The Pairs Head of the River Race, a 4500m race that has become a staple of the beginning of the racing season – where all entrants seek to put their best foot forward and establish themselves as the ones to beat over the remainder of the season.
Open Championship Doubles
Lea Rowing Club
The first boat in the start order for this category hails from Lea Rowing Club (Lea RC) and features the combination of Raymond-Barker/Powell. These scullers had some great performances last year and hope they can keep the momentum rolling with the 2024/25 season kicking off. In the open club single, Raymond-Barker pulled off wins at the 2024 British Championships and the Scullers Head of the River Race last season. Additionally, Powell brings a wealth of experience to this line-up. Last summer, Powell raced in The Prince of Wales Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. In 2023, he finished fifth in the quad at the 2023 under-23 European Rowing Championships. Combining these two experienced athletes poses a significant challenge for their fellow competitors.
City of Oxford Rowing Club and Upper Thames Rowing Club
Following Lea RC is the Clifford/Swiss composite from the City of Oxford Rowing Club and Upper Thames Rowing Club. Last season, Clifford finished 31st overall at the Scullers Head of the River Race and a fifth-place finish at the British Championships in the open club single. Having raced for the last few years at Henley Royal Regatta, Swiss completes the line-up, bringing a wealth of experience. In preparation for this weekend’s race, the duo raced at the Isis Sculls, where they were the fastest boat of the day. Seeing how this crew translates their speed on the Tideway will be exciting, and their experience places them in the mix to be at the top end of this category.
Newark Rowing Club
Next up, the scullers from the ever-strong Newark Rowing Club (Newark RC) are the dynamic duo of Robertson/Cowley. Cowley, the head coach of Newark RC, has tremendous experience on the Thames, lakes, and coasts. Previously, he won at Home International Regatta Beach Sprints 2023 and had a podium finish at last year’s Pairs Head. His teammate, Robertson, also had many successes over the previous few years, most notably in coastal rowing- however, Robertson is more than capable of transferring this type of success to the almighty Thames. If this duo can get in their groove at Pairs Head, there shouldn’t be much in their way of a podium spot or a win.
Greenbank Falmouth Rowing Club
The small club from the South West has rarely headlined the competitive scene, but following the performances from competitors Wilkinson/Kerr, Greenbank Falmouth Rowing Club (Greenbank Falmouth RC) is at Pairs Head this year to make that name for itself. At the Metropolitan Regatta 2024, Wilkinson achieved a heartbreaking fourth-place finish, where he was less than a second off the podium. With Wilkinson’s prior success at other regattas, can he bring this success to the double scull with Kerr to continue elevating Greenbank Falmouth RC’s profile on the competitive scene?
Open Intermediate Doubles
The wide field features some solid contenders for the Intermediate double sculls. The first notable duo is from Hereford Rowing Club and is the team of Coombes/Butler. Coombes is coming off a strong season, including a second-place finish at the British Championships in the open club single. If this duo meets the challenge on the day, they will be in serious contention to take home the pennant.
Another boat in contention may be the team from the Cantabrigian Rowing Club of Wilson/Woodard. This duo has had a successful season and has significant experience steering the race course. Therefore, this pair should be in the mix to pick up the win when the time comes.
Predictions
For the championship double, I struggle to see past the dominance of Raymond-Barker/Powell from Lea Rowing Club. However, they will likely encounter substantial challenges from the City of Oxford Rowing Club and Newark Rowing Club. For the Intermediate double, I believe the race will be closely fought between Hereford Rowing Club and Cantabrigian Rowing Club.
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