This weekend, we cast our eyes over to the non-tidal Thames with ten entries in the Junior Women’s Eights category. This 5,200m stretch will be a good chance for these crews to see how they fare along a similar timeframe to the School’s Head of the River Race course. The course should provide an accurate indication of performance looking towards the School’s head.
Lady Eleanor Holles Boat Club
Lady Eleanor Holles Boat Club is a well known name amongst the Junior Women’s circuit. From having years of success and legacies coming before them, this LEH squad are starting to climb back up the rankings in the ever-competitive Junior Women’s Sweep events. After an impressive fifth place at the Women’s Eights Head of the River, LEH will be wanting to close the gap between them and Tideway Scullers School before the Schools’ Head of the River, and should use Kingston Head as an opportunity to do so.
Wallingford Rowing Club
Wallingford Rowing Club has been gaining momentum throughout the past few years, from them winning the WJ16 8+s at the National School’s Regatta 2023 to them coming sixth at the Women’s Eights Head of the River last weekend, despite not having the stream advantage that the crews going off in the top 50 had. Given that many of their girls are trialling for GB, it shows a great depth within their squad and I think they will be battling Tideway Scullers for the win down the course.
Sir William Perkin’s School Boat Club
With two U19 World Championship athletes in their boat, Emily Nicholas and Annabelle Thornton, the Sir William Perkin’s School Boat Club programme has been building around their rising talents. Their 11th place at Women’s Eights Head of the River last weekend should be encouraging, given their recent swap to sweeping.
Tideway Scullers School
After a perhaps surprising win in the Junior Women’s Eight at Women’s Eights Head of the River last Saturday, the girls from the Tideway Scullers School will be coming into Kingston Head feeling confident. If they choose to put their top athletes into the eight, they will be racing with various international experience, ranging from Coupe de la Jeunesse, U19 World Rowing Championships, and Munich Regatta. This international experience has proven to be invaluable as they swap from their traditional discipline. If their top athletes are racing, I predict Tideway Scullers will win.
Prediction
With other notable entries such as Surbiton High School Boat Club and Kingston Grammar School Boat Club defending their home turf, I suspect the field to be closer than at the Women’s Eights Head, which will be interesting to see how the race unfolds. I predict either Wallingford Rowing Club or Tideway Scullers School will take the win.
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