“Be a unicorn in a field full of horses”
Every year, a handful of crews rise above the rest to distinguish themselves from the crowd; whether it be from glorious victory; having overcome various manners of adversity; or that they have simply caught the crowd’s eye. Though they make it look seamless on the surface, this recognition is often attributed to exceptional efforts throughout the season, particularly in this tough winter training block we currently find ourselvesn in. The potential for change in the pecking order over the holiday season leaves us asking the inevitable question, which crews will prove their mettle in 2024?
Hinksey Sculling School – Junior 18 4x
Once a simple community rowing club in Oxford, Hinksey Sculling School transformed itself into a program capable of fighting against the best in recent years. This was a feat made possible by the efforts of Director of Rowing Bodo Schulenburg and Head Coach James McAnallen who created the culture which produced one of last season’s top underdog stories in the J18 Quadruple sculls. Just shy of medalling throughout the season, Hinksey peaked when it counted, at Henley Royal Regatta, to make it to the final of the Fawley Challenge Cup against Leander Club. Although a lesser known quantity at the beginning of last season, this year there is no doubt they will be watched closely by their competition. Moreover, with two members of the quad returning to the club this year, Herbie Austin-Baker, who collected a silver medal at Coupe de la Jeunesse in the Junior Men’s 1x, and Judah Turnbull now a J17, it looks like they are still be a force to be reckoned. Backed by members of last year’s Hinksey B quad, who also qualified for the Fawley Cup last year, Hinskey find themselves extremely well placed this year.
St Paul’s School – Junior 18 8+
A program accustomed to being around the top of the leaderboard, St Paul’s School is never one to be underestimated. Having made the final of the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup for the past three years in a row, and losing by just a third of a length to St Edward’s School in 2023, it is clear they are running on all cylinders. Although having just missed out on a tantalising win at HRR, it seems the club bounced back to its usual form to deliver an incredible set of results at the GB Junior Trials, where in the R24 2000m erg test, five of the top ten rowers were from SPS. This was followed by a clean sweep in the R26 5000m erg test, with the three top spots being St Paul’s rowers, specifically Alp Karadogen, Alec Wild and Felix Peerless. So for now, it looks like St Paul’s will be able to overpower their competitors on land, but if they can convert this pace to the water, which SPS almost always can, the major trophies could once more be theirs for the taking.
Trentham Boat Club – Junior 15 2x
Trentham Boat Club is a program which has been growing from strength to strength in recent years; impressive for a non-profit club only founded in 2004. This led to a noteworthy 2x being cultivated last season, featuring two J14s Lucas Copeland and Robbie Holmes. After winning at both the British Junior Rowing Championships and the Junior Sculling Regatta (taking the win there by an incredible 27 seconds), these two young athletes were nominated for British Rowing’s Junior Crew of the Year Award. If they can continue their development into this year, the sky is their limit. Already this season at Agecroft Head, they took the win in the J15 2x by 50 seconds over Grange School. Make sure to keep an eye out for this dynamic duo!
Notable Mentions
On the sweep side, another crew to watch out for is from Radley College, which has an impressive set of athletes coming into J16 following an outstanding J15 season. Having won the J15 8+ at both National Schools’ Regatta and Marlow Regatta last season, the top spot is theirs to lose.
On the sculling side are both Marlow Rowing Club and Windsor Boys School. Both programs are moving on from excellent seasons in the J18 4x, after placing second and first at NSR and making it to the quarter-final and semi-final of the Fawley Challenge Cup at HRR respectively. With the majority of both crews returning for another season, competition could be tight. Windsor has already taken the win at the Head of the Charles 2023 in the Youth Coxed Quad by over 30 seconds and will be bolstered by more rowers moving into J17-18, who won the J16 4x at National Schools’ by nine seconds.
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