This 4.5km race is the second event on the hallowed turf in almost as many weeks. Each of these crews, no matter which category they are entered in, will be trying to make it down the course in a time to prove they are the one to beat for the coming season.
Cambridge ‘99
The first men’s crew to make their way down the course this year will be the combination of Young/Wilkinson from Cambridge ’99. These two scullers are both well-known names in the domestic scene but haven’t seemed to be able to make the jump to national team selection. Young raced recently at Scullers Head placing a very respectable 5th in category just 1.1 seconds behind Sam Meijer and 11 seconds behind winner Jamie Copus. If these two can build on Young’s Tideway experience they could be one to watch.
Reading University
The only university I can think of to run a program like Reading where the focus is solely on sculling it is no surprise they are starting to produce some extremely quick scullers that can also produce on the day. Most notable from this combination of Lyon/Fuller is Lyons’s tideway experience fresh of a win in the u23 category at the recent Scullers Head where his partner Fuller didn’t fulfil his entry. This is Readings’s top boat and will have eyes on the main prize. Reading also has some entries into the senior category, most notably Walters/Collen with Walters placing a solid second in the U23 category at Scullers head he will be hoping he can prove it should be him racing with Lyons.
University of London Boat Club
The Purple Palace has two entries in the doubles this year with several entries in the pairs as well all combinations should be feeling well prepared and focused to defend their home waters and take the win. the first of the two combinations is Wallace/Ioras, both of these boys are no strangers to rowing at a high level most notably Ioras competing in back-to-back HRR finals (‘21 and ‘22) and winning the event with the ever-impressive Windsor Boys outfit in 2022. Wallace similarly comes from a high-performance background at Henley Rowing Club I will be watching these two u23 athletes with much anticipation. The second outfit from UL is Clarke/Middleton, with the latter needing no introduction. Joe Middleton is a name synonymous with the tideway. This double is oozing class and they will be hoping to get one over their teammates.
Derby Rowing Club
Perhaps one of the smaller clubs on the rowing circuit, Derby is also one of the older clubs and these two will be hoping to put them on the map for this season. The combination of Bennet/Hanks didn’t go to Scullers Head, however, they are not without racing experience with Hanks racing recently at EUSA in Poland in the Lightweight single for Derby Univeristy as well as a 9th place overall at last year’s Pairs Head, they should be well placed to improve on that result for this year’s edition.
Bath University
Despite not entering the Championship Category, I still think their two entries are worth covering. The combinations of Stobbs/Pollock and Norton/Page will be hoping to provide some inspiration for their squad with Cedol Dafydd and Jamie Gare leaving their university days behind them after an extremely impressive summer season the blueprint is there for these 4 scullers to follow.
Prediction
It’s time for the bit everyone is waiting for. This year’s event I think will be decided between Reading’s Lyon/Fuller and Cambridge ’99 entry with the two UL boats battling for 3rd to 5th place with Derby and Thames.
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