Promises of national fame and shining medals are just some of the incentives that draw juniors from across the country down to National Schools’ each year. Clubs from the peaks of Scotland, the rivers of Northern Ireland, the famous Henley stretch and many more will come together to battle it out on the blue waters of Eton Dorney between the 24th and 26th of May.
Amongst the hustle and bustle of the regatta, we must look through a magnifying glass toward a thrilling event: the Championship Girls Coxed Fours. Perhaps an unjustly overlooked event, the girls coxed fours emulsify technique and power to produce a masterclass of rowing. With all to play for, crews must bring their A-game onto the water to walk away with the winning plate.
Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association
Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association is a club befitting a spot at the top of this preview. ASRA have a tendency to quietly come into a race, perform spectacularly, and quietly leave again. Stroke seat Penny Irvine is backed up by three seat Sophie Sinclair to make a fabulous pairing, a due that has performed well, winning in events all across Scotland, as well as a strong performance at GB trials. The bow seat Charlotte Arthur and two seat Jemima Aspinall cannot be overlooked either, as all together these girls can tap into something special in their boat. If they bring their best performance onto the water, they have a chance of glory. Besides, if they can survive a ten hour minibus trip, a 2k will feel like the blink of an eye for them.
Royal Shrewsbury School Boat Club
National Schools’ 2023 saw Shrewsbury take third place in this event. This year, we see cox Kara Hundermark and stroke seat Eleanor Blackledge return with a new crew behind the stroke seat. If they have managed to move on in speed, the bronze medal finish can be a thing of the past. Shrewsbury has produced some magnificent women’s sweep athletes in the past years, and this coxed four may have the ability to demonstrate the skills that they have gained from their seniors, as well as their racing experience so far this year.
Sir William Perkins’s School
Sir William Perkins’s School enters with an air of mystique surrounding their performance. While they may not be considered the strongest contender in the field, their crew adds an intriguing dynamic to the competition. While a win may be a stretch for Perkins’s this year (though I can always be proven wrong), their determination and training may push them through. Again, they have alumni that show off their impressive learnings and if the younger rowers can carry that on, they can push past the underdog status and earn a top spot at National Schools’.
Wallingford Rowing Club
Wallingford RC won the WJ16 8+ at last year’s National Schools’. The crew then split into fours, culminating in a win in the WJ16 4+ at Henley Women’s Regatta. They have remained relatively unchanged from the victorious HWR crew and have continued their form into this season, with strong wins at Wallingford Regatta and Nottingham City Regatta. They’ll be looking to show their speed in the run-up to HWR.
Honourable Mentions
Tideway Scullers School’s reputation for developing technically highly proficient rowers will certainly help them here. They consistently produce crews with impeccable technique, and so will be ones to watch on the water.
Bedford Girls’ School Boat Club are entering not just one, but two crews into the Championship Girls Coxed Fours event. Hopefully this will give them a chance to fully demonstrate their depth of talent they have. With double the representation, I believe we may see some competitive racing amongst the top crews.
With a strong showing at Henley Women’s Regatta last year, Monmouth School Boat Club will be entering National Schools’ with momentum on their side. Their previous performances on the prestigious Henley stretch speaks volumes about their ability to compete at a high level, making them a crew to watch closely during the regatta.
Predictions
With such an expansive entry list with many unknown crews, it’s hard to truly make a prediction, but I think ASRA is the crew I will place my bets on to take gold. Many crews have gone unnamed here, and so perhaps we will see a shift in fortunes throughout the day. Nevertheless, all that remains now is the racing itself: good luck to everyone racing!
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