As one of the busiest weekends for Head Racing draws ever nearer; coaches and rowers alike can be found de-rigging and stowing boats on trailers to travel to rivers up and down the country. One event is of particular interest to athletes, however: Henley Long Distance Sculls. With this year’s immense entry of almost 600 crews, we can expect some exciting and close racing, especially from those who aim to be passing that same finishing line in July next year.
Star and Arrow Club – Grainge
Star and Arrow have a history of being able to create stunning performers in the sculls, and their entry this year to Henley Sculls showcases this perfectly. Grainge has shown exceptional performances at races this season, most notably at Wallingford claiming the title in a strong and highly competitive field. We should be expecting a strong performance here but should be aware that for scullers of a similar calibre, Grainge will act as a benchmark to beat or be beaten by, thus creating an intense racing atmosphere.
Henley Rowing Club – O’Connor
On home water, Henley will be keen to make a mark on their own turf, and O’Connor seems to be their best chance of achieving a solid result. Having shown his aptitude to small boats at the National Championships last year, earning a medal in the double scull whilst racing a year up, he then went on to prove himself in the head season by placing 5th at Wallingford in the single – a strong result considering the competition present. O’Connor is set to challenge the likes of Grainge but may struggle to take home the win.
Ross Rowing Club – Roberts
Another particularly adept Sculler, Roberts of Ross Rowing club will also be looking for a strong finish at Henley. His recent win at Wallingford in the double should stand him in good stead to rival our aforementioned, highly proficient scullers. However, the fact that he did not race in the single at Wallingford means we are unable to draw a direct comparison between Roberts and other high profile scullers in this event.
Wycliffe Junior Rowing Club – Mulligan
Mulligan – a sculler from perhaps a less well-known club – has already proved his worth this season, coming third at Reading. Despite this, he did not race a single at Wallingford, meaning again it is hard to compare the extent of his talent to his competitors.
Predictions
We would envisage seeing Grainge, and Roberts, as the scullers fighting for the top place, but the other scullers mentioned above may be planning on throwing a spanner in the works. It is also important to bear in mind here that there are many scullers racing this weekend who are highly talented, but have not yet made their mark in this year’s cohort. Throughout the year the Henley course plays host to close, adrenaline-fuelled racing, and we should look forward to seeing these scullers battle it out over the course of Saturday’s racing.
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