Raced downstream of 5200m, Kingston SBH is one of the standout events of the head calendar. This year’s J18 1x category features a very large entry, with over half of the crews coming from Eton and King’s Wimbledon.
Eton College
The majority of Eton’s scullers raced at pairs Head either in Championship or Intermediate J18 2x. Pearson placed highest out of these scullers finishing 3rd in J18 Champ ahead of the next quickest entry Burges-Watson. I expect that these two scullers will be hoping to transfer this speed into the smaller boat and finish at the top of this Head. Eton have the second largest entry with six boats racing across Band 1. It is likely that the majority of the scullers will finish somewhere in the middle of the pack but between their top two scullers, one of them should be looking to take the win.
King’s College School, Wimbledon
Another school who are not famed for their sculling ability, KCS have the largest entry with seven scullers set to compete across Band 1 and Band 2. It is likely that some of these athletes have made the switch from the pairs to the singles since Pairs Head, where they performed well in Senior Pairs as well as J18 Club 2x. Will Tyrrell and the rest of his quartet also entered Fours Head in the Junior Challenge Quads placing 6th and beating several of the Champ crews. KCS also had a quad entered at HOCR. Given all this sculling in recent weeks, it is safe to assume that, like Eton, KCS will be looking for one of their scullers to taker the overall win on Saturday.
Kingston Grammar
With a lone entry, KGS will be hoping to challenge for the headship with just one sculler. On home water, Schomberg will be looking to step and and fend off scullers from Eton and KCS. KGS did have an entry at Pairs Head. The Champ J18 double placed 9th. It is unclear if Schomberg was in the crew but if he was he will need to have a better row if he is to uproot the closest competition.
Itchen Imperial, Twickenham and Tiffin School all have two scullers entered. It is unlikely that they will be challenging the very top of the category, however, stranger things have happened. St Georges, ChristChurch and Fulham Reach will all have representation in this category too. Having not competed at any major Heads so far this season, it makes it very difficult to predict how they will fair.
My Prediction…Pearson from Eton College to win
6 man
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