Coming earlier than last year, the zenith of the season is nigh. While not a competitor, even I can sense the fever amongst athletes and coaches alike, all boiling down to this event after a tough season. With a total of 50 entrants, surpassing last year’s total by 19 boats, the field will be halved by pre-qualification and time trials, at which point the knockout stages will begin over the 2112m course. The sheer amount of talent within the draw is staggering and should produce some of the best racing in recent memory.
Shiplake College
Off the back of a successful HWR campaign, winning the final by 1 ¾ lengths over Wycliffe, the Shiplake crew will be hoping to retain the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup. With two returners from last years crew, stroke Merry Oakes and bow Mia Vickerman, the Shiplake girls have an exceptional list of achievements to bolster their credentials. This crew won Championship Girls Quads at the Schools’ Head of the River and were silver medallists in the same category at the National Schools’ Regatta. I’m sure this outfit, coached by Dan Safdari, will be confident approaching next week.
Marlow Rowing Club
Reaching the final at Henley Royal Regatta last year, the crew from Marlow Rowing Club have seen stunning improvements from 2021 in both individual and crew performances. With only one returner from last year’s crew, U23 trialist Furlonger, the Marlow crew was strengthened by powerful J17 athletes, victorious in the Thames Cup at NSR in 2021, from where they have set an impressive precedent. Marlow were victorious at both the National Schools’ Regatta and Junior Sculling Head although a semi-final exit at Henley Women’s Regatta will not have pleased them. I am truly excited to see how these girls will perform.
Wycliffe College
Last season’s ‘wildcard’ have continued to build upon their reputation in both the regatta and head seasons. Wycliffe College are however in danger of peaking too soon. Illness and injury drove them towards an unsatisfactory performance at the National Schools’ Regatta – fourth in an unfavoured lane – but their wins at both the Junior Sculling Head and Wallingford Regatta show they have consistent base speed. Luckily, they will be going into HRR off a finals placing at HWR, so will be confident racing on the course.
Henley Rowing Club
While not the official ‘A’ boat for the Henley Boat Club juniors, the DJ entry from HRC comprises their hugely powerful J16 crew, who blew the field apart to win Junior 16 Girl’s Quads at the National Schools’ Regatta by 27 seconds in a time that would have won the Championship event by six seconds. This entrant shows how talent-rich the Henley junior women’s programme is and I am confident they will perform accordingly on home water.
Tideway Sculling School
The Tideway Scullers’ boat seems to comprise of two smaller crews, which have both seen extensive success, however it will be interesting to see how the sweep and sculling combine to form the Diamond Jubilee Entry, especially as they will have to fight to qualify the Friday before. The TSS double of McCarthy and Harvey took respective wins at the Junior Sculling Regatta and National Schools’ Regatta, the former by a six-second margin and only lost out in the final at Henley Women’s Regatta to an Australian National Crew from Sydney. The duo of Janss-Lafond and Calusen raced the Rayner Cup at HWR, advancing to the semi-finals. Janss-Lafond has also seen international recognition, racing at Munich Regatta where she was victorious in the coxless four.
Hartpury College
Alike to TSS, the Hartpury have favoured smaller boats this regatta season, while also showing great promise on an international platform. Stroke seat Bardsley-Taylor competed at both Munich Regatta and the Junior European Championships, where she won the B-Final in the double scull, before racing in the final of HWR in the Di Ellis Trophy (losing to old foe Meg Knight of Trentham). This is not to discount the remainder of the crew, with the pairing of Papworth and Rabjohns reaching the quarter finals of the Rayner Cup.
Redwood USA
The last time a US national champion made the trip to Henley Royal Regatta for the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup, they won the whole event. Americans Redwood have been dominant on their home soil, unbeaten in 2022 in open competition, and will bring to bear the full spectrum of their talent. They were victors at the recent US National Championships, as well as the San Diego Crew Classic and Long Beach Invitational. They were also winners at the Head of the Charles, a race that should give us some barometer here in the UK of how fast these girls really are. Can our transatlantic cousins shake the apple cart and upset a few home favourites?
Notable Mentions
Kingston Grammar School and Headington School Boat Club are among the other crews to watch out for, along with Lea and Molesey. The above crews have been essential in the reshaping of the field this year; there is no set expectation as to who is going to medal, or a common hierarchy in placings, which is why I find junior women’s sculling to be so exciting this season. Green Lake Crew USA are the only other international entry aside from Redwood,; it will be interesting to see how the different schools of rowing compare in both speed and technique.
Predictions
Overall, it is (as ever) impossible to predict a likely outcome. As mentioned, the field is so varied this year with so much talent that genuinely anything could happen; will feisty ‘B’ crews overcome their theoretical superiors; will US talent come to the fore; will Shiplake take home the trophy for a second year in a row; can Henley’s J16s record a remarkable victory in an open field? With so many variables and only five crews progressing from time-trials, the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup will be the epitome of Junior Rowing.
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