For Henley Women’s Regatta 2022, there are a total of seven crews entered into the Championship Quad category, also known as The Bourne Cup. Three of these have come from The United States of America: Whitemarsh Boat Club, Brown University, and University of California, Berkeley. To make up the rest of the entries we have Oxford Brookes University, Leander Club, Newcastle University and Tyne Rowing Club composite, and a second Leander crew.
Whitemarsh BC, USA
The four ladies in this quad make up the high performance squad back in Pennsylvania. Boersen, Stawicki, Martin, and Luwis are all lightweights making this a lightweight quad with the aim to get to World Championships this year to represent USA. Competing at various selection regattas throughout America, although they might be tiny, they don’t hold back on speed.
Brown University, USA
This Brown University quad sees precious representation at the U19 Championships in America, University Sports-Honours scholarships, along with solid placings at National Championships as seniors too. With a mixed crew of seniors and first year students, there’ll be a good mix of experience and talent to contend with.
University of California, Berkeley, USA
This crew is created again from international level ladies. We have German and Dutch junior medals along with numerous national level medals such as Pac-12 Championships, NCAA, and San Diego Crew Classic. Given the big medals, these women will be laying down fair speeds to give any home crew a freight on the start line.
Leander Club
This year Leander have two Championship Quads entered. These athletes have won the Prince Phillip Cup and numerous in the Wargrave Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta last year along with multiple wins at Henley Women’s Regatta such as the Championship Pair. With Leander being able to row day-in and day-out on this stretch of water they will surely have an advantage and inside knowledge of the ways of the river, however, will that help them to secure the win?
Newcastle University BC & Tyne RC
A 50/50 split of Newcastle University and Tyne in this composite crew. After competing at the Metropolitan Regatta 2022, they snagged a spot in the A final alongside the two aforementioned Leander crews. Coming in fourth on the Saturday, it is clear that this crew is sharp and holds a fair chance to see the final on Sunday.
Oxford Brookes University BC
A club that needs no introduction, Brookes are as always a crew to be taken seriously. With two of the same girls that managed to get to the semi-finals in the Princess Grace Challenge Cup for Henley Royal Regatta last year, there will be valuable experience in the stroke and bow seat of this crew.
Predicyion
Racing from Friday through to Sunday as a series of side-by-side knockouts, the ‘luck of the draw’ will change potentially who gets to the final. However, the winner will always get through and this year all championship crews qualify but will undergo a time trial to then seed crews. I predict that we will should see Whitemarsh BC, USA in the final along with the Leander (A) crew. All crews will put in a good shift and anything can happen during such intimate racing, so best of luck to all crews.
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