With Wallingford and BUCS firmly behind them, clubs from across the country will be looking ahead to the Metropolitan Regatta as an opportunity to continue making positive steps as the business end of the regatta season rapidly approaches. With clubs, universities and schools’ alike heading to Dorney in search of the much coveted Henley Royal Regatta prequalification places there’s a lot on the line for those who have greater ambitions of a successful summer of racing.
Championship Coxed Fours
Thames RC have two entries and should, by all means, be the favourites for overall victory in the championship coxed fours event. Placing second at Wallingford Regatta behind a London RC crew, the victors that day weren’t competing for the championship classification. There is no easy ride in this sport, however, and the Royal Chester crew that pushed them close last time they raced at Dorney will be hoping to overturn the deficit. Looking strong, the provincial crew will be aiming for what seems like the unimaginable this season – a shot at the Britannia Challenge Cup. They have another chance here though to show that they should be viewed as a serious competitor at the spikey end of club rowing. Besides the two front runners, there are some other entries that are curveballs when it comes to making predictions. Entries from the schools’ of Eton, Shiplake and Kings College are the most difficult to place. Coming off of the back of strong performances at the National Schools’ Regatta the weekend before in their championship eights bout, how they fare in the coxed four might be a different story. Shiplake were the best of the bunch, finishing in third place, so should expect to beat their competition on the junior side once more here and push those established club athletes all the way. How they continue to perform at the highest level is a wonderful endorsement of quality and skill that is found across a widening junior field. The University of London and Durham University have a number of crews participating in the championship events. At BUCS Regatta, Durham came fifth in a race that was dominated by crews from Oxford Brookes and Cambridge University. The University of London had a little more of a disappointing affair, failing to make the final of the event and placing third in the repechage behind Newcastle and Edinburgh University. There are a number of Irish entries on the cards that are difficult to place amongst this field. Looking to claim a few scalps, it could be a difficult but thoroughly rewarding trip for Dublin University, University College Dublin, Shannon BC and Commercial RC.
Academic Coxed Fours
On paper it should be a little more straightforward to predict the outcome of the academic event. Having faced one another recently, it’s easier to know where the crews have stood in relation to one another and what they can, realistically, have achieved in just a number of weeks. The field of entries is slim across both days with university clubs seemingly showing preference to competition in the eights. What this means is that, for the top crews that have entered, they have a much more straightforward opportunity of success. Saturday’s entries should see Edinburgh University take the spoils. As the crew with the highest pedigree on paper, they’ll be looking to put some distance between themselves and those who are their nearest competition. At BUCS Regatta, they claimed fourth place in the championship category, the only crew in this field that took part at the highest level of university rowing. Whilst Durham and the University of London have both entered crews, this should be their lower-ranking boats, something that sees their likelihood of success reduced when you are considering the juggernaut that they would have to overturn. If anything, it should be the crew from Cambridge University entry that are looking to push Edinburgh the closest, having made the A-final in a jam-packed field. Like the championship event, it’s difficult to comment on the entries that have been made from the Irish crews as they don’t compete on the BUCS circuit. If anything, however, the weakened field could give them a really good opportunity to push for a result that they would be happy with. On Sunday, with Edinburgh not racing, there should be somewhat more opportunity for those other crews. In my books this makes Durham University the favourites though they’ll have to dispatch Exeter and Bath on route. It must be said that, following the release of the draw, many mid-sized clubs will be ruing the missed opportunity that could have been had with the coxed four, maybe a campaign in the Prince Albert could be on the cards for more over the coming weeks.
Club Coxed Fours
Unfortunately for some of the club entries, I don’t see there being much in this other than the Thames-based clubs having a ding dong over who takes the spoils. London and Thames RC are the notable favourites. London won the challenge fours at Wallingford Regatta and haven’t entered a crew in the championship category at this event; could this crew be a modification of the one that was breathtakingly fast the last time they took to Dorney lake? If it is, Thames will have their work cut out. Coming a close second to Molesey at Wallingford, they were noticeably faster than the rest of the field, some of whom will be racing in this event. A mention should be given to City of Bristol who were fourth that day but should, on this occasion, fall a little lower down the pecking order. Vesta, Upper Thames and Marlow will round off the top crews, though there really isn’t a lot in it once you get past the front runners. Any of these could, on their day, compete for victory though the record stands in favour of Thames and, more recently, London RC.
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