Credit: Bradley Redfern
The 2024 NSW All Schools Championships represent a new regatta format and bring with it the opportunity for the first hit-out of the 2024-25 NSW season. Whilst typically at an early-season regatta, we would see schools take the opportunity to gather data and enter their entire squads in single sculls, this regatta dictates that only one entry may be made per school. Therefore, the field should be relatively close and will provide some excellent racing.
Loreto Kirribilli: Eva Eales
Back for her second year in the First Eight, Eva Eales will represent the first trip down the racecourse for Loreto Kirribilli this season as she doubles up in the single on Saturday morning. After a few tumultuous seasons for the girls in blue and gold, it’s great to see the program entering with a strong contingent at this regatta. Eales, having done some rowing with Sydney Rowing Club over the past few months, will be looking to open the batting with a strong performance and possibly even emulate the efforts of her older sister, Lily Eales, who won Kirribilli’s most recent national medal in the single scull in 2019.
Armidale School: Isabella Henderson
The Armidale School is possibly one of the most dedicated programs in NSW Rowing, travelling over six hours every weekend to compete in Penrith. Isabella Henderson has been the shining light of this squad over the past year. She placed second in the B-final of a hotly contested U17 single at last year’s National Championships and memorably took the win in her heat, the very first race of the regatta seven months ago. Recent form at the Nepean Head shows Henderson has been really working over the winter, and will no doubt be looking for a podium finish in this event.
Roseville College: Grace Mackinlay
Roseville College epitomises ‘small but mighty’ in NSW Rowing. Whilst they rarely have the numbers to challenge in an eight, the Gonzalo Briones-led squad is always capable of producing a high-quality coxed four or quad, and last year was no exception. Grace Mackinlay is one of two returners to this year’s four, and will double up in the single scull for the school’s first hit out of the season. Given how close Roseville was to the indomitable Kinross combinations of last season, I’d imagine Mackinlay would be in for a chance at a medal in this early-morning hit-out.
St Catherine’s School: Chelsea Baker
St Catherine’s School are unmistakably, the dominant force in schoolgirl eights rowing in Australia at the moment. Chelsea Baker has been a member of the St Catherine’s eight for the past two years, snagging a Nationals Gold and Silver, along with two Henley Royal Regatta tours in that time. Baker’s only single scull form is at an early-season regatta last year, where she went toe-to-toe with Neve Tierney, who went on to place in the A-final at Nationals. St Cath’s have form for racing their top sculler in addition to the eight throughout the season, and if Baker can live up to Leila Gaston‘s campaign last year that saw her win the NSW Championship, she’ll be battling it out at the head of the field.
Honourable Mentions
Before I make my prediction, I’ll give an honourable mention to a couple of scullers who didn’t make it to this list. Due to the lack of early-season form and the tight schedule of this regatta, the decision has been made to race the 17 entries in this event as two separate divisions, randomly drawn, rather than with heats and finals. This means that Estella Robertson of Canberra Grammar School and Annabel Mckensey of Newcastle Grammar School are both racing in the second division when they are more than capable of competing in the first division. Had Mckensey been racing in the correct race, I’d be predicting her right at the pointy end. Fortunately, there are medals for both divisions, and the wind looks calm enough to compare times between the races accurately.
Predictions
It’s always hard to predict early-season form, but I can’t see anyone being a match for the experience of Chelsea Baker and St Catherine’s for the win in the main race. The minor medals won’t be too far adrift though, and I believe we’ll see Eva Eales of Loreto Kirribilli take the silver ahead of Isabella Henderson with Armidale for bronze.
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