Championship pairs at NSR can be an interesting boat category, in the sense that it probably has the biggest skill range for often the smallest list of entries. Smaller clubs with a duo that stand out from the rest often choose to try their hand in winning some metal here. But then you have entries from bigger clubs (Teddies, Hinksey…) who you would expect to see placing well in fours and eights and it makes you wonder whether they have stacked this event or the bigger boats.
Roundup
First in the draw alphabetically, and current holders of this event, Aberdeen Schools’ Rowing Association return for another tilt at the title albeit with a totally different crew. It seems ASRA want to go two for two in the Leander Cup taking the bowman, Isla Petty, from their J16 Eight that just lost to St. Paul’s Girls’ Boat Club, and sending her off to race with Ella Johston. It seems the story of SPGSBC may be inexplicably tied to these championship pairs; Amy Newton and Sarah Happs from George Heriot’s School Rowing Club were part of the crew that beat SPGSBC last year to win the coxless four title at the National Schools’ Regatta. Taking these two out of the four and sticking them into the smaller, more technical pair is a test of skill and technique, and it’ll be interesting to see how they respond. The last of the big names, St. Edwards School Boat Club, more affectionately reffered to as “Teddies“ by fans and competitiors alike, pairs a J16, Fiorella Pucks-Fazel, who came third in the J15 Coxed Four last year, with Katie Oates who didn’t even race! The seemingly eclectic pairing is definitely one to watch out for; if a J16 from a school as prestigious as Teddies has been deemed good enough to race in a pair, a boat class renowned for its difficulty in handling, the crew is not one to be discounted so easily.
Other entries
We’ve got crews from around the country rounding up the pack to a grand total of 11 entries, from Hereford Rowing Club coming from just before the Welsh border to Newark Rowing Club who hail from the midlands of England.
But rather than listing all the crews entered, it’s worth mentioning who isn’t here – Hinksey Sculling School. The scratched entry comprised two members of the Junior Women’s Eight that placed third in Championship Eights last year, and who could have been serious contenders for a gold medal. I’ll let all the other competitors breathe a sigh of relief in 3, 2, 1..
It’s nice to see names other than those we always see on the draw; aside from adding some spice to the racing it’s a small step into expanding the reaches of the sport and breaking the (often self-painted) socio-economic barrier that leads to stigma around junior rowing.
Predictions
Keep an eye out for the neon yellow All-Mark-One 2022 NSR wristbands, given the amount of returning medalists we have racing! In a field that’s shaped up to be stacked, the A final looks to be a close race between Teddies, George Heriot’s and ASRA. Going out on a limb, I am putting my money on the Teddies’ pair because there’s something almost unnerving about a J16 racing up in such a notoriously tough boat class.
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