After a COVID-induced hiatus, Quintin Head returns this coming Saturday. It’s a classic, well-regarded Tideway head race that always attracts a high calibre of entry, particularly in the Championship division, where historically a mixture of top student, club and junior crews have battled over the section of the Championship Course between the Harrods depository building in Hammersmith, and Chiswick quay (the direction of racing is subject to change year on year).
Oxford Brookes
Oxford Brookes University have three entries here – they entered in force for the 2019 Quintin Head, and ended up placing first, second, third and fifth in a remarkable display of depth. Brookes have lost a fair amount of horsepower this year, with a contingent of their top athletes moving on to Caversham and some of their best student athletes having graduated. However, they’re still left with a group of very talented young athletes, eager to live up to Brookes’ reputation. With strong results already under their belt at Wallingford Head late last year, they will surely go in as favourites for the top spot.
London Universities
University of London and Imperial College are regulars of Quintin Head, and sure enough they each have an entry in this category. Longstanding Tideway-based rivals, they will certainly both be going into this race looking to see if they can upset Brookes and threaten their overwhelming dominance in British student rowing. Given UL’s fantastic win in the Prince Albert Challenge Cup at Henley last year, they certainly have the pedigree to be a real force this season. Meanwhile, Imperial have quietly retained a number of their best athletes, including U23 medallist Casper Woods, and have added some exciting young talent to their roster. With some good results at Fours Head to buoy them, Imperial will be looking to establish themselves as dark horses for the racing season later in the year.
London Clubs
On the club rowing front, Thames Rowing Club are making a strong showing with three entries. As the men’s side failed to make an appearance at Fours Head this will be our first glimpse of their current form. Thames has been most consistently the club to beat for a good few years now, and are coming off the back of a successful season that culminated in wins in both the Wyfold Challenge Cup and the Thames Challenge Cup at Henley 2021. Thames have been massively benefiting from a contingent of student-aged athletes taking gap years either before starting university, or taking a year out of university (largely motivated by COVID), so they’ve got a young, talented squad that will be keen to see more Henley wins this summer. London Rowing Club also have one entry, as a club looking to make inroads in the domestic rowing scene, particularly against local rivals Thames, they will be worth keeping an eye on.
Juniors
Finally, from the juniors, King’s College School have stepped up to the Championship category, as they have for several years. It’s interesting that St Paul’s have opted to enter the Senior category, as they have enjoyed a run of massive success over the past few years under Bobby Thatcher; from 2015, they’ve largely remained at or near the top of junior sweep rowing in the UK. At the moment, however, KCS is enjoying a great streak of results. They’ve been building significantly over the past few years and look poised to make the step up towards the top of British schoolboy rowing.
Prediction
This is the first proper opportunity to see how clubs and universities are doing this season, and it’s possible there will be some upsets. Brookes are undoubtedly favourites but having lost so many athletes can Imperial, Thames or UL knock them off their top spot?
Good luck to all crews.
Five Man
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