The regatta season is properly getting underway in the long weekend, and the crews will certainly be used to rowing at Dorney ahead of Nat Schools next month. With it being the start of the regatta season, and since this age group missed out on the recent Junior Inter-Regional Regatta, most of these predictions will come from JSR’s sister competition, the Junior Sculling Head. Of the 43 entries in the same event at JSH, the vast majority of them make up the 21 entries on Monday. Given it’ll perhaps be a second round of that event, the thing preventing a sense of deja vu for the crews will be their ability to see their competitors alongside them.
Wycliffe won this event at JSH, a mere millisecond before Henley, who are conspicuously absent from the draw this time – the same goes for Headington, too, who followed them in 3rd place. Marlow followed Headington, and with the absence of those between them and the podium, they’re likely to medal. However, they will have just over eight seconds to make up, but given their change of stroke seat they may have assessed their tactics.
Only two seconds behind them were Lea RC, who have kept the same stroke: perhaps given the change of discipline they could rival Marlow for silver. St Edwards took 6th, and behind them were Surbiton, whose three crews perhaps surprisingly placed 7th, 13th, and third last. Also competing in the Eights at Wallingford this weekend, whether they can overcome recent results remains to be seen.
Prediction
It’ll almost certainly be between Wycliffe and Marlow for the top spots, but I reckon Wycliffe will take the lead again. That being said, with the shorter (but no more forgiving) distance, some of the scullers from JSH may rise through the results table and prove themselves as challengers.
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