As with the boys, this event will be highly fought over as athletes look for anything that will gain the GB selection teams attention. As a result, this field is teeming with athletes going through the trials system, promising an exciting set of races.
Glasgow Academy RC (Rankin/Wicklow)
In all honestly, the gold medal really does look like an open-and-shut case of Glasgow. Being confined to singles up until now, these girls have done well, but not fantastically. However, come April trials, and a chance to stretch their legs in a sweep boat, they wiped the field clean; a nine second lead over second place saw them win the ‘A’ final seemingly with ease. If these girls don’t do the same on Sunday I will be really very surprised.
St Edward’s School (Dickinson/Caitlin)
I’m not too sure what to make of this crew… On the one hand, Caitlin came second in the ‘A’ final at April trials, while paired with Georgia Mulraine of Sir William Borlase. On the other hand, Dickinson hasn’t even been part of the trialling system this season. Therefore, I can see this going one of two ways: either Dickinson has been too old to trial this year, and they put up a substantial fight with Glasgow. Or they make the final, but do fairly averagely. I can’t see them doing hugely badly, as Teddies have a pretty tidy systems going on, so I doubt they would put out their top athlete with one who can’t race close to her level. One to watch, and potentially be in contention for a medal.
Kingston Grammar School (Dodds/Blake-Parsons)
These two seem to have had a rough season so far. Issy Dodds competed at Early ID, delivering a fairly average performance, while Flo Blake-Parsons withdrew from the event entirely. Neither of them showed for Feb trials and then, and I’m not sure how, they arrived at Nottingham in April, and promptly came fourth in the ‘B’ final. I don’t know where this turn of speed cam from, but it has worked, these girls should make the final, and then be in contention.
Bewl Bridge (Grant/Macdonald)
It really is fantastic seeing a club, rather than a school or college, produce athletes which are performing to such a high level. Georgina Grant is especially impressive, proving herself in both sculling, finishing fourth at Feb trials, and sweep, coming in fifth in the ‘B’ final, this time in April, and earning herself a place in a boat at Munich, while paired with the same partner she will be racing with on Sunday, Grace Macdonald. I think these two will definitely make the final, although whether they will challenge for the medals is less certain.
Putney High School BC (Andrews/Lofstedt)
Here is another crew where I feel pretty comfortable talking about one, but not the other. Emma Andrews performed very well in the earlier part of the season while confined to a single, and then found herself paired with the hugely powerful Jo Gannon, of St Georges, for April trials. This was a combination that seemed to work, and saw them win the ‘B’ final. Lofstedt, however, I don’t know anything about. I will go by the same principle that I judged the Teddies crew on, and presume that she is almost as good as Emma. In which case these girls will be one to keep an eye on.
Others to mention would be George Watson’s College ‘A’ (McDonald/McDonald), a crew that has performed well over the season, but was absent from April trials. Norwich RC (Meakin/Bowyer) and Mossbourne Community Academy BC (Roe/Willers Moore) may also stand a chance.
Prediction
1st Glasgow, 2nd KGS and 3rd Bewl Bridge.
The Rowing Jesus
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