Take a walk down a certain stretch of the Thames and you’ll find that the stage is set for the iconic Henley Royal Regatta in just a matter of weeks. Before that though comes another epic showdown with the same magic and competitive spirit packed into just three days between the booms via the Henley Women’s Regatta. This is not just a re-introduction to the course for many Henley-hopefuls, but also a celebration of some of the finest women’s crews in the sport, some of whom have made themselves known recently on the junior scene. Certain crews, who I’m sure for many need no introduction, will approach Henley brimming with confidence; others will be seeking to cause an upset over this shorter course. With tensions rising as the season nears its close, the 1500m runway is primed for aggressive and impressive racing from our very best.
Wycliffe Rowing Club
Off the back of besting not one but two Leander quads to overall victory at the recent Metropolitan Regatta, it’s a wonder Greg Flower hasn’t chosen to enter his top boat in an adult category – a move often seen from top junior programs (St Pauls’ first eight comes to mind) when they’ve effectively exhausted all opposition their own age. With three U19 world championships medalists in their crew, it would be high time for this boat to try picking on someone their own size, if they can find such a unit. Wycliffe have been locked in rivalry these past seasons with Pete Chambers’ Marlow crew and the celebrated Rhona MacCallum’s Tideway Scullers – the latter of whom led a seemingly untouchable Wycliffe down the entire Henley course last year to a victory in the Diamond Jubilee, and surely a major upset for the crew in purple. One year later, it’s only seemed to spur them on to newer, greater, surely-this-time-insurmountable heights, taking an eight-second victory at the National Schools’ Regatta (with a six-second lead at the 1k marker) and a massive 34-second headship at the Schools’ Head of the River. They’ve proven their speed hundreds of times over, across a whole spectrum of distances – with their full-strength crew (returning champions, no less) back from international duties and seeded first in the time trial, this is absolutely Wycliffe’s race to lose.
Tideway Scullers School
This time last year, Tideway Scullers came away as the losing finalists in this regatta by a margin of 1 ¾ lengths but, in a matter of weeks, they turned this around and then some to take a 2 ¼ length victory over Wycliffe in the final of Henley Royal Regatta (one of my favourite races of the season). Two years ago, their unseeded crew knocked out Marlow (favourites to win) on the Thursday of the Diamond Jubilee: it would appear this squad has mastered the perfect taper, posting threateningly fast times all year, every year, only to punch even further above their weight when it truly counts. To date, they are the only club to have won both the Fawley and the Diamond Jubilee. Even with just one athlete, J17 and recent GB international Amalka Delevante, returning from last year’s victorious crew, Tideway showed no signs of slowing down over the head season, finishing a narrow third at the Schools’ Head of the River. Their top athletes have spent much of the summer season in small boats, with both the Vicars/Delevante double (who form the stern pair of this quad) and bow seat Georgia Allen’s single medaling at the National Schools’ Regatta, while Kate Cohalan completes the boat in an upgrade from their ffith-placed finish in the J16 quad. Off the back of a recent private fixture against Marlow, Tideway will be looking to return to big boats in style and lay the groundwork for what is sure to be a highly competitive Henley Royal campaign. If Wycliffe have to keep their eyes out for anyone, it will be the Tideway crew.
Marlow Rowing Club
One glance at Marlow’s line-up paints a clear picture of technical prowess combined with raw power, coached to consistently great heights over recent years by ex-GB lightweight Pete Chambers. Stroke seat Mia Lawrence may be a familiar name to some, having won U19 April trials in the single and subsequently raced the double and quad to victory at Munich International Junior Regatta in GB colours. She brings unshakeable rhythm and well-drilled technique to a boat dominated by the undeniable wattage of bow three – U23 triallist Katie Breeze, South African talent Ansty Van Romburgh, and J16 powerhouse Ione Haley. Only one change has been made from the crew that took a convincing silver at National Schools’ and matched this result earlier in the season at the Schools’ Head of the River, both times just missing out to the indomitable Wycliffe outfit. It was Wycliffe’s ‘B’ boat that knocked Marlow out on the Thursday of Henley Royal last year, while Tideway were the ones to take them out the year before – expect these girls to be out for blood from their long-time rivals, in a race that they skipped last year but suits their long, powerful strokes perfectly.
Sir William Perkins’ School:
Although not an unfamiliar name on the junior sculling circuit, Sir William Perkins’ have entered a relatively new crew that was only formed in time for the Metropolitan Regatta where they placed fourth. Inexperience, however, won’t make this crew an underdog. All four members of the boat medaled at the National Schools’ Regatta in their respective events: bronze for stern pair Annabelle Thornton and Addy Patient in championship doubles, a silver medal for Emily Nicholas in the J16 equivalent, and well-fought bronze for bow seat Maddie MacGregor in championship pairs, not to mention the middle pair of this boat storming to an international silver medal in the pair at Munich International Junior Regatta. Quads are not unfamiliar to this group either, with a similar outfit taking tenth at the Schools’ Head of the River this season and making the semi-finals of this very event last year. This was followed by the quarter finals of the Diamond Jubilee, after which stroke seat Addy Patient further proved the SWPS speed with gold in both the double and quad for England at Home International Regatta. It’s almost a shame we haven’t seen more of them in quads as of late, but I’m excited to see what results they can produce along the Henley stretch.
Putney High School
This young crew from Putney High School is comprised entirely of J17s, the same as last year’s entry who took second in the Nina Padwick Trophy, the J16 equivalent of the Bea Langridge. More recently, they’ve spent the season attempting to push up on their J18 opposition, with highlights including a second-placed finish at Wallingford Regatta and victory in WJ17 quads at Junior Sculling Head, as well as A-finals at the National Schools’ and Junior Sculling Regattas. Though they may not quite have the speed or experience to match their Tideway counterparts or the units of Wycliffe and Marlow, I’m excited to see how far this boat can progress in what is sure to be a regatta with fond memories for the crew.
Lea Rowing Club
Most recently, Lea RC were seen taking fourth place at the National Schools’ Regatta behind a Molesey boat that aren’t entered. Interestingly, we see two changes from this high-performing crew, with the stern pair of Hughes/Kerbiriou instead appearing as the top-seeded double in the Rayner Cup. Instead, Marie Girardet and Alice Knight fill the empty seats off the back of a silver medal in second quads at the National Schools’ Regatta. It’s likely that this Lea entry is a slightly weakened crew, but surely not to be underestimated in their abilities, especially over the shortened course. Like Marlow, they didn’t make an appearance at this race last year but did reach the Thursday of Henley Royal Regatta. In 2022, they made the quarter-finals of Henley Women’s Regatta, but their plans were thwarted by semi-finalists Marlow.
Headington School
Headington have had a truly stellar season, epitomised by the success of their top eight across every stage possible, and the beyond-impressive speed of their second and third eights. More recently, a new second boat – this quad – was formed from half of their wildly successful second eight that came seventh overall in girls’ championship eights against some clubs’ top boats at the National Schools’, after an impressive fourth-placed finish at Wallingford Regatta. This boat’s racing debut was a fast and narrow fifth just behind Sir William Perkins’ in the overall A-final at the Metropolitan Regatta, punching up against iconic outfits such as Wycliffe and former Henley winners Claires Court. Quads may not be what Headington is known for, but that is not to say they cannot generate major speed – last year, they made the final 16 of this event and the semi-finals of the Nina Padwick trophy, off the back of a similar, eights-based season. Off the back of their Met success, it’ll be intriguing to see how far they can progress with what is clearly an impressive boat in a highly competitive field.
Prediction
In such an exciting line-up with so much room for upset, Wycliffe are just a cut above the rest – I can’t see anyone really coming close to them. Tideway will no doubt be gearing up for yet another blistering Henley campaign and must be considered one to watch, but Marlow – perennial bridesmaids to the Wycliffe engine – will of course be coming out all guns blazing to assert themselves as a crew to be feared ahead of Henley Royal. The draw for this event may prove critical, as many of these crews don’t deserve to meet each other at the start line unless it is for the final. Henley’s brutal knock-out format means this is obviously not an option, but makes for an incredible watch for those looking to spectate next weekend. Anything other than a Wycliffe win would be shocking at this point in the season, but Tideway against Marlow could be difficult to call – I’m backing Marlow’s rehearsed rhythm and raw power to beat Tideway, with Sir William Perkins’ and Headington School sure to also progress far alongside Putney High School taking out as many older crews as they can on the way.
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