Next to the eight, the coxed four in the largest coxed boat in competitive rowing. Four rowers with one oar each and a cox, a simple enough concept. Easy to get wrong but immensely satisfying when done correctly, the boat is often the domain of the strongest rowers from any one programme, and as such, they are competitive, to say the least. We all remember that glorious day last year, when half of the Thames RC fifth eight rowed to victory in the Britannia Challenge Cup, or when Edinburgh became the first Scottish student crew to win at HRR in Prince Albert in 2016. With the forces of student and club rowing doing battle on Eton Dorney this weekend, it should be a real gut-buster.
Oxford Brookes University BC
Surprise surprise, we find ourselves highlighting yet another Brookes entry. These boys have literally become impossible to ignore – you cannot discount their speed at any point. As holders of both the Temple and Prince Albert Challenge Cups at Henley Royal Regatta, they will be out to retain both titles and reaffirm their utter dominance at the summit of student rowing. It is unclear who exactly is in this crew but Brookes boats took gold in the Men’s Championship Eights, Coxless Fours and Coxed Fours at BUCS Regatta before a crew containing Marine Arnerich (who is listed here as stroke) swooped in to win the Met by nearly nine seconds. If this is the same crew, they are going to take some stopping, both here and at Henley Royal Regatta.
London RC
A club with one of the richest histories of any club in the country, LRC has been dominant this season. A defeat at the hands of Hanratty and Co in the final of the Britannia Challenge Cup last year, the Lost Boys have come back with a vengeance, winning in both coxed and coxless fours at the Met to add to their silver and bronze medals at Wallingford, respectively (it’s worth noting here that in both cases, London was the fastest club in each).
Their top boat at Marlow is coxed by Rosie Margolis, cox of the Edinburgh boat that won the Prince Albert in 2016. She also steered the final a year ago, featuring alongside all but one of this crew of Calum Jenkins, Ed Thomas, and Matt Reeder, with James Clarke coming into the boat at bow. A recent win against Brown’s PA four on the Tideway strengthens the conviction that this really is London’s year. After a ten-year drought, they are closer than they have ever been to getting some Henley silverware. But first, they must do battle at Eton Dorney on a Saturday morning in mid-June.
Thames RC
A club that has a habit of producing exceptional athletes at the club level, this season has been a typically strong season for Thames. Three eights inside the top 15 at HORR 2023 was followed by a slew of gold and silver medals at the Met, including in the Open Coxed Four and Coxless Four. Thames have traditionally had good strength in depth (demonstrated by their nominally ‘weakest’ crews on paper, i.e. their 2022 Britannia four still going on to win), and that depth has year in, year out produced consistent results.
This time last year, Thames came into the regatta as winners at the Met, but after going out too fast in the final, suffered the indignity of being eased back into last place by the end. The current incarnation will certainly look to avenge the constant second-place finishes that they have had with LRC of late. Thames has a habit of bringing their true speed for HRR, so one wouldn’t write them off after a bad performance here. But given that London seems to be intent on ripping apart the entire field, Thames will have to summon every inch of grit and determination in order to finish first and claim bragging rights heading into HRR.
Vesta RC
Alongside the Thames on the Putney Embankment, where good rowing clubs are a dime a dozen, Vesta has often been shut out of the conversation by its more successful neighbours. That said, the boys whose boathouse stares down Thames on the Embankment have been slowly cultivating some strong results which could see them do very well this weekend. The Met produced an A-final appearance to go alongside gold medals at Poplar in the Open Coxless Fours Gold and Trophy Events.
After coming so close to making a first Henley final since 2009 in last year’s Britannia Challenge Cup, two of the crew return to right those wrongs. Alex Nash is moved to stroke, with former EUBC president Dan Baillache returning as cox, and Callum Fletcher in the bows. Fergus Mitchell-Dwelly is at two (replacing Max Secunda), and Tom Thorpe at three. Realistically, if Vesta were to win it would require Thames or London to have a slip-up of epic proportions. Vesta would do well to make the A-final and even better to place well but based on previous results, I am ambivalent about their chances of winning the entire category. I will wait for them to prove me wrong.
Imperial College BC
This looks like it might be Imperial’s top crew heading into Henley Royal Regatta. A boat club with a rich history of success in the Prince Albert Challenge Cup (two wins in the past ten years) means one can never write this group off. If this crew is unchanged, they were fourth in Championship Coxless Fours at BUCS Regatta behind two Brookes boats and an outfit from Durham. With the latter not racing here and Brookes slimming their party down to one, Imperial will fancy their chances of a competitive showing. They were third at the Met, 0.8 seconds behind London, and although the two won’t meet at HRR, Imperial will want to show they have stepped on since that meeting two weeks ago.
Sydney RC
Fresh off the plane – these boys only landed in England earlier this week – Sydney only come to Henley with fast crews. They last won the Britannia Challenge Cup in 2015 but always produce competitive boats that look to shake up the established domestic order. A run out at Marlow should help shake off the jet lag and hone their ability ahead of a big week on the Henley straights.
Prediction
Brookes are going to win this race, barring any real surprises, whilst London and Thames will do battle behind them for bragging rights heading into Henley. I’m going to back London based on the strength of their season up to this point with Thames coming in close behind. Vesta would do well to place fourth, especially given strong entries from Marlow, Sydney, Imperial and a number of interesting-looking composite boats, which should provide a spectacular race come the weekend.
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