The wait is finally over! For 39 crews, the Championship Girls Quads event at National Schools’ Regatta will be the first official race in nearly two years, and what a way to get back into it! Undeniably, this event has been the pinnacle for schoolgirl racing; with the opportunity for a top seed in the Diamond Jubilee at Henley Royal, schools and clubs up and down the UK have continually brought their best in this annual showcase of excellence, however, as we know, this year won’t be typical.
It seems, despite the newly added Schoolgirl Eight event at HRR, for which a position could be seeded at NSR, most of the top performers have prioritised the quad, so we can expect a lot of speed across the field. Especially when we consider the elimination of the semi-final rounds, crews will have to leave it all on the field, in the time trial, if they hope to be in with a chance of glory.
Tideway Scullers School
Firstly, the programme we all know to be rising into fame: Tideway Scullers School. The girls of Tideway have a consistent history of Junior GB representation and a fantastic U23 development squad, coached by Kieran Clark and Rhona McCallum; we know this crew will be strong. The Tideway boat is stroked by Zoe Scheske, who, as an under 16, competed at the Coupe de la Jeunesse and has been a consistently high performer under the junior trailing system, winning the November Early ID trails last winter. We already know the crew is powerful following a dominating performance at Hammersmith Regatta. I can only imagine how fierce Tideway will be this year, perhaps enough to knock recurring medal holders out of their comfort zones.
Henley Rowing Club
Like Tideway Scullers, Henley Rowing Club has perhaps the most revered reputation in junior women’s rowing, certainly for the right reasons, too, winning 12 events at NSR over the past three years. Unsurprisingly, HRC has an extremely strong pedigree in the Championship Girls Quad, currently holding the course record in a blistering 6:54.8. Although not much is known about the crew, we know they are well-practised and have engaged in private matches with similarly ranked opposition from local clubs, so hopefully firing them into racing spirit in time for competition. Indeed, under the provision of Henley’s head and GB Junior coach Leon Redman, I have no doubt this crew will live up to the outrageous standards set by HRC alumni and would not have been phased by lockdown separation.
Headington School Oxford Boat Club
Although the primary source of junior female rowing is concentrated in clubs – unlike its schoolboy counterpart – it’s paramount to consider the returning favourites from schools, who time and time again produce top quality athletes. Headington School most famously impacts the competitive sculling and sweep scene; however, interestingly, this year, coach Ryan Demaine has placed his eggs in one basket. The Headington quad will race without the accompaniment of the eight. It will feature Captain of Boats Claudia Rossington, who herself stroked the crew to Henley Royal finals in 2019 and has been a formidable force on the GB trailing system this year. Hoping to better a bronze medal performance in 2019, there is no doubting the Headington girls will benefit without the distraction of the eight, a sentiment mirrored by their polished appearance on social media.
Royal Shrewsbury School
I feel it is perhaps challenging for some schoolgirl rowers to shine through the performance of their schoolboy contemporaries, but I am convinced the likes of Royal Shrewsbury will do just that. Shrewsbury has consistently produced solid sculling performances in recent years; I feel they will be a crew to watch.
Shiplake College
Dissimilarly, this will be Shiplake’s first women’s quad to race at NSR. We know the school is more than capable of producing top female athletes, such as GB sculler Olivia Morgan, so it will be exciting to see what this crew will bring to the table. We are aware the crew have had experience racing alongside the Leander development squad with great success and will feature current Scullers Head title defender Nicole Dunn. Both schools, I believe, will threaten the security of those who usually steal podium positions.
Trentham Boat Club
We are aware that our sport is ever-evolving, and because of this, new talent blossoms every season. One crew we know to be packed with future potential is Trentham; although a small club, the boat will include current world indoor champion and world record holder Meg Knight, who at just 16 set the under 19 indoor 500-meter ergometer record in a rapid 1:30.7. We can only envisage how much power the Trentham girls will have and will surely be a mighty force on the water!
Wycliffe College
Now, another emerging talent who I would deem the wildcard of the event is Wycliffe college. Whilst little is known about the squad, we know the girls had indoor success in winning the women’s relay event at this year’s Virtual British Indoor Rowing Championships and will feature Grace Denning-Smitherman, a familiar name in the Junior GB circuit. Supported by level 4 coach Greg Flower, it will be interesting to see if the Wycliffe girls will live up to their crew of 1999, who held the event record for 20 years.
Predictions
I also acknowledge that regular fan favourites, such as Marlow Rowing Club and Wallingford Rowing Club, will perform to their usual outstanding standards; however, little is known to make a further judgment on this year’s crews.
Nonetheless, based on the entries, the Championship Girls Quads will surely be the pinnacle of junior women’s rowing at the 2021 National Schools’ Regatta, and the victor of the event will proudly wear their crown into the late summer season, Henley Royal and beyond.
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