Henley Women’s Regatta, Henley came 2^nd in the J4+ event, and the Henley 2 crew came 2^nd to the Henley junior first boat at 2018 Wallingford Fours and Eights Head in the WJ18 4+ category. In addition to this, they have had wins in the coxed quad at 2018 Fours’ Head of the River and at Wallingford Long Distance Sculls. It looks to have been a successful past season for the Henley crew, so I don’t doubt that they will continue to do well in the upcoming races.

Headington School Oxford BC – MILNE, KENNEDY, GOTHARD

As Henley’s long-term arch rival, the Headington crews will no doubt be in strong contention for the top spot. At 2018 National Schools’ Regatta, Milne’s eight took 3^rd place in the A final. At Wallingford Regatta, Milne’s WJ16 4x came first, with a Headington crew coming third in the Women’s Schools 4x- event. In addition to this, Headington took 3^rd place in the Ch G4- in the B final at National Schools’ Regatta 2018. Given there are three Headington crews entered for this event, it will be interesting to see how they do in competition with one another as well as with the other crews.

Llandaff RC – PONTIN

As a somewhat less renowned club than some of the others racing in this category, Llandaff juniors have nevertheless done well over the past season. At the 2018 Welsh Schools’ Indoor Rowing Championships the junior squad came away with 7 gold and 2 bronze medals which was a huge success for the club. In addition to this, four members of the junior women’s squad have been selected to represent Wales at the Home International Regatta, a very impressive achievement, and certain members of the junior squad also raced at last year’s Ghent International Regatta. They also had some success at the British Rowing Junior Championships last year. Though there is no specific information for Pontin’s crew, it seems that this is a club whose junior squad is beginning to craft a name for itself at both junior specific and open events, so it will be exciting to see how they perform in the coming race.

Shanklin Sandown RC – ATKIN

Shanklin Sandown juniors have also been successful over the past season. At the 2018 South Coast Championships the crew of Kayleigh Batchelor, Sophie Atkin, Emily Faithfull and Yasmin Wright came second in the WJ16 A 4+, and Wright and Atkin followed this with a win in the Women’s Novice 4+ with crew members Lottie Tapsell and Mia Phelan. Atkin also raced in the single and double sculls at 2018 Henley Small Boats Head, and at 2018 Burway Small Boats Head Faithfull came second in the WJ17 1x, with Wright and Tapsell second in the WJ16 2x, Phelan 3^rd in WJ16 2x and Atkin 5^th in the WJ17 1x. In addition to this, at 2018 British Rowing Junior Championships, Atkin and Tapsell won the D final of the women’s WJ16 double sculls. Though much of their success has been in sculling events, the girls have also proven their ability in the four, so it will be exciting to see how they do.

Itchen Imperial RC – HANCE

The Itchen Imperial crew of Megan Hance, Ruby Spedding, Maddie McGregor-Ritchie and Susie Spakes came 2^nd in the WJ16 4x at 2018 Itchen Junior Regatta, with Hance, McGregor-Ritchie and Sparkes following this with second place in the WJ16 4+ with fellow squad member Jazz Phelps. Hance also took 2^nd place in the WJ16 1x. Much of their success appears to have been in sculling events, so it will be interesting to see how they cope with racing in the four at a much larger event.

Predictions:

Last year this event was won by Henley, followed by Headington and then Llandaff. I should imagine that the Henley crew will be a contender for first place, with any of the Headington crews and potential the Shanklin Sandown four as the other medalling crews.

WJ16 4+

Henley RC – HEN 7

First place was taken by a Henley crew in the WJ16 4+ at 2018 Wallingford Fours and Eights Head 2018, and the club also came first in the Girls Sch/Jun 4+ category at 2018 Schools’ Head of the River Race. There’s not much further information on this particular Henley crew, though I’d imagine that the advantage of racing on home waters will serve them in good stead for the race.

Kingston RC – MARTON, REES

Kingston junior women have also had a successful season. At both the 2017 and 2018 Wallingford Regatta, they won the WJ16 4+ category and at the 2018 Junior Inter-Regional Regatta they also won in the coxless four. At 2018 Schools’ Head of the River, a Kingston crew won the WJ16 4+ and followed this with a win in the J16 G4+ A final at 2018 National Schools’ Regatta. In addition to this, at 2018 Wallingford Head of the River Race, Kingston took 3^rd and 4^th places in the WJ16 coxed four. It will be interesting to see how both the crews do in this category, given their strength in past events.

Headington School Oxford BC – BETTS

Headington almost always proves tough competition with their crews, and despite the lack of information for this particular boat I’d imagine that this race won’t be an exception. A Headington crew took the bronze medal at 2018 National Schools’ Regatta in the WJ16 4+, which is a remarkable achievement, so it will be interesting to see whether they can improve their performance to take first place in this event.

Predictions:

Last year the event was won by a Headington crew, closely followed by Llandaff, so it will be interesting to see whether this is repeated this year. I should think that both of the Kingston crews will do well here, as well as the Henley and Headington boats, though following past results the Llandaff RC crew which is also entered could prove to be a surprise result.

WJ15 4+

Henley RC – O’DONOHUE, SCHOENMAKERS

With two Henley crews racing in this category it will certainly be an event worth watching. Laoise O’Donohue raced in the WJ15 octuple which took 1^st place at 2018 Wallingford Head and also took wins in the WJ15 4x at 2018 Upper Thames Autumn Head, the WJ14 4x at Hampton Head and the WJ15 2x with Natalie Schoenmakers at 2018 Egham Regatta. O’Donohue also won the WJ15 4x category at Wallingford Long Distance Sculls. Both Schoenmakers and O’Donohue raced in the WJ15 8+ which came first at 2018 Wallingford 4s and 8s Head, and the girls also won the WJ14 8x at Thames Valley Park Regatta and the WJ14 4x and WJ14 8x at Marlow Town Regatta. In addition to this they won the WJ14 4x at 2018 Reading Regatta and took silver in the WJ14 4x at National Schools’ Regatta. In addition to this, Henley came in 2^nd place in the WJ15 4+ at 2018 National Schools’ Regatta, (though neither Schoenmakers nor O’Donohue were racing as part of the crew) and the club also had a very strong performance at Kingston Small Boats Head in the WJ15 1x with almost a clean sweep of medals.

Headington School Oxford BC – CHAN

At 2018 Wallingford Long Distance Sculls, Headington took 3^rd and 5^th place in the WJ15 4x+ with lots of success also in the WJ15 1x category; the clubs took 1^st and 2^nd places amongst others. In addition to this, the WJ15 4x+ took 2^nd and 4^th place at 2018 Hampton Small Boats Head and Headington has placed well at Hampton Fours and Eights Head over the past few seasons.

Predictions:

A Henley crew won this event last year and based on past results for this event I’d imagine it will be another victory for one of the Henley crews this year. It’s difficult to give a precise prediction due to lack of past results for the other two racing crews of Diaz-Price from Llandaff RC and Weir from Wimbledon High School BC, but due to the general pattern of races, it’s likely that 2^nd and 3^rd places will go to either of the Henley crews and the Headington boat.

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