Reviews:
Edinburgh University ‘B’ vs Skøll
After rowing through Iowa yesterday, Edinburgh ‘B’, with a beginner rower on her second day in the crew, tackled their race against Skøll with confidence. Yet again they were down off the start, this time it was half-length by the quarter-mile but the baby blue backed themselves and rowed through their Dutch opponents. They powered through, seizing a lead at Fawley, they walked away from their opponent leading by open water through the enclosures and while Skøll gave it everything they had, they couldn’t stop Edinburgh from seizing a mighty victory. They will progress further than their own ‘A’ crew that fell to Oxford this morning.
Cornell University vs Cambridge University
Out of the now-united Cambridge University Boat Club, the crew made up of openweight second and third eight athletes as well as one from the perennially successful lightweight program took on a crew from the Cornell lightweights. While initially billed as a competitive race, it ended up being anything but. The light blues shot off to an immediate start, breaking clear water by the quarter-mile and extending to five lengths at Fawley. Settling down to conserve energy for their semi final tomorrow, they still managed to achieve an easily verdict against a selected crew.
University of London ‘A’ vs Nereus
The priority boat from the University of London taking on a lower tier boat from ASR Nereus was only ever going to go one way. The Dutch crew made a fight of it though – giving it all they had off the start they held level to the quarter-mile but trailed by clear water by the Barrier and were as much as five lengths behind by the mile post. Beyond that point, the University of London crew’s sights swung towards the semi final tomorrow and they let off the gas, allowing the gap to come down to three and a half lengths across the line.
Edinburgh University ‘A’ vs Oxford Brookes University ‘A’
Despite stacking their Prince Albert crew, Edinburgh were always aware that Oxford Brookes would provide a stern test but I don’t think they expected just how quickly that Brookes would put the race to bed. Open water leaders before the quarter-mile, stretching to a maximum lead of two lengths. Taking their foot off the gas, Brookes allowed Edinburgh to get back within a length and a half across the line but they dealt with this high-quality crew with all of the poise and class we have come to expect of Brookes crews in this event over the last few years.
Previews:
Oxford Brookes University ‘A’ vs University of London ‘A’
Just to make a semi final at Henley is an achievement unto itself, but both crews here will think that if they can just get past the other then they will be more than likely to be lifting the trophy on Sunday afternoon. The University of London had a fairly easy ride Imperial College Lonon on Tuesday and ASR Nereus today, so will not have too much fatigue in their legs while the Oxford Brookes crew had a bye through to the racing today and comfortably dispatched the prioritised Edinburgh University crew. This race is a rematch of the semi final in 2021 where UL beat Brookes on route to winning this event, but Brookes will draw confidence from Marlow Regatta where they put two fours in front of the University of London.
Cambridge University vs Oxford Brookes University ‘B’
As a ‘B’ crew this crew from Oxford Brookes will have begun the week with no predisposition that they could win the event. This crew is developing and may look for their own red boxes in future campaigns. As such, the Semi Final tomorrow will be their final. Their opponents, a Cambridge University crew made up of Goldie, Lightweight and third eight athletes, will still have aims of putting their names on the trophy on Sunday but will need to defeat the Wallingford-based program at least once in order to do that. They had relatively painless victories over Edinburgh ‘B’ and Cornell while the Brookes crew breezed past the University of London ‘B’ and the Harvard lightweights. Both crews will be devastated with defeat, as there is only one thing sweeter than racing in a final on the Henley stretch.
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