The Scottish Rowing Championships will for many be the peak of their rowing season in Scotland. While no guarantees can be made about the conditions on the Strathclyde Park course, I can promise that there will be some great racing on display this weekend.
Open Singles
Edinburgh University is entered in force with five entries in the single, although they all come from Edinburgh’s admittedly very fast novice programme. Nicholas Poole-Warren will likely be the fastest of the Edinburgh scullers and will be wanting to make amends after his capsize at BUCS Regatta which cost him an almost certain gold medal in the Men’s Beginner Single. He will, however, have to hold off the likes of Oliver Spalding who won silver at BUCS Regatta and Nick Bacon who took home the bronze.
Michael Troy from Robert Gordon University could be a surprise as one of the more experienced rowers in the field while there are some very fast J18 scullers that also will be potentially even looking at the A final.
An entry from Felix Cook from Windsor Boys School immediately stands out fresh off a bronze at Nat Schools’ in the double, he could be one of the juniors in the A final.
There’s also are some fast juniors from Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association such as Murray Bone, Mangus Heidenreich, Harris Pearce and Samuel Doherty, all out of their gold-winning coxed four from Nat Schools’.
It is not the heavyweight rowers for once that look favourites in this category, as the lightweight field here looks to be one of the fastest in years. The clear favourite going in will be Ben Parsonage from Strathclyde University. While he wasn’t selected for the GB Lightweight Double, he has had some solid performances this year, coming fifth in the C final at GB final trials and second at BUCS Regatta in the Championship Lightweight Single. He will face competition though from fellow scullers, Andrew Laird, and Felix Reynish. Laird placed fifth in Championship Lightweight Singles at BUCS while Felix was fourth in the Intermediate Lightweight Single at BUCS.
Another sculler with an outside chance of a medal is Jakub Zbikowski from Aberdeen University. While he will clearly have been frustrated to miss out on the A final at the Scottish Spring Regatta, he went on to win the B final and will be looking to achieve a more competitive result here.
Finally, Gregor Hall from Stirling Rowing Club will be a sure threat for a medal. One of the top costal scullers in Scotland and the Commonwealth Beach Sprints champion, the only question will be whether he can produce the same speed on the only mildly flatter waters of Strathclyde Park.
It may be the same result as at the Scottish Spring Regatta, but I am going to predict Ben Parsonage to win ahead of Andrew Lard with Gregor Hall a close third to make it an all-lightweight podium in the open singles event.
Open Doubles
The double’s event looks to be set up for a great battle between the double of Ben Parsonage and Andrew Laird and the double of Gregor Hall and Mahni Fatahi. While I would put the lightweight double of Ben Parsonage and Andrew Laird to favourite win it, could be a close finish.
The double of Andrew Dunse and Thomas Lloyd from Aberdeen University could also be one to watch potentially for that third place on the podium.
There are some Edinburgh University doubles entered here containing some of their very fast beginners including one of Oliver Spalding and Nick Bacon. I also wouldn’t count out the double of Nicholas Poole-Warren and Scott Carr to also be a threat for that third spot.
I would have to put the double of Ben Parsonage and Andrew Laid as favourites although closely followed by the double of Gregor Hall and Mahni Fatahi.
Open Quads
Possibly one of the most exciting races of the weekend comes her in the open quads. The Edinburgh University, St Andrew BC composite of Dan Jones, Dale Flockhart from the current GB Lightweight Double alongside Hector Patton and Alexander Patton will certainly be strong favourites here.
There is though going to be some very tough competition from the Glasgow University & Strathclyde University quad of Ben Parsonage, Andrew Laird, Felix Reynish and Antoni Fiedoruk.
There also looks to be a strong quad entered by University Rowing Aberdeen, containing Andrew Dunse, Michael Troy, Jakub Zbikowski and Campbell Wheeler, which will be in close battle to get a medal against the Edinburgh University, Strathclyde University composite.
This will be a very fast race which I would expect the Edinburgh University & St Andrew composite to win ahead of the Glasgow & Strathclyde quad. Further back though that battle for third between URA and the Edinburgh University & Strathclyde Quad could be very close with University Rowing Aberdeen potentially able to pull out a surprise result to take third.
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