Despite seeing the smallest number of entries for any event at HWR this year, the Borne Cup for championship quads sets us up for some guaranteed excitement when it comes to tight racing. With only six crews entered, including one international, this certainly promises some intense competition.
Leander Club
Making up one-third of the entries into this event with their two boats, Leander will be looking to redeem themselves in the eyes of the rowing community after their undoubtedly humbling defeat to Wycliffe Junior Rowing Club at the Metropolitan Regatta earlier in the month. Having won this event last year, they’ll be looking to retain the title, but only Rose Thomson returns. Thomson also won the event with her Leander crew in 2022, but this time is joined by Katie Mole, Cam Nyland, and Charlotte Fennell. These crews are slightly different from those that we saw at Dorney three weeks ago, and will no doubt have the competitive spirit to keep this trophy in Henley once again.
Twickenham RC/Trentham BC/Nottingham RC
This crew could certainly be one to watch, with all four scullers products of the now rebranded ‘GB Start’ program. Vwairé Obukohwo and Jade Lindo quickly made names for themselves on the GB stage, with Obukohwo currently competing at World Rowing Cup III as part of the ‘Project LA’ group at GBRT, and Lindo recently coming away from the Holland Beker with a silver in the double with Sarah McKay. Similarly, Poppy Baker and Megan Knight, who recently won silver together in the U23 double at the Holland Beker, are both stepping up onto the senior stage, with Knight having made the move to Leander Club following a vastly successful junior career. If these four can come together as a cohesive unit, I think that there’s a real chance that they’ll be challenging the likes of Leander for the win.
Molesey Boat Club
Following a defeat to Leander Club here in 2023 by less than 2 lengths, Molesey will certainly be looking to returning on a fighting footing. This looks to be a strong crew, including recent GB triallists Héloïse Wormleighton and Hope Cessford, joined by Duke alum Lily Abbot and New Zealand national Katie Lush. Although now a slightly different crew, they were once again beaten by the Leander ‘A’ quad in Ghent in early May, so I hope to see these girls having made a step on in the past weeks to equal or better their result from last year’s event, and really make their mark on challenging the Leander and Twickenham crews.
Prediction
Leander B, Reading University, and the University of Iowa will join the above crews in racing for the Borne Cup, but (draw dependent) are unlikely to be able to challenge for the win. The strength and depth of the Twickenham composite boat, and the experience of the Leander crew, are likely to make for fairly formidable opponents, and I imagine that the draw could induce some very tasty racing down the Henley course.
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