As the days grow longer and the sun begins to shine, the winter head season comes to an end with the prestigious Schools’ Head of the River. Charging down the iconic 6.8km championship course on Tuesday are 41 of the best junior women sculling quads that the schools and clubs across the country can provide. With mild conditions expected, Tuesday should be a perfect day to round up a successful head season.
Wycliffe College Boat Club
Returning after a formidable last season, Wycliffe College cemented their names into the history of junior women’s rowing when they claimed ‘The Triple’ plus gold at Henley Women’s Regatta. Moving forward, the squad was rebuilt with a remarkable influx of talented J17s, with nearly all having international experience already. It is unsurprising they make up three-quarters of this ‘A’ quad. This crew will likely contain February U19 GBRT Trials winner Eleanor Lawrence-Preston and Lily Rose Anderson, who won the Di Ellis Trophy at Henley Women’s Regatta in 2024. Wycliffe have already won the junior women’s double pennant at the Pairs Head, so will be keen to start 2025’s national circuit on the right footing.
Marlow Rowing Club
Proving their prowess last season when they maintained a strong front against Wycliffe during the final of both the Bea Langridge Trophy and The Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup at Henley Women’s and Royal Regattas respectively, Marlow return in 2025 with vengeance on the mind. They were third and fourth at Hammersmith Head, missing silver by 0.3 seconds, and had two athletes inside the top 20 at the February U19 GBRT Trials. Furthermore, with the times being very close, the possibility of these two quads being mixed rather than ‘A’ and ‘B’ is high, meaning there could be more speed to be unlocked for Tuesday.
Molesey Boat Club
A consistent competitor in the world of junior rowing is Molesey Boat Club. Situated on the River Thames by Hampton Court, the club’s rowers all showcase the technical flair that drives the programme to the podium steps of National Schools’ Regatta each and every year. Last season, their girl’s championship quad claimed bronze in a highly competitive field, looking calm and composed from start to finish. With a slightly slower start to this season, only managing to place ninth at Hammersmith Head, Molesey will definitely be looking to climb back up the standings before the summer regatta season begins.
Tideway Scullers School
A recent win at the Women’s Head of the River sends a firm signal of strength to competitors that Tideway Scullers are back and stronger than before. After their surprisingly early exit from Henley Royal Regatta last summer, the girls in red, yellow and white will be back to prove that they are deserving of their highly revered status. With a seven second margin over second place at Hammersmith Head, Tideway are definitely a crew to beat this season. The question remains whether they opt to prioritise the eight or the quad.
Hartpury College and University Boat Club
After a period of dominance in the middle of the last decade that was then followed by a leaner age on the silverware front, Hartpury College look like they’re back and mean business in 2025. They took gold in the championship girl’s doubles and women’s junior 16 quads at the National Schools’ Regatta last year, highlighting their domination of the small boat sculling scene. Alongside this, the club is home to Catherine Gardner, silver medallist at the National Schools’ Regatta in the championship single and overall winner of the November U19 EID Trials. She was second in the single in February and will be backed up by Matilda Hudson-Halls, who finished 16th in the single. Combining all these scullers will undoubtedly make for one almighty quad.
Sir William Perkins School
A club that has been making slow but steady inroads into the established hierarchy of junior women’s sculling, Sir William Perkins are on the rise. They won the Kingston Head, placing ahead of a whole host of crews including Walton, Molesey and Lady Eleanor Holles, and have several talented athletes on-board, including junior international Emily Nicholas.
Prediction
This season will be much tighter than last year when Wycliffe swept everyone aside. They’re still marginal favourites for this weekend – based on performances in 2025 and the sheer depth of their programme – but the field is far more open for the insurgency. Tideway Scullers will be strong if they opt to put their best athletes in the quad whilst I also expect competent performances from Hartpury, Sir William Perkins and Marlow.
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