In its 186 year history (yes – that predates Henley Royal!) Durham Regatta has only been cancelled three times; two of which have been in the last two years. Fondly named ‘Big Durham’ by the locals, the two-day event is the height of most northern rower’s seasons, as over the two days there are nearly 2,000 athletes and 10,000 spectators. The opportunity to race in this buzzing atmosphere excites most of us enough, yet the chance to claim a trophy at the presentation brings added motivation.
This year, however, there will be no such rewards, despite a long Winter for us all. Junior Rowing News is here to help, let us satisfy all of your regatta racing needs!
Although it’s impossible to know who would have entered each event at Durham Regatta this year, I can still highlight the top performers in this event over past years. Here’s who I thought would be claiming their tankards on the Gala Theatre stage in 2020.
WJ18 4x-
The girl’s quad has been an event over the past year that has seen many different winners from a large selection of schools and clubs. A year ago, Cambois RC were largely unbeaten in the quad on the northern rowing circuit, until St Leonard’s School found momentum again to reclaim some titles they had previously eased to victory in during their J16 season. Chester Le Street have occasionally fielded a quad, sometimes a composite with George Watson’s, which has proved to be very fast, yet I believe it would have been York City as the quartet to beat. The Yorkshire girls won at Rutherford Head this December, Beating the aforementioned CLS/GWC composite and twelve other crews, including Durham ARC, Cambois RC, Yarm School and Leeds RC. Earlier in the season at Tees LDS, it was York City who won, with St Leonard’s School in second and Tyne RC a full minute behind SLS, with Cambois and QE further behind. With York being consistently faster than any crew in the northern region it would be unlikely for them to have lost at Durham Regatta.
J18 4x-
Queen Elizabeth High School appeared to be fielding a quad as their top boy’s boat, yet it was racing as senior crew and so a change to the makeup of the boat would be necessary to be eligible for the J18 event. At Durham SBH, QEH won fastest boat of the day; beating Durham School by 6 seconds who had won J18 quads. They, in turn, beat QE’s J18 entry, Yarm School, and George Heriot’s School. Similarly, at Wansbeck LDS it was QE with the fastest boat of the day, beating George Watson’s School. However, at Rutherford Head, it was Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association who won both the J18 quad and the eight, with a Chester-Le-Street/George Watson composite in second, with the winners of band 2 J18 quads being the Hollingworth Lake/ Leeds RC composite. Looking even further back at this season, Durham School placed third in open quads at Tyne LDS, with St Leonard’s School as the fastest junior boat. With such a wide scope of crews and no event where most of them have raced, it is very difficult to know who would come out on top, yet Durham School, George Watson’s School and Queen Elizabeth High School do seem to have been in the strongest positions to take the win in Durham.
WJ18 2x
The double has rarely been selected as the ‘top’ boat by any of the clubs in this area, meaning that there has been some yo-yo in results over recent years. Although one club that often puts out a pacey double is Chester-Le-Street and it was them who won Durham SBH this year, beating numerous crews including some from Durham ARC, Cambois and Yarm School. Although this Chester Le Street crew has been beaten by Cambois and St Leonard’s in recent races. Cambois-Furness also won at Tyne LDS, beating Durham ARC and Tyne. Depending on the entries and the draw I would predict a Chester Le Street Vs Cambois final.
J18 2x
The double at Durham SBH was won comfortably by a Yarm School/ Durham ARC composite, against competition from Tyne ARC and Tees. The double does appear to be a poorly entered category across the northern region in the few races that we have had this year, as at Wansbeck, Tees and Tyne LDS it was only Tyne who entered, however, QE have entered a senior double at some of the northern sculling series which often went quick and so, under the recent regulations of only being able to enter one event at Durham Regatta, it would be interesting to see if QE fielded a quad or a double. However, if the Durham ARC/Yarm composite were to race again in Durham, they would be difficult to beat.
WJ18 1x
For the past few years, there has been little change in the category and therefore the predictions for it too. Although Yarm School and Chester-Le-Street have put out fierce competition in recent years, Furness of Cambois RC remains the current most successful junior woman in the region. With wins at all local events and strong showings at GB trials and national events too. The final of the WJ16 North of England Sculling Championship in 2018 was Cambois Vs Chester Le Street and I would not have been surprised to see this year as a re-match in the Stan Turner Trophy.
J18 1x
The Steward’s Cup is always a well-entered and hotly contested event with winners in recent years coming from Queen Elizabeth High School and St Leonard’s School. The last time Durham Regatta went ahead, Morris from Durham ARC won the J16 North of England Sculling Championship, with Bowery of Chester-Le-Street winning the J15 event. Both of these scullers would have been in the running for the win this year. It was Morris who won this category at Durham SBH, against Yarm School’s Norton and Tompkins, as well as all three QE scullers including fellow GB trialist; Jones. One of Durham School’s newest recruits – Norman – was also beaten by Morris this February, despite racing in the A-final of the Championship Single at National Schools’ Regatta 2019, as a J16. I would expect to see some other entries from outside the region, from clubs such as; York, Leeds and George Watson’s College- however, it would be difficult to topple Morris on home water.
With another glorious weekend at the racecourse on the Wear written off, Durham Regatta 2021 is set to be an event no junior rower would want to miss.
TheNortherner
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