The Metropolitan Regatta held at Eton Dorney Rowing Lake has two days of racing. This allows crews maximise racing, however it does make it ever more likely to come up against crews you have raced on the previous day who will likely be raring for a rematch. The regatta is also one of the highlights in the rowing calendar meaning the racing is fierce.
Saturday
Racing for the women’s double sculls takes place in the afternoon session. With a total of 20 entires this year to the Championship category alone.
Bath University BC Rebekah Court, this double with Ella Fullman raced at BUCS regatta and secured second place in the Championship category. Next we see University of Limerick RC IRE with Amy Barrett, who in 2022 represented Ireland at the Coupe De La Jeunesse along with winning the senior quad category at the Irish Rowing Championships 2023. At the same event in 2023, we saw two University of Limerick RC IRE both of which raced well to get a spot in the A and B final respectively.
For Leander Club, we see Kathryn Burton racing her first season as a senior, who as a junior also raced at the 2022 Coupe De La Jeunesse and came home with a double bronze in the quad. In the second Leander club double of the day we see Roxy Welford racing who joined Kathryn in the 2022 Coupe De La Jeunesse.
Hartpury University & College BC, Chloe Shepherd and Ellie Dash who won the intermediate double at BUCs regatta 2024. Exeter University BC’s Issie Magee and Issey Barnes who managed to take an intermediate bronze medal away from BUCS regatta 2024. Issey raced here last year but for Greenback Falmouth RC and came a strong second in the B final. Elizabeth Dashley of Norwich RC raced last year for the University of Birmingham and placed fourth in the B final for the same event. Elizabeth also had a successful year in 2023 racing for England at the Home International Regatta in the coxed four.
Sunday
This category is also in the afternoon session on Sunday, however we see a smaller number of entries, 15. Many of these crews will have raced the previous day. Again we see the Bath University BC and Exeter University BC crews along with City of Oxford RC, Fermoy RC IRE, Norwich RC and more.
Fresh to race on Sunday is London RC’s Aoife Keane and her doubles partner. Having won the aspirational single at Henley Women’s Regatta 2023, Aoife will be set on having similar successes this upcoming year. Another fresh crew is Amy Strode from Durham University BC. Having placed third in the intermediate coxless four at BUCS head earlier this year along with placing fourth in the beginner double, she if off to a flying start from her beginner career in the sport.
We also see Nottingham University BC‘s Eve Strong who has recently got silver in the lightweight intermediate quad at BUCs regatta 2024. Eve and her partner will be looking to continue the strong performances moving forward.
Predictions
For Saturdays racing, I predict the A final will be tough to get into. Within that I think it will be tight places between Bath University, University of Limerick and one of the Leander crews. The experience within the Bath crew will take them further to take the gold. For Sunday I think again we will see Bath University on the podium alongside London RC and a tight finish for third between Exeter University, and Norwich RC for the third place.
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