With Fours Head last weekend being cancelled due to unsafe river conditions, the Henley Sculls, held this Saturday 11th November, will be all the more telling in where the talent lies this head season. With 21 crews entered and almost all of these clubs putting forward more than one crew, it’s clear they each aim to make a mark.
Given the recent cancellations, the last time many of these clubs went up against each other was at the Reading Small Boats Head earlier in October. In this category, the two Henley RC crews were pipped to first place by Abingdon: with them out of the running, Henley’s French and Daly (whose doubles came second and third respectively) will likely be favourites for the podium. Maidenhead RC and RGS High Wycombe followed on from them behind the also-absent Pangbourne. Each crew’s ability to make up time this weekend will be reliant on their quality of training through the recent tough conditions, suggesting an underdog could well pull through.
Also racing is The American School in London BC, who put out an impressive fleet at the Scullers Head, with one sculler (Tejpaul) placing fourth. At the Head of the Charles their Men’s Youth Double, which included Tejpaul, competed against older university and club crews such as Cambridge and Tideway Scullers. Training for this highly competitive event stateside may well have left them in good stead for the race this weekend.
The King’s School, Worcester also recently had some sculling success at the Worcester Small Boats Head, where their quad stroked by Elsdon (whose double is racing at Henley Sculls) won the J18 coxless quads. Though not being near home water and the smaller doubles could have an effect on their performance, they have put out four crews in this category, suggesting confidence in the depth of their squad.
Also racing are Evesham RC, Itchen Imperial RC, Lymington Amateur RC, and Magdalen College Sch. BC.
Prediction
I suspect Henley RC will take the top spot, with the American School and King’s School Worcester in contention for second and third: I reckon the latter will likely gain the upper hand. However, with so many clubs having put out multiple crews, one or two fast clubs might well dominate the podium.
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