Summer is almost upon us. The cold winds of winter have subsidised – unless you, like I, are waiting fervently for Game of Thrones – and the longer races that categorise that stage of the year have abated. At this point, boat clubs take to the continent to perfect their technique, formulate crews and refine their strategy ahead of what promises to be one of the most exciting regatta seasons in recent memory.
For as long as I can remember, there have always been some results that were already written heading into the summer. Last year, it was a victory for St Paul’s on the pearly blue waters at Henley Royal Regatta. For seasons before that, Headington possessed a vice-like grip on women’s rowing whilst Sir William Borlase, Abingdon, Henley, Gloucester Hartpury, Windsor Boys and Eton have all been considered strong favourites for various titles in the past.
2019 is different. We are faced with the prospect of genuinely tight, nerve-wracking, bowball-to-bowball racing across the various categories that junior rowing offers up. Although it can be enjoyable and even remarkable to watch sensational crews decimate all before them, in the manner of schoolboy and girl stalwarts of yesteryear, there is far more to offer in entertainment value from closely contested racing.
Boy’s Eights
St Paul’s swept all before them in 2018 to close out arguably the best single season for one crew in junior rowing history. However, it hasn’t all been plain sailing for Bobby Thatcher’s boys so far this year – they lost six of the record-breaking nine to university and although the next generation look to be a strong bunch, they’re under intense pressure from last year’s bridesmaids. Shiplake College, coached by Dave Currie and Hugh Mackworth-Praed, have gone from strength to strength in a remarkable ascendancy from Child Beale contenders to perhaps the fastest junior eight in the country. They won the Schools’ Head by half a second over Eton College and were 0.9 ahead of St Paul’s, which represent tantalising margins approaching shorter courses and side-by-side dynamics. Eton, meanwhile, always feature highly and will be especially motivated in 2019 after a dismantling in the final of the Princess Elizabeth last season. Some 20 seconds back at the Schools’ Head were Radley College, who will hope to close that gap over the Easter break.
Girl’s Eights
Finally, it looks like we have a genuine contest in this department. For nearly a decade, Headington School reigned supreme under the immensely sophisticated program built up by Ryan Demaine. Henley, so dominant in the lower age groups, finally over-powered them last year to establish what looked like a dynasty of their own. Enter Lady Eleanor Holles in 2019 – a newly revamped unit under the former Assistant Director of Rowing at St Paul’s, Antony Smith, who has apparently transformed the fortunes of the school in one swift stroke. There is work to be done for the former Tideway Scullers man, but he’ll have the backing of the school and impressive resources to call upon in their hunt for domestic silverware. Henley beat LEH by just under two seconds at the Schools’ Head, with Latymer a further nine seconds back. How close will it be come May?
Boy’s Quads
Every year, we make a prediction that one crew will dominate this event. Last year, it was the supremely talented Maidenhead who showed no lack of ruthlessness and efficiency in their victories at the Schools’ Head and the National Schools’ Regatta. Come Henley, however, and they were undone by a Windsor Boys School crew with the wiliness of experience and zest for revenge. Previous iterations have seen Claires Court, Sir William Borlase and Marlow all look particularly promising approaching the summer but, as evidenced in 2018, the junior quad is triple is no mean feat. Leander, so often on the cusp of true greatness in this category, look to be stand-out favourites for the National Schools’ Regatta and perhaps even Henley on home water soon after, having secured victory at the Junior Sculling Head by some 22 seconds. These scripts never quite go to plan though, so expect strong showings from Henley, Windsor, Tideway Scullers and Lea in the summer.
Girl’s Quads
Admittedly, it is hard to look past Henley at this stage; their dual victories at the Schools’ Head and then the Sculling Head mere days after puts them in pole position for a trophy-laden summer. Indeed, they actually secured both gold and bronze in an impressive display at the latter event for WJ18 quads alongside a gold in the WJ17 equivalent. Latymer, a perennial rival and long-time competitor for this category, always play a strong hand in the summer months whilst Glasgow, Marlow and Lady Eleanor Holles will all be jostling for position in the starting gates at Dorney. Henley are favourites and you’d almost be silly for stating otherwise, but the narrative is of closer contests to come.
J16 Eights
The stepping stone between inexperience and relative maturity, athletes at this age group have seminal school commitments and life-changing decisions to contend with alongside a natural inclination to out-do each other on the water. The Schools’ Head saw Eton scoop the top prize ahead of Westminster and Aberdeen, who stayed in touch some three seconds back. Shiplake, who won this event at Dorney last summer, were some way off the pace. If Eton can take home wins in both Championship and J16 eights, it would be a remarkable achievement.
It is worth adding a caveat that the Schools’ Head was raced in relatively unpredictable conditions, that may have played some part in results that were obtained that day. Beyond that, there were notable absentees – all four-man events were cancelled and Abingdon, who won Junior Coxed Fours at the Fours Head in November, pulled out entirely. With the reintegration of their junior cohort alongside multi-lane, straight line racing, we should see the best representation yet of fast rowing.
Each boat club prioritises differently. Some prefer to target victory at the National Schools’ Regatta, where everyone in junior rowing races together on the same water. Others seek the the enigmatic duality of Henley and a diminutive red box. Whatever the desire, we’re destined for another blockbuster summer of racing.
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