Quintin Head is upon us, and with it comes the slew of big boat head racing that will take us to the turn of the season in April. Most crews have been starved of action in the past six months as weather and flooding have scuppered racing up and down the country. Provided Quintin goes ahead – with rain and heavy wind forecast into the weekend – these eights will be raring to prove themselves on the winding Tideway course.
University of London
This nominally looks to be UL’s second crew, as their first boat enters the championship category. Renowned for depth across the board, it would not be a surprise to see this crew force the issue at the front of the intermediate 1 pack, particularly on home water. UL had, by their own high standards, a slightly lacklustre season in 2023/24 and will want to reestablish themselves as the perennial contenders that they’ve been in the past decade. Quintin is a great place to wipe the slate clean and start the new year on a positive footing.
Vesta Rowing Club
Under James Cracknell’s tutelage, this club will aim to reclaim ground on its big brothers on the Putney embankment. When speaking with Cracknell back in October, he spoke openly about his wish to create a performance culture and enhance every athlete who walked through his door. With seven open eights boating on Saturday, it’s clear Vesta has depth available to them. They must focus on getting as many crews into the big finals – and serious events – as possible in 2025. From there, Cracknell and his charges can start the long climb to the trailblazing titans from Thames.
Cambridge 99 / City of Cambridge
This weekend, the regional battle between two of Cambridge’s most successful clubs finds new life on London waters. Although national contention is undoubtedly important to both Cambridge 99 and the City of Cambridge Rowing Club, local bragging rights arguably trump all else and in the run-up to the Head of the River – plus the Bumps series – both crews will be desperate to gain an early advantage. At the first instalment of the Cambridge Rowing Association’s Winter League, it looks like Cambridge 99 went over a minute faster than City, but whether this was either club’s top crew remains to be seen.
Tideway Scullers School
After all the turmoil this club has been through – including several close shaves with insolvency and issues with club equipment and boathouse – it is heartening to see them continuing to boat eights at a high level. It was a couple of years ago when a junior quad from Tideway Scullers won The Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup – to follow up on their 2021 victory in The Fawley Challenge Cup – and their senior men regularly boated competitive outfits in the club events throughout the previous decade. If they’re competitive on Saturday in this category, it will be fascinating to see how this group evolve over the course of the next six months.
City of Bristol Rowing Club
The City of Bristol qualified two crews into the main draw of Henley Royal Regatta back in July and will aim to do something similar this coming summer. They regularly boat competitive outfits but will hoping to improve on last year’s Quintin results, where their senior crews finished fifth and 12th and their intermediate 1 boat placed 13th.
Lea Rowing Club
Discount Lea at your peril. Technically, this is their top-ranked crew – with no entrants above this category – and they have enjoyed a string of successful campaigns in the last few years. Although their juniors have certainly led the charge of late – boating incredibly strong quads in both men’s and women’s categories – their club crews are no slouches and they managed to qualify four boats (one in each club Trophy) at Henley Royal Regatta last summer.
Prediction
With such minimal racing to date, it’s hard to make any predictions with conviction. Precedent tells me that UL will be right up the front of the pack alongside Vesta – whose depth is compelling – and the two boats from Cambridge. Don’t be surprised to see a surge from Lea either.
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