After being postponed for weather twelve months ago, Rutherford Head returns to its traditional position at the start of winter. Hosted on the Tyne River in Newcastle, many universities and clubs will travel from across the UK to get a look at the notoriously choppy course which will also host BUCS Head in the spring. They will be joined by many of the top clubs from the North of Britain at probably the most prestigious head race away from the Thames Valley.
Newcastle University BC
On their home water, Newcastle University BC have five men’s eights boated in this division, with the third- and fourth-ranked boats in Band 2. The Newcastle squad is always very talented with the draw of the High-Performance status bestowed upon it by British Rowing. This is reflected in the eighteen men trialling for the blue star, behind only Brookes and Leander. This strength in depth will likely result in quick boats wanting to impress on home water.
Durham University
Another northern High-Performance Centre, Durham University BC have had a good run of form on this stretch of water in 2022. Their first boat won BUCS Head in February and overturned Newcastle at the Boat Race of the North for the first time in more than a decade. Similarly, after a series of private fixtures on the Tyne this weekend, the Palatinate club left feeling good about their performances. This boat, while a little further down the pecking order will be looking to capitalise on this good Tyne form to pull out a good result here.
Also making the trip from the Durham University are Collingwood College BC, one of the institution’s constituent colleges. Less renowned than their university-level peers, they must have some significant experience behind them in order to get seeded into Band 2.
Edinburgh University BC
The final of the trinity of northern performance centres, Edinburgh University BC also have their third boat entered into this event. Like their peers, they qualified two eights and a four in the men’s student event at Henley Royal, however, the results on race week were less fortunate collecting only two wins between the whole men’s fleet. A strong new batch of recruits into the programme, plus the reinforcements moving up from their phenomenal beginner squad will be looking to set the standard for the squad amongst this third and lowest travelling eight.
City of Cambridge RC
Making the long trip north for the second Rutherford Head in a row, the City of Cambridge RC are defending champions in this category finishing fifth overall in February’s rescheduled event, although the top programs were lacking their trialists. This head season has started off with some promise with fourth and ninth place finishes among the large club entries at Fours Head on the Tideway. The club are making the lengthy trip up to Newcastle after missing Wallingford Head and will be hoping that the trip was not in vain.
Glasgow University
Glasgow University BC have their top boat entered into this event. Disappointed not to qualify for the Temple Challenge Cup this summer at Henley less than half a second off the fastest non-qualifier and ahead of the ‘C’ crews entered by the high-performance centres above, this crew is buoyed by additions from their open club in addition to new recruits to the club including Israeli U23 International Itay Yekutieli. This squad is very young and as the first major event tackled in the eight will be looking to make a strong statement.
St Andrew Boat Club
Also hailing from north of the border is St Andrew BC, who split their training time between the Strathclyde Country Park and Edinburgh’s Union Canal, where they cannot boat an eight. Nonetheless, this eight has worked together for some time, racing in the last summer season to some acclaim: finishing third at the Scottish Championships and qualifying for the Thames Challenge Cup. This club seems far from their 2017 peak finishing as runners-up in the Britannia Challenge Cup, but if they can draft in some of their supremely talented junior squad, they may make a good showing at this event.
Leeds Rowing Club
Another crew returning after successes here in February, Leeds RC were the top finishers in Band 3 and 12th overall. Their CRI has bumped them up a category to take on some better competition. This season their form appears less clear. Missing the quickly oversubscribed Fours Head entries and with York Small Boats Head being cancelled due to inclement weather, this will be the first race of the season for the club.
Liverpool University BC
An up-and-coming club from the River Weaver, Liverpool University BC have had a rather inconclusive start to the season, winning in fours against limited competition at their local Runcorn Autumn Head and finishing middle of the pack in the much-penalised category of Academic Four at Fours Head. It will be interesting to see how this club can integrate last year’s class of beginner men who finished second on this course in the Beginner Eight at BUCS Head before repeating that performance at BUCS Regatta in early May. As a club that doesn’t have the recruiting draw of the higher profile names at the top of this preview, how they can integrate their Beginners is key to their ongoing success.
Predictions
As the top-end third boats clash with smaller club’s first boats, making accurate predictions become very difficult to make. Based on the top end of the club’s successes I would guess that the Durham boat will have the speed to come out on top. For second place I think Glasgow University will be the best of the first boats in the category with Newcastle rounding out the top three on home water.
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