Rutherford Head is one of the biggest head races of the season for the Northern clubs and schools and takes place over 4500 metres on the River Tyne, in Newcastle. The course runs west to east from Blaydon Bridge to Newburn Bridge, and is against the stream, with 2 bridges and some very tight corners to negotiate. Unfortunately, as it is an extremely popular event with both junior and senior crews alike, entries were suspended in just over an hour this year, so there are only 2 entries into the J16 4+ category, which races in the afternoon division.
St Leonards School Boat Club
St Leonards is a relatively small school boat club based in central Durham, and although none of their crews made the trek down to Eton Dorney for National Schools in the summer, they have been frequently racing in the Northern Rowing LDS series so far this year. Although I do not know for sure, I assume that this crew, SLS -Wilmore, will be the same as the crew that have raced as a coxless quad since September. Back in October this J16 4×- was pipped at the post by Durham ARC’s boat by only 5 seconds, at the similar Tyne LDS, also raced over 4500m. At South Hylton LDS, in early November, racing over 4750m, they won J16 4×- but Durham ARC were not racing. Finally, and most recently, in the last race of the 2018 Northern Rowing LDS series, Durham LDS (raced over a much shorter 1800 m course), they were once again pipped by only 10 seconds in the quad.
Durham Amateur Rowing Club
Durham ARC is based on the same stretch of the River Wear as St Leonards, and I expect that they have a fierce rivalry, as their J16 crews have been battling it out ever since the start of the season in the Northern LDS series. Although Durham ARC perhaps do not have the speed to compete competitively at a national level, as shown by their 30th place at NSR 2018, in the J15 Coxed Quads category, they appear to be fairly competitive at local events. This J16 4+, stroked by Thomas Taylor, has consistently beaten St Leonards in the quad by very small margins- 5 seconds at Tyne LDS, and 1o seconds at Durham LDS.
Prediction
Although I expect this to be won by a very small margin, I think Durham ARC will take home the silverware, simply from their prior form in successfully beating St Leonards over a similar distance.
MarginalGainz
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