Marlow Regatta 2019 – Junior Eights

Taking place on Dorney Lake this weekend, Marlow Regatta is, for crews racing at Henley, one of the last opportunities to size up competition from both local and overseas clubs, and to pre-qualify for Henley Royal Regatta. With many junior crews entering elite events such as Championship VIIIs, as well as large entries for the junior eights categories, Marlow definitely looks as if it will set these crews up with some stiff competition.

Championship 8+

Competing against crews such as Leander, as well as top university crews including ULBC, Newcastle and Edinburgh University BC, the junior crews entered for the Championship eights have certainly got some tough races ahead of them. The Eton College BC crew is looking like the strongest junior entry, having come 2^nd in the Ch 8+ at SHORR, 28^th overall at HORR and 2^nd in the Challenge VIIIs at Wallingford Regatta, as well as taking home the fastest heat time of the day. They also came 3^rd in Championship VIIIs at Metropolitan Regatta. Monmouth School RC has also had a fantastic season, winning the Sch 1^st VIII at SHORR, as well as the Senior VIIIs at Reading Amateur Regatta and the Non-Ch 8+ at National Schools’ Regatta, where some of the athletes also took home a bronze medal in the Ch 4+ event. Meanwhile, St Pauls School BC took 3^rd place in the Championships VIIIs at SHORR, as well as 1^st place in the Ch 8+ at NSR and 3^rd in Championship VIIIs at Met Regatta. Both Radley College BC and Shiplake College BC have also had good seasons, with Radley coming 4^th in Ch8+ at SHORR, 103^rd overall at HORR and 3^rd in the Ch 8+ at NSR, as well as 1^st in the Championship VIIIs at Met Regatta, whilst Shiplake won the Championship VIII at SHORR and came 2^nd in the Ch 8+ at NSR, also winning the J18 VIIIs at Quintin Head. Finally, Kings College School BC are also doing well, with 9^th place in the Championship VIII at SHORR and 6^th at NSR. With such fantastic results across the board, I’m certain that each of the crews will prove tough competition and perhaps even be in with a chance at getting one of the top spots at Marlow this weekend.

Predictions for junior crews:

1. Eton College BC

2. Monmouth School RC

3. Shiplake College BC

J15 8+

There are also some good results from recent races for the crews entered for the J15 VIIIs. Kings College School BC took silver in the J15 8+ at National Schools’ Regatta and came first in the Championship J15 VIIIs at Schools’ Head, and 1^st also in the J15 VIIIs at Quintin Head. Radley College BC has also been successful, coming 3^rd in the J15 VIIIs at both Schools’ Head and National Schools’ Regatta. St Pauls School BC meanwhile came 4^th at NSR, 2^nd at SHORR and 7^th at Quintin Head, with the Latymer Upper School BC A, B and C crews coming 10^th, 10^th and 18^th respectively, and the A crew taking 5^th in the Championship J15 VIIIs at SHORR. At Quintin Head, the A crew came 2^nd and B crew 13^th in the J15 VIIIs. Westminster School BC and The Windsor Boys School BC have also raced recently, coming 7^th at SHORR and 3^rd at Quintin Head, and 6^th at NSR respectively.

Predictions:

1. Kings College School BC

2. St Pauls School BC

3. Radley College BC

J16 8+ and School 3^rd 8+

Due to a shortage of entries, the crews which go through to the final for each category will race against one another. The Dulwich College BC crew came 10^th in the J16 8+ at National Schools’ Regatta, 8^th in the Sch 1^st J16 8+ at Schools’ Head, and 10^th in the J16 VIIIs at Quintin Head, whilst the Eton College BC crew came 2^nd at NSR and 1^st in the Ch J16 8+ at SHORR. Meanwhile, in the School 3^rd VIIIs category, Hampton School BC came 3^rd in 3^rd VIIIs at NSR, whilst Radley College BC came 4^th. With Shiplake College BC also racing in the School 3^rd VIIIs, it could be a tight race, but due to a shortage of past results for these crews in this category it is hard to determine a strong idea of the outcome.

Predictions:

1. Eton College BC

2. Hampton School BC

3. Radley College BC

Sch 2^nd 8+

Another popular category, the School 2^nd VIIIs also have some strong crews participating. Bedford School BC came 9^th in the category at both SHORR and NSR, whilst Eton came 3^rd at SHORR and 2^nd at NSR. Hampton School BC came 7^th at SHORR and 2^nd at NSR and Kings College School BC took 8^th place at SHORR and NSR alike, though came third in the J18 8+ at Quintin Head. Royal Shrewsbury School BC had the very impressive result of 2^nd place at Schools’ Head and followed this with 4^th place at NSR, whilst Westminster School BC came 5^th at SHORR and 6^th in the J18 8+ at Quintin Head.   

Predictions:

1. Eton College BC

2. Royal Shrewsbury School BC

3. Westminster School BC

School/Junior 8+

A category which has a very high volume of entries, including the American Green Lake Crew, the School/Junior VIIIs also shows promise for tight racing. Bedford Modern School BC came 9^th in the Sch 1^st VIII at SHORR and 13^th in the Non-Ch 8+ at National Schools’ Regatta. Claire’s Court School BC, perhaps a lesser known entry than some of the others in this category, came 11^th in the School 1^st VIII at SHORR, 12^th in the Non-Ch 8+ at NSR and 1^st in the Academic VIIIs at Metropolitan Regatta. Monkton Combe School BC came 7^th at SHORR and 11^th at NSR, whilst Norwich School BC took 4^th place at SHORR and NSR, and 5^th in the J18 VIIIs at Quintin Head. Pangbourne College BC came 6^th at SHORR and 3^rd at NSR and Reading Blue Coat School BC came 3^rd at SHORR, a rather surprising 15^th at NSR and 8^th in J18 VIIIs at Quintin Head. Winchester College BC came joint first at SHORR – vying for top spot with the Monmouth School crew – and 6^th at NSR, whilst St Pauls School BC and Westminster School BC came 4^th and 2^nd respectively at Quintin Head.

Predictions:

1. Winchester College BC

2. Norwich School BC

3. St Pauls School BC

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