JRN Opinion: The Election(ish) Special

In just under a week Britons will travel to polling booths in town halls and garages from Torquay to Taft Nests to cast their vote in what promises to be one of the most import elections of recent history.

So here at JRN, we thought it was the perfect time to turn away from politics entirely, and instead press rewind on 2019.

It was a cold start to the year, with water temperatures in London hovering just above freezing, but that failed to deter the hardiest of the nation’s rowers, with Boston Head kicking off the year’s rowing. Soon, all eyes turned to the darkened London skyline as events on the Tideway began to roll in, beginning with Quintin Head where for the third year Cambridge University fielded the fastest women’s crew, whilst in the junior world Shiplake College took the circuit by storm, finishing ahead of all competition, including St. Pauls, who had only 6 months prior capped off one of the most successful junior seasons in living memory.

Snapping at the heels of Shiplake, Radley performed well throughout the early year in the men’s categories despite event cancellations due to inclement conditions. For the women, Great Marlow School took chunks out of their competition, distracting the rowing world from the expected feud between Titans Henley and Headington.

As various events were held, the whispers of Schools’ Head grew to shouts, and by March 15th all eyes were on the Tideway, in the midst of poor weather scares, at least some of the events went ahead revealing important facts as the long-overdue Regatta season awoke from its slumber.

The most controversial news? Shiplake had slain St. Pauls, giving Boby Thatcher rather restless night, could they ever return from a defeat so pertinent?

It also became apparent that Great Marlow’s early-season success was not a pre-cursor to junior domination, with Henley obliterating the charts, leaving Headington well and truly in their shadow.

After Schools’ Head, some departed on Easter training camps, others concentrated on summer selection; but apart from the Boat Race which saw Cambridge solidify university dominance, all remained quiet on the rowing circuit.

But not for long…

For the first time in recent rowing history, no results were written coming into Regatta season, Headington no longer held a vice-like grip on women’s rowing, and St. Pauls may never again be sure of a Henley Victory. Many schools and clubs were thrust into the spotlight, as pundit and coach alike were unable to predict race outcomes, but as the season progressed, would clarity emerge?

In Scotland, the Spring Regatta startled Strathclyde residents as trailers were dusted off and bought to the home of Scottish rowing for a dramatic weekend of racing. Down south, it was Wallingford Regatta that began the season, with Henley and Lady Eleanor Holles set to be the ‘crews to watch’ for the season, whilst for the men St. Pauls hoped to claw back a victory, with Eton and Shrewsbury close behind.

Nottingham and Met regattas passed without too much drama, building to the excitement of National Schools’ Regatta. As tends to be the case, all eyes were firmly fixed on the Championship Eights for both men and women at Dorney, to see who would hold the cards not only for Henley, but also next season.

For the men, St. Pauls made a somewhat surprising return to the front of the pack, edging out and taking the win over Shiplake who had been a strong presence all year. On the women’s side, it was Lady Eleanor Holles who dominated all those who opposed, relegating veteran gold medalists Headington to a disappointing eighth place in the A final. But, as the sun set on Dorney Lake, the thoughts of every rower in the country were firmly fixed on one thing.

Henley.

As is customary, Henley Women’s Regatta took place a week before Henley Royal, and bought together the best women in sport from all over the world to demonstrate the strides that have been taken in women’s sport. For the juniors, the Girls from St. Pauls school emulated the success of their male counterparts with a win in the junior eights, whilst crews from Henley and TSS dominated the other junior events.

A week later, and the famous boat tents were full, launches were chugging up the blue Henley waters, and in the press office, writers gathered eagerly for what promised to be one of the most dramatic Regattas in years. It was not to disappoint.

The blue Ribbon Junior event – The Princess Elizabeth Challenge cup – saw Eton take the crown, whilst the St. Paul’s record from 2018 stood stronger than ever. In the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup, it was Latymer’s day as they came from behind to prove they’re a force to be considered, with one of the most sensational victories of the Regatta.

And with that, the academic year – and domestic regatta season – came to an end. As the marques disappeared, twitter shifted its junior attention to the events of the Junior World Championships, but with the exception of international success of all ages, boats and blades gathered dust, only to be wiped clean by a stiff September breeze.

In the first part of the 2020 Head Season, we have begun to see the build-up to SHORR and eventually Regatta Season with close races on rivers and lakes around the nation, highlights have included Fours Head, which unlike Hampton Small Boats Head managed to escape cancellation as a result of poor weather.

The Head Season will continue after Christmas, as will our coverage of all the major events around the UK. Look out for our season preview to highlight what the JRN team will be delivering in the early part of 2020 as the days get shorter and SHORR looms on the horizon.

Can’t wait that long? Neither can we, so JRN Opinion will continue to output content over Christmas period so we can all get our fix of festive rowing! Look out for the second part of our Hidden Oars series, as well as pre-season thoughts and interviews.

Still hungry for more? Check the Opinion team’s work here, and our regular content stream here.

Ed Evans

Opinions Editor

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