Now that all crews have had their practice racing in smaller events across the country, it is time to see who can make a statement for the rest of the season at the doubles event where it really counts. Weather conditions for Saturday afternoon are expected to be dry with a low of 15 degrees. Whichever crews do not slack between the Barnes and Hammersmith Bridges, steer the best line, and cope best with the notoriously unpredictable tideway conditions, should leave the race with a good result and their heads held high.
Norwich School BC
Crew member England finished 5th out of 11 at the recent Bedford Autumn Fours & Small Boats Head in the J181x. The ‘-2′ next to Tremelling suggests this is the younger of two brothers as the other is entered in J182- Inter. However, this sibling won J161x at Bedford and J15 1st 8+ at NSR, making him and his partner a force to be reckoned with. He is partnered with the J17 of Davies and the crew finished 3rd in the J182x event at Bedford out of 7 entries.
Eton College BC
Ridgewell sat in the 7 seat at HRR last year, leaving last season with a silver medal in Ch8+ at NSR. This season he finished 20th out of 41 in J18 1x at Reading SBH and 5th out of Eton scullers. Taylor was third out of the Eton entries, 15th overall. The only information this season on the J17-aged boat which includes Henry Pearson says that he was disqualified from Reading SBH. I can only imagine this means he did not start. Expect these Eton entries to be fast, with their top boats being drawn into this intermediate category.
York City RC
This lineup won York Autumn sculls out of seven entries in the 2x category and also J18 2x at Ancholme Head comfortably by 43 seconds out of a field of four, Hancock finished 3rd out in J181x at York LDS.
American School in London BC
This crew won Open2x at Wallingford LDS out of 3 with a time that would place them 7th out of 16 in the J182x category.
Westminster School BC
Hal Barrow was the fastest non-qualifier in Ch1x at NSR last year, and will be hoping for better luck this season. That being said, he did make the second day of HRR in the Fawley, being knocked out by the seeded Maidenhead crew, who have got their season off to a blistering start. Racing on home water, this crew has an immediate advantage over the others, apart from KCS Wimbledon BC.
KCS Wimbledon BC
It is surprising that this KCS crew contains Dom Oldroyd, and both GB triallists from last year in Felix Iggo and Oscar Olsen are in the Club category. He is likely to be partnered in this case with Tom Bryan-Isaacs, who finished 21st out of 54 at Wallingford LDS in J181x. With this being KCS’ home water, expect them to make some overtakes given they start at the back of the pack.
Great Marlow School BC
The only information I could find on the crew containing Jamie-Jack Westfold was that he finished 9th out of 54 in J181x at Wallingford LDS. He is likely to be partnered with Oliver Pearce seeing as this is the top Great Marlow double entered, he finished 6th at Wallingford. A very strong partnership.
Kings School Ely BC
Finishing 2nd out of 7 at Bedford Autumn Fours & Small Boats Head in J182x, this partnership of Millard and White carries momentum seeing as they have already beaten the Norwich lineup of Davis and Tremelling at that event, but only by 2 seconds. Keep an eye out for them in their red and white hats.
Prediction
I expect this category to be a battle between the Etonions (with the Ridgewell pairing being the fastest out of them), York and Great Marlow. The best of the rest will be headed up by Norwich, with KCS and King’s School Ely hot on their heels.
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