The ladies take on the Tideway this coming weekend in Women’s Intermediate Doubles. It’s been a long time coming but we have all been looking forward to getting well into long-distance racing again. A solid selection of crews and clubs have entered this years pairs head as hosted by Barnes Bridge Ladies Rowing Club. Unfortunately, with almost a year out of racing for most and over a year out for some it is hard to ascertain the crew members of all the ladies entered.
Tideway Scullers School
Mary McWilliam is in this crew after finishing her junior year also at Tideway Scullers School. She has been successful in Henley Royal Regatta and also National Schools Regatta this year in the A final for championship women’s coxed four. At the last Pairs Head in 2020 for the local clubs, Mary managed to win the junior women’s pair. All of these races have been in sweep boats, Mary will now double the number of blades and tackle the Thames in a double.
Newark Rowing Club
Could this be Lucy Owens? She came away from Vesta Scullers Head only a few weeks ago in fifth place in women’s lightweight senior singles. With this recent Tideway experience under her belt, will it prove to be profitable during racing this weekend?
University College London Boat Club
Flood came second in the women’s intermediate double at BUCS Regatta this year in the D final and this time teams up with Blase. If this pairing is of the same standard they have a chance to do well this year.
London Rowing Club
London has a strong women’s squad having reached finals and heats during Henley Women’s Regatta, Henley Town & Visitors along with Henley Royal Regatta in the Wargrave Challenge Cup. Both Grace Bake and Rowena Price have joined in with the fun of regattas for the club this year and both have seen plenty of good results. For Pairs Head, these two crew members are split up and put in two doubles. Could this be London’s women’s coxless four in two doubles?
Vesta Rowing Club
Vesta raced at Henley Women’s Regatta this year and Hetty Palmer was one of the eight selected to make up the aspirational club eight ‘A’ crew. Now she turns to the double to take on the Tideway.
Furnivall Sculling Club
Christina Thorp, the women’s captain, taking on the Pairs Head again this year after a strong performance in the 2019 pre-pandemic racing. She, along with her doubles partner competed in the women’s intermediate doubles to come away with eighth position.
Maidenhead Rowing Club
Vicky Palmer was one of four ladies to take on Marlow spring regatta in the women’s quads for Maidenhead this year. For the second to last Pairs Head in 2019, she managed to steal fourth place in the women’s intermediate doubles with her crewmate Steel. If this is the same crew formation, they could see strong results.
Prediction
Overall, I believe this to be a tough category for this years Pairs Head. We see swift competitors comeback to the Tideway to lay down strong performances and leave it all on the course. I personally fancy the chances of the Tideway Scullers School double to be taking the first spot, then to see close finishes between the two London Rowing Club doubles and the Newark Rowing Club double. Whatever the outcome may be, I’m sure we can all say that it’ll be exciting nonetheless. Best of luck ladies.
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