Having returned to 2km racing and shifted back to the Saturday of the National Schools’ Regatta, the J15 eights event promises to be a revealing competition, offering a glimpse into the future talent at the J16 and senior levels. This age group is noted for its intense competition, suggesting some of the closest racing seen in recent years. Early predictions from the JRN poll highlight Westminster, King’s College School, and St. Paul’s as the leading contenders. However, it’s worth noting that these standings may reflect the schools’ abilities in coding and organising their supporters rather than genuine predictions.
St Paul’s School Boat Club
Coached by the esteemed Sam Lapage, who has inspired and driven the team to success, this St Paul’s School Boat Club crew has achieved an impressive record this season. Throughout the season, this crew has remained undefeated against any J15 crew. The boat’s performance has been greatly enhanced by the seamless synergy of its members. The stern pair, Turner and Ludgate, offer a smooth and consistent rhythm that the rest of the crew capitalises on. In the six seat, rising star Parson contributes significant power, often described as delivering the necessary watts for the crew’s remarkable speed. At the bow, Miklavchich and Brunsden ensure the boat maintains its technical efficiency, stabilizing and propelling it forward. The crew has formed a cohesive and formidable unit and have been consistently showing their determination in every race, walking into this weekend they are well-positioned for continued success.
Hampton School Boat Club
After years in the shadows, this age group at Hampton School Boat Club is being touted as the one to bring them back into the limelight and elevate them to the top tier of junior rowing. Finishing second to St. Paul’s at both the Schools’ Head replacement event and the BASHER regatta, Hampton has spent some time away from their black-and-white-clad rivals, allowing them to gather momentum and collect medals along the way. Their performances at the Wallingford and Chiswick regattas have been particularly impressive, where they secured gold medals, showcasing their accelerated progress. This surge in performance can be attributed to a productive training camp in France, which has enabled them to make significant strides forward. Stroke man Woodburn sets the crew up well to allow them to capitalise on the power possessed throughout the boat and with cox Rofé praised for being an emerging act at Hampton, this crew is littered with talent.
Radley College Boat Club
Walking into this regatta, this Radley College Boat Club crew will aim to retain the Founders Cup they won last year. With the course lengthened, it will be interesting to see how the Radley coaches adapt their strategy, shifting from a sprint to a longer, more intense race on Saturday. This year’s crew hasn’t entirely lived up to the results left behind by last year’s squad. They placed fourth at the Schools’ Head replacement and after Easter lost to the St Paul’s J15 second eight. Despite this, they have clearly had a huge step on in terms of speed. They were able to bag a bronze at Wallingford Regatta ahead of Abingdon, Westminster and King’s College. This weekend I’m sure Radley will be preparing to pull something out of the hat and snatch the trophy again from crews that have managed to pip them earlier in the season.
Abingdon School Boat Club
The Abingdon School Boat Club’s J15 crew has had a notable season, showcasing their strength and determination despite some mixed results. Known for their distinctive carbon fibre-rigged Empacher boats and signature puce pink one pieces, they’ve been a prominent presence on the J15 rowing circuit. Although they skipped the Schools’ Head replacement, making it difficult to gauge their performance during the head racing season, their subsequent regattas have provided a clearer picture of their capabilities. After the Easter break, the crew achieved a commendable fourth place in the J15 eights at the BASHER regatta, although this result might not have met their expectations. They continued their competitive streak at Wallingford Regatta, again placing fourth and narrowly missing out on a medal. At the Bedford regatta, the A, B, and C boats all reached the finals but had to settle for silver medals, indicating strong but not quite gold medal-winning performances. Abingdon will certainly be a contender for a medal this Saturday with their near-podium finishes but, only time will tell as to whether they clinch the coveted trophy.
Westminster School Boat Club
This Westminster School Boat Club crew experienced a season of mixed outcomes. Initially, they struggled to find their footing but showed promise by securing a silver medal at Hampton Head. Again, they were notably absent from the Schools’ Head replacement race, which was a significant event. Following a training camp in Ghent, the crew competed in the Ghent May Regatta, where they again demonstrated their potential by winning silver in the U19 category, finishing just behind the German national team. Upon returning to the UK, they participated in the Wallingford Regatta, achieving a respectable fifth place. Notably, they were only 0.2 seconds behind Abingdon, their close competitors also attired in pink. Their progression is to be respected but this Saturday it will be crucial to see if this progress can accelerate them right to the top of the leaderboard.
King’s College School Boat Club
The King’s College School Boat Club crew have faced challenges this season, falling short of their hopes to dominate. Their head season brought a series of bronze medals, and a tough result at the Wallingford Regatta saw them finish in sixth place due to injuries and illness. However, signs of a comeback are evident as they have recently defeated two higher-placing crews from Wallingford: Westminster and the winners, Hampton. The crew has been dedicated to training intensively in recent weeks, fine-tuning their speed and performance. They opted out of participating in the Poplar Regatta, choosing instead to spend their final training cycle weekend in Putney. The crew’s dynamics have been bolstered by the presence of Flores and Buckingham, who both provide experience and skill from the stroke and four seat respectively. Additionally, bowman Benjamin has been praised for his powerful contributions, with some even classifying him as a ‘watt unit’. The time away from competition will likely have been beneficial to the crew and it seems as though they are poised for stronger results this Saturday.
Predictions
This weekend’s regatta is set to be a thrilling showdown, particularly between the two titans, St Paul’s and Hampton. Both crews have demonstrated exceptional skill and tenacity throughout the season, making it challenging to predict a definitive winner. It’s likely that the gold and silver positions will be hotly contested between these two, with the crew that doesn’t clinch gold almost certainly securing silver. The fight for the bronze medal promises to be even more intense. Several strong crews are in the running, each with the potential to claim a spot on the podium. KCS, Westminster, Radley, and Abingdon are all formidable contenders. However, given their recent performances and consistency, Radley might have a slight edge. Their solid track record this season suggests they are well-positioned to secure the third-place finish.
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