Quintin Head 2023 – Women’s Intermediate 1 Preview

The Women’s Intermediate 1 category at Quintin Head serves as a good indicator of many of the women’s clubs’ depth and development through the middle of this season. With some of the top performers from Women’s Intermediate 2022 this year stepping up to the Senior category, including OUWLRC and Putney Town, there’s a good, new mix of crews entered this year with a different winner to last year guaranteed. 

Exeter University BC

Exeter University are the best represented university squad in this category. Along with Barnes Bridge Ladies, they have fielded two intermediate crews. Although Exeter have no Women’s Senior or Championship entries there is further Exeter representation in the Women’s Development category, which suggests this is a time during which Exeter is focussing on rebuilding and developing athletes. Coming off the back of their winter training camp, they’ll be hoping both crews can put in a strong performance in this category.

London RC

London are racing on home water and should be strong contenders with both rowers and a cox more used to the challenges of being on the Tideway. Although we wouldn’t expect this to be their top line up, they should still be competitive in this category. 

Nottingham University BC

Nottingham have also chosen to field an Intermediate crew along with their top Championship crew, again hopefully demonstrating some strong talent coming through from this historically strong women’s squad. They’ll see this as an opportunity for some of their less experienced squad members to get a chance at winning a category in a Tideway race. 

Others

The remaining entrants are a good mix of university crews such as Bath and Reading mixed in with clubs such as Auriol Kensington and Upper Thames. With such a mix of clubs, and 13 entrants there’s lots of potential for the Women’s Intermediate 1 category to throw up surprise results.

Prediction

With the potential for conditions, steering lines and overtaking drama, the Women’s Intermediate 1 category could be really unpredictable. That being said, the strength of their squads overall means one can expect London and Nottingham to be competitive, and with two crews entered Exeter have double the chances of success.

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Amy Richardson

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