As we swiftly approach the midpoint of this whirlwind of regattas, it’s that time again to load up the trailer and make the pilgrimage to Dorney for the second instalment of side-by-side action on the renowned 2012 Olympic course. Offering not one, but two full days of thrilling races, the Metropolitan Regatta presents the perfect opportunity for coaches to fine-tune and trial potential crew combinations before solidifying their Henley line-ups in the weeks ahead. An opportunity not to be missed, we’ll also welcome Irish crews, as they cross the waters to challenge and gauge their own speed against their British counterparts.
Championship
Throughout the weekend, we’ll see some familiar faces in the championship category, notably Leander Club, who recently won the challenge coxless four event at Wallingford Regatta.
Hot on their heels were strong showings from Thames Rowing Club and Upper Thames, who secured second and third place respectively at Wallingford. It seems that TRC and UTRC will be experimenting with crew configurations, as evidenced by the varying crew names throughout the weekend – certainly one too watch there.
Adding to the mix, we look forward to university representation from Durham University, who put up a spirited fight against Imperial at BUCS, narrowly missing out on fourth place by a mere 0.2 seconds.
Galway University, meanwhile, has registered entries for both days under the same crew name. Whether there are any subtle alterations to their lineup remains to be seen, but it’s evident that these crews are placing significant emphasis on this event as Henley draws near.
As for other contenders throughout the weekend? Fresh off the plane from Varese, London Rowing Club will make a double appearance on Saturday, having reached the finals in the challenge coxless four at Wallingford.
On Sunday, Newcastle University will present a revamped boat lineup following their performance in the BUCS final. Given Newcastle University’s track record of strong performances in sweep rowing, this could be a crew to keep tabs on.
Club
Meanwhile, in the club event, Saturday emerges as the busier of the two days in this category, boasting 27 entries compared to Sunday’s 18.
Also fresh from training camp, Thames Rowing Club will enter an additional three crews into this category to compete on both days, seemingly maintaining the same crew formation throughout.
Worcester Rowing Club know how to make a coxless four move, demonstrated by their quarter-finalist status in 2022 and subsequent victory in the 2023 Lester Trophy for the same event. WRC will field two crews, one of whom appears to be the same crew that secured fourth-placed in the Wallingford Regatta club coxless four final.
Nottingham Rowing Club aims to ramp up their speed as they focus on fine-tuning their coxless four across both Saturday and Sunday races. Comprising three of the four athletes from last year’s crew, which made it to the quarter-finals at Henley Women’s Regatta, this crew could also be one to watch.
While Sunday may see a decrease in entries, anticipation remains high for fierce competition at the finish line. Lea Rowing Club, securing third place at Wallingford, falling short to event winners Molesey BC, are among those solely entered for Sunday. While some competitors experiment with eight combinations, these two clubs are absent from Saturday’s races.
As crews fine-tune their strategies, we’ll see tight racing, strong contenders and rising stars. When it comes to the championship cohort, I think we’ll see a reliably strong showing from Leander. That said, Thames and Upper Thames may well have found some speed in recent weeks to close the gap and give them a fight for the line. In the club category, I expect to see Thames take the win on Saturday before facing stiff competition from fresh-legged Molesey and Lea RC on Sunday.
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