Schools’ Head of the River 2024 – Women’s Junior 16 First Eight Preview

The moment many crews have been waiting for is finally here! Long have they been waiting to take to the Tideway and compete at one of the main junior competitions of the season. For many, recent conditions will have brought training inside, so anticipation to get racing back on the water will be greater than ever. These crews will be ready to bring some great racing.

Surbiton High School Boat Club

Surbiton have quickly been able to become one of the leading programmes for junior girls rowing. These J16 athletes will be keen to lay down a marker on race day and will be sure to show good speeds, despite the fact that they also have a crew entered into the championship category. After producing a third-place finish at Hampton Head and a second place at Hammersmith Head, Surbiton have already shown they are competitive and will look to repeat this come race day.

Godolphin & Latymer Boat Club

Another school also based in London will be quick to take home advantage. After achieving a sixth-place finish at Quintin Head, with only a couple of seconds off fourth, Godolphin & Latymer have looked to improve massively as they took the win at Hammersmith by an impressive margin of six seconds. They will use this confidence and no doubt extra training to press on at Schools’ Head and try and keep their gap to the crews chasing them.

Putney High School Boat Club

With their boat house being situated very close to the finish line, Putney will hope to utilise their knowledge of the course and will look to their coxes that will have been well drilled on how best to take the Tideway. Putney placed a respectable fifth at both Hammersmith and Hampton, with it being clear that this will be a similar crew that raced at Hammersmith. They will know how they line up against the likes of Godolphin & Latymer and will make sure that the training they have done will be able to close the gap and get into a podium position.

Canford School Boat Club

Canford are one of the few schools racing in this category that are not from London or not far from it. Coming from Wimborne, Canford placed sixth at Hampton Head and were not far off other crews. With only a couple of seconds between the competition and a lot of time to train in between races, they will be sure to make up time and give some good competition to the other crews in their category.

Bedford Girls School Boat Club

Bedford, similar to Canford, will have sparing time on the Tideway and have not raced in many major races so far this season. However, they are sure to have brought a strong crew down to London. After racing at Quintin at the start of the year, Bedford will be able to know how they ranked against the crews and will have used the time in between to make up time and become a stronger crew. I believe Bedford might be able to cause a small upset coming into SHORR.

Predictions

Overall, these crews are similarly matched and I believe this category will be very competitive with not much to separate all the crews who have entered. Some will have trained harder and will want it more come race day and eventually, one of these crews will come victorious.

1. Godolphin & Latymer
2. Surbiton
3. Putney

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