As the dust settles on another stellar National Schools’ Regatta, all eyes now turn towards the beginning of July and the blue waters of Henley-on-Thames. This year’s edition of the junior extravaganza was dominated by shock results and unexpected victors; many had written off St Paul’s only to see them steal home for the win, whilst most had already begun to inscribe Henley’s name on the trophy for Championship Girls Eights. Can we expect similar at Henley Royal Regatta in five weeks’ time?
The Metropolitan Regatta marks the first outing for crews on the road to the world’s most famous river regatta. Many boats will now enter something of a winter period in terms of training – peaking for the National Schools’ Regatta requires tapering and it’s impossible to maintain the sharp edge of performance for over a month. Therefore, there’ll be considerable miles put in to improve base fitness and re-establish crew formations approaching the most prestigious event of them all.
Saturday’s draw immediately pits the majority of the Championship Eight cohort against each other again in Open Eights. St Paul’s School lead the pack, after securing their third title in a row last weekend, and are placed in a hear with Radley College‘s second crew and Westminster School, winners of the ‘B’ final at Dorney. In heat 2, Eton College take centre stage whilst Heat 3 sees Radley’s first eight match up against Hampton from the junior selection.
Amongst the boys quad categories, Claires Court School are the only junior representative in the championship tier and face stern competition from the likes of Leander, Reading University and UL Tyrian. The junior quad category only welcomes Claires Court and Henley from the ‘A’ final line-up at the National Schools’ Regatta albeit the latter crew are actually Henley’s second boat who won silver in their event last weekend.
Beyond the above, the only other stand-out competitor on the men’s side is
Julian van Gelderen of the Windsor Boys School who won gold in Championship Singles. He races the same tier of event this weekend.
On the women’s side for the Saturday, Henley’s second eight, who were the only crew of this category to make the overall ‘A’ final last weekend, race in Women’s Club Eights. Gloucester Hartpury take on the best that club sculling has to offer in women’s championship quads alongside Mossbourne Academy who may find themselves a little out of their depth having finished 28th in the time trial for girls quads last Saturday. The WJ18 category sees a straight final that includes Henley’s top two quads alongside Tideway Scullers School and Marlow Rowing Club.
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