After COVID-19-induced absences and a reduction in racing program in 2019, 2022 marks the first time in four years that girls quads have taken to the water at the Schools’ Head of the River. The big question remains around how well those results will stand the test of time. It is great to see an increase in competition, with a grand total of 36 quads entered, as each boat vies for the title of fastest junior women’s quad in the country.
Fresh off a stellar 2021 season, the crew to beat could well hail from Shiplake College. An influx of talent at the turn of the 2020/2021 season led these girls, coached by Dan Safdari, to mount an unassailable challenge on titles at both the National Schools’ Regatta and Henley Royal Regatta, and although they don’t like quite as fearsome this season it would be reductive to count them out. They were third at the Fours Head in November, two seconds back on Marlow and 12 behind Henley RC (who curiously do not have a quad entered).
I am also aware of the strong potential of the George Heriots School J18 girls this year. At the Scottish indoor championship, Amy Newton broke the Scottish 2k record and a few of the girls in this boat are also part of the Scottish Junior Academy. It is a very supportive program that brings some of the best Scottish rowers together and helps to prepare its athletes for big competitions such as the Schools’ Head of the River. This is perhaps a quad that will surprise its competition.
Marlow Rowing Club is another name synonymous with success in junior women’s sculling. The 2022 cohort look to be a chip off the old block in terms of quality, accumulating successive silver medal finishes at both Fours Head and Hampton Head. Crucially, the crew that beat them both times (Henley) are not present and as such the field is open for them to exploit. Their depth across sweep and sculling (a statement evidenced by a disciplinary range of medals at the National Schools’ Regatta last summer) is astonishing and after getting so close to the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup last year, I can imagine the girls from Marlow will not be lacking in motivation to reach those top spots at this first big event of the year.
Tideway Scullers School is another quad that I have high expectations of. They are another group of girls who performed well in 2021 but will want to enhance their domestic reputation – and where better to start than on home water at the biggest head race of the year? While I do not think they will win overall, I know that there is some strong individual talent in the boat which, if combined effectively, will produce some good boat speed.
There is such an immense number of clubs and crews entered in this event it is difficult to pick out the favourites. I hope the smaller programs, which I haven’t got the chance to mention, rise to the occasion and ascend the rankings to set cat amongst pigeons and rewrite what we all perceive to be the prevailing narrative. Despite this, my overall prediction is that Shiplake College will be the fastest quad but not by a huge amount.
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