Often serving as a preamble to Henley Women’s or Henley Royal Regatta, Dorney Lake will once again play host to crews hailing from across the country at the historic Metropolitan Regatta this weekend. Women’s Coxed Fours are never short of entries across the Championship, Club, and Academic sub-categories. Bringing these together for finals will likely make for some much less predictable racing than we might expect. Below, I will outline crews that may be slightly more favoured towards victory on each day.
Durham University BC
Still riding high from their impressive showing at BUCS Regatta that rightfully earned them the overall Victor Ludorum, Durham University have supplied two women’s coxed fours on each day this weekend, featuring different combinations of athletes. There is certainly no shortage of depth in Durham’s women’s squad this season, and the club are making their mark once again on both the university and national rowing scene. They will undoubtedly be looking to build on their third and first-place finishes in this event last year, and make it a double bill of victories. On paper, it is well within their reach, most likely for each of the crews under the Championship banner.
Vesta RC
No strangers to glory at Metropolitan Regatta, Vesta Rowing Club are bringing one Women’s Club Coxed Four entry on Saturday and two on Sunday. Some of the athletes who claimed third place in this event last year appear to be returning to the fold, so I have every faith that at Vesta will be occupying A final spots on both days. Vesta are consistently strong domestically in the four; their Women’s Challenge and Club Coxed Fours both claimed third place in highly-competitive finals at Wallingford Regatta a couple of weeks ago, for example. As such, Vesta may be the biggest club challengers to aforementioned Durham University at the weekend.
Oxford Brookes University BC
A singular Championship entry on Saturday is the offering from Brookes. However, quality over quantity springs to mind here, and it goes without saying that Brookes are a force to be reckoned with, no matter the event. Brookes are certainly in strong company in this event, but I’d be surprised not to see them grab at least a top-three finish on Saturday.
University of Limerick RC
Having taken the Women’s Coxed Fours by storm last year, defending Saturday champions Limerick are sending a crew over again this year for a shot at back-to-back victory. I have no doubt that Limerick will inject even more pace into the Saturday lineup and give their English university and club rivals a high-octane race down the track.
Others
There is certainly no shortage of very capable women’s coxed fours across both days. With an impressive 24 entries on Saturday and 22 on Sunday, there are a host of household names and newcomers alike that will seek to disrupt the chances of the crews singled out above.
The likes of Marlow RC, Oxford University, and Exeter University are sending yet more strong coxed fours into the mix, for example. Based on the draw, the two crews from Newcastle University appear to be doubling up across both days, no doubt hoping to school local rivals Durham with a victory reminiscent of their title-defending performances in eights at the Boat Race of the North last month.
Dublin University Ladies RC, University College Cork RC and University College Dublin Ladies BC are also bringing crews over once again, adding an additional edge of unpredictability.
Finally, the girls of Shiplake College BC are the only junior crew stepping up into the senior roster, providing an ambitious Championship entry on Sunday. This in itself is worth a mention; youth can easily be written off in senior events but I have no doubt that Shiplake will put up a fight and add to the high calibre of crews in the mix.
Prediction
For Saturday, a Durham–Brookes one-two is likely (though could be reversed), with Limerick and Vesta hot on their heels. For the slightly less stacked Sunday, I’d back Durham for the win again, with Vesta in second, and Newcastle or University College Dublin in third. Good luck ladies!
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