2025 began with a bang on the Thames, as hundreds of crews took to the Tideway to stretch their legs in a debut run-out for the new year. With rife cancellations polluting the calendar throughout 2024, it was satisfying to see racing unfolding even though London was subject to Storm Eowyn just days beforehand.
At the sharp end of the men’s racing, London Rowing Club laid down another ominous indicator that they will not be trifled with in 2025. After a bitterly disappointing Henley Royal Regatta at the hands of Thames Rowing Club last summer, the boys in blue will be determined to add a second red box in the space of three years to their cabinet. They took the headship, a second clear of St Paul’s School in second, who could have potentially taken the win had they not been impeded by a marshalling crew, with a second eight just five seconds behind. Based on the proximity of those boats, matched crews seem probable.
Marlow Rowing Club, who took The Wyfold Challenge Cup, are slowly building something serious in the Thames Valley and they placed sixth on Saturday. They were handed a ten-second penalty, without which they would have finished fifth. The University of London enjoyed a stellar performance on the women’s side but their men’s first eight placed fourth, seven seconds off the pace of London’s quickest crew. With turmoil ongoing at Oxford Brookes, 2025 may represent UL’s best chance of serious silverware.
Imperial College enjoyed a good day on home water to win the senior eight category, clear of crews from clubs including Thames, Vesta and City of Bristol.
On the junior side, we may witness yet another remarkable year from Bobby Thatcher’s St Paul’s. They were second overall and 20 seconds clear of their closest age-group competitors in Shiplake College. The strength coursing through that boat club at the moment is at an all-time high, and with several returners from last year’s British junior team plus a whole host of high-ranking triallists, it will take something seismic to stop the Paulines.
It should be countenanced that King’s College School, Wimbledon would have won the junior division were it not for a time penalty. Under new management following the departure to Radley of long-time director of rowing Paddy Duggan, their evolution will be of great interest.
On the women’s side, the University of London recorded the quickest time of the day, 11 seconds clear of London Rowing Club in second. With a boat comprising several senior internationals and U23 prospects, it is perhaps no surprise to see the purple province flying high. Thames’ women opted not to race this weekend but having roundly seen off all-comers at the Rememham Challenge, a contest between themselves and UL would have made for good viewing.
UL also collected the women’s senior pennant, a promising indication of their depth, while Vesta Rowing Club and Marlow Rowing Club placed second and third, respectively.
For the junior women, Headington was the only boat club brave enough to compete in the big leagues. Their finishing time was only fast enough for fourth in the championship category and would have found them in sixth at a junior level. That pennant went to the rapidly rising Shiplake College, whose increasingly potent ability to attract some of the country’s top talent is starting to pay dividends. They were just under three seconds clear of St Edward’s School, whose junior women’s programme is also improving at pace. Wallingford and Marlow Rowing Clubs – who represent two of the most substantial club offerings – were third and fourth respectively.
St Paul’s continued to demonstrate the strength of their pyramid, as their all-conquering Junior 15 eight from 2024 made the first of several step-ups successfully by taking the Junior 16 pennant. On the women’s side, Kingston Grammar School were four seconds ahead of Godolphin and Latymer.
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