The precursor to Henley Royal Regatta, Dorney Lake plays host to one of the biggest events of the year in Marlow International Regatta. This is the final opportunity to make a statement before heading to Oxfordshire for qualifiers, or the main event, depending on the crews and their particularities. Clubs and their rowers will have thought about who might stand in their way over the next few weeks and will be eager to outgun them at the first time of asking.
Band two eights will feature crews whose aspiration is to compete in the Thames Challenge Cup and the Temple Challenge Cup, albeit at a range of levels. Marlow is one of few chances that we have to see clubs and universities race one another and it’s always interesting given that they aren’t usually in direct competition which will provide that further competitive edge.
Thames RC
Thames RC should be the favourites as, despite this being their third eight, they were only a whisker away from achieving a B, and A final across the Metropolitan Regatta’s two days.
Thames’s depth is beyond most clubs and this alone is ordinarily enough to place them in contention. Coming a close second to St Pauls’s championship crew at Wallingford Regatta, this Thames crew in particular has shown that it can take the fight to the supposedly ‘faster’ opposition.
Molesey BC
Molesey haven’t raced domestically since the Wallingford Regatta where they won the club eights rather convincingly. This boat is stacked with up-and-coming talent and, though it isn’t the top boat for the club, it will be leading the charge come the summer against very little in the way of expectation. Having been away from the limelight for most of the regatta season they will be eager to make their presence evident at Marlow if they’re wanting to win in the Thames Challenge Cup in a matter of weeks.
London RC
Last but not least, London RC round off the list of potential winners. It’s been a strong season for London though, outside of their top boats, they’ve rarely demonstrated the depth of talent that you would find at other elite clubs such as Thames or Brookes. Coming last in the final of the club eights at the Wallingford Regatta and achieving a D final at the Metropolitan Regatta, this London crew is likely to find itself behind the clubs that I have mentioned here and fighting for a place to simply race in the top finals. For London, success is measured by competing at the highest level, they’ll have a chance to do that with this field though they’ll have to perform to a far higher standard than their last outing at Dorney.
Prediction
The intrigue of this event in the unfolding of the dominance of Thames, the vitality of Oxford Brookes – more on them elsewhere – and the intent of Molesey BC. Historically betting against either Thames or Brookes would be considered a mistake but here, one of them has to fall. Whether or not Molesey can capitalise on this is another question altogether.
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