And the countdown is on. With fourteen days until the National Schools’ Regatta, junior crews throughout the country will be getting in their last bit of race preparation ahead of one of the busiest weekends on the junior rowing calendar. This weekend, Nottingham City Regatta will host some of these young crews allowing them to test their speed down a 2000m course which could provide vital experience come race day.
Junior 18 Sweep
With the absence of a eight event this weekend, all eyes are on the coxless fours and pairs events on the junior women’s sweep side. Shrewsbury School fielded a B final-winning J16 Eight last year and with what I expect to be many of these athletes moving up into their J18 squad, there will be a host of experience coming down the course. With that being said, this is not a given win with the likes of Newark and Yarm being sure to put up a good fight. Yarm specifically could be acting as a potential threat placing 5th last year overall at the National Schools Regatta in the coxed four hence showing they are clearly experienced in this boat class.
Junior 18 Quads
At the recent Junior Sculling Regatta, Nottingham and Union fielded the highest-placed crew going into this weekend’s racing which placed 5th in the B Final. Albeit some of this weekend’s competitors were not present at this event, it does provide a potential confidence boost to the crew on the start line potentially giving them that extra edge. Another strong force on junior club rowing, and hence should never be ruled out is Kingston Rowing Club who have proven year after year that they are able to produce crews of notable standard such as their girls Championship Quad making it to the B Final at last year’s National Schools’ Regatta.
Junior 18 Small Boats
Arguably as a spectator one of the most exciting boat classes to watch race is that of the single. The ability for the race to flip entirely over a matter of strokes, leaving everything out of the course as each athlete not only battles their competitors but the mental and physical endurance needed to succeed in such a challenging boat class, truly has viewers full of tension. Agecroft has entered two highly competent scullers into this event with S. Dewar making it into the A Final at last year’s National Schools’ Regatta. They will be met on the course by seven other athletes including two Grange School scullers and R.Wearmouth who managed to make an A/B semi at National Schools’ Regatta 2022 who will likely be looking to make a gain on this performance.
Junior 16 Sweep and Sculling
All eyes will be on the small boats for the girl’s Junior 16 events with only doubles and singles racing. The aforementioned Grange school athletes will compete again in the J16 doubles alongside their respective partners forming 2/5 of the entries into this boat class. Kingston Rowing Club have also chosen to enter a double here, and if the crew matches that of a few weekends ago at the Junior Sculling Regatta, making the B Final, I have no doubt these girls will be looking to improve on this performance.
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