We’re just over ten days until Henley Royal Regatta 2023 begins. Marlow represents the final warm-up before the biggest week of racing in most junior athlete’s year and old foes will renew acquaintances on the Dorney straights for what is likely to be the final time in 2023. For some, this represents the last chance to iron out the kinks before an assault on the Fawley Challenge Cup is launched. For some, qualifiers beckon and the pecking order for junior quads this weekend will be an indicator of whether a berth in the Regatta proper is on the cards. For others, this Saturday and indeed next Friday are experience run-outs for campaigns listed in 2024, 2025 and beyond.
The Windsor Boys School
The gift that just keeps on giving (unless you happen to be Leander, Marlow, Claires Court, Borlase or any one of the other junior sculling centres that keeps being bested by this powerhouse of performance). After a pretty poor winter showing – barring an impressive cameo at the Head of the Charles Regatta back in October – Windsor Boys burst back onto the scene with wins at both the Junior Sculling Regatta and the National Schools’ Regatta. Mark Wilkinson doesn’t seem to understand the term ‘cyclical’ – his program keeps pumping out athletes of the highest calibre and a win in the 2023 edition of the Fawley Challenge Cup would represent a sparkling jewel in his crown.
Leander Club
Credit where credit is due – Leander seem to know how to put together a compelling junior quad. It took them a few years – and several mishaps – but their formula is a winning one and the consistency with which they churn out quality is impressive. They were my odds-on favourites to win at the National Schools’ Regatta before being unseated by Windsor Boys and Marlow (the latter of whom are not present this weekend). Jonny Jackson will have had the boys tapering into Henley Royal Regatta, which represents the undisputed pinnacle for a club like Leander. Can they overthrow Wilkinson and co at the top of the pile? The distance between themselves and Windsorian green and gold this Saturday will be indicative of what to expect come day one of the Fawley Challenge Cup.
Sydney Rowing Club
Sydney don’t mess around – if they’re here, they’re here to win. Their last victory in this category came in 2011 with a blockbuster of a boat. They came close again in 2012, dispatching yours truly in an earlier round before being ruthlessly dispatched by a Borlase unit containing Jack Beaumont. Fast forward 11 years and they’re back to seek what they feel is rightfully theirs. The crew this year are fast – Jackson Gursoy and Maxim Moloney were winners in the U19 quad at the Australian Rowing Championships in April whilst Nicholas Whalan was in the King’s School Parramatta crew that made the quarter-finals of the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup last year.
St Andrew Boat Club
It was so nice, they just had to do it twice. St Andrew Boat Club and the Patton brothers are back for another turn on the Fawley Challenge Cup carousel. They were beaten semi-finalists in 2022 but the Patton brothers have really stepped on in 2023. They won Championship Doubles at the National Schools’ Regatta and Alex Patton is Scottish national champion in the single scull and the proud bearer of a Munich vest after racing in a men’s double. I had to blink when I saw their result at Marlow last year, where they finished in second place behind Windsor Boys School. Can they spring another surprise at Dorney Lake in 2023?
Hinksey Sculling School
Behind Leander and Marlow, Hinksey were the next fastest junior crew at the Metropolitan Regatta. After finishing fifth at the National Schools’ Regatta, their ‘A’ final appearance at the Met should be enough to secure them a pre-qualification slot. It used to be that an ‘A’ final seat for the National Schools’ Regatta Championship Boys Quads category was enough to guarantee pre-qualification but the Fawley has become increasingly competitive. Hinksey will be eyeing a strong finish to their ‘regular’ season.
Sir William Borlase Grammar School
Be a bit silly to rule out a Borlase armada, wouldn’t it? It is so good to see these boys back at the top of schoolboy sculling after a brief hiatus. Phil Gray has re-established the program as a high-performance centre, cemented by a fourth-placed finish at the National Schools’ Regatta. Expect this crew to be pushing on to the likes of Leander and Marlow, whom they were only a few seconds behind at Dorney a few weeks ago.
Predictions
Hard to look past the rapidly-emerging grudge match between Windsor Boys and Leander. Sydney will be quick but jet-lagged after only stepping off the plane a couple of days ago. The best will be yet to come for the Antipodeans.
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