The Scottish Rowing summer season will officially commence this weekend. The recently renamed Scottish Rowing Spring Regatta will welcome crews from across Scotland as well as south of the border and over the Irish Sea. This preview will cover the J16 and J18 Men’s events.
J16 1x
With 15 entries, organisers are able to make full use of the eight-lane course on offer at Strathclyde Park. It is always a welcome pleasure to welcome crews from Carlow, Ireland who add an air of mystery to racing. Under new leadership, in the form of Matthew Mole, George Watson’s have five scullers entered. Following an invite to final trials it is likely that it will be Alex Levi, from the Edinburgh school who will go on to win the event. That said, he will face stiff competition from those hailing from the west coast, in the form of Loch Lomond and Glasgow Academy. Traditionally, Aberdeen Schools’ make the switch to sweep rowing so it is unlikely that their sculler will be challenging for the top spot.
J16 2x
Expect to see Glasgow Schools’ leading this event, followed by Aberdeen Schools’ and George Heriots. The rest of the field will be made up of Loch Lomond, Stirling and New Ross Rowing Club. Carlow, Ireland has two doubles entered and crews should expect one if not both of these doubles to be fighting near the top.
J16 4x
Fresh off their training camp in Tilburg, George Watson’s should expect to win this event. Training amongst the club’s J18 scullers will make this crew more than a match for the Glasgow Schools’ composite and Stirling Rowing Club. This GWC boat placed second at both Rutherford Head and on the shorter course at Durham SBH and will only have gotten faster since.
J16 2-
The battle of the central belt will see Glasgow Academy racing Stirling and George Heriots School. GHS will look to take victory in both J16 and J18 Pairs in two races 15 minutes apart.
J18 1x
23 scullers are entered into the J18 sculling event. This large entry is proof to all the work Scottish Rowing is doing to promote sculling in younger ages. From all the entries across Scotland, from Ireland and from south of the border, three stand out as potential winners. All their roots can be traced to the west coast. Now at Leander Club, Alex Milne is arguably favourite for the event and has previously raced as the sculler for the GB/France Match. He’ll race his former clubmate, Rory White who is in his final year under coach, Iain Somerside. Clydesdale sculler, James Morrison will also look to cause an upset and will be familiar with the two other Glaswegians. Scottish sculling is continuing to improve at the top end and this potential final is testament to this. If Peter Demyanov is entered under GWC then this will mix up the competition further. Demyanov has been exposed to the trialling process this year and is part of a strong sculling squad at the Edinburgh school.
J18 2x
The two entries from George Watson’s will face strong competition from the Edinburgh Uni/Leander Club Competition. Alex Milne will be joining up with his old school friend and last year’s Sculler at Home Countries, Lukas Neilson in a composite that will be disappointed with anything other than a win. Glasgow Academy will look to uproot their alumni as well as holding off a challenge from Tyne.
J18 4x
Many of these entries have raced each other at some point this season. George Watson’s have put together some strong results in the North East circuit, beating Chester at Rutherford Head and defeating Durham on their home water. That being said they suffered an early-season defeat to Aberdeen Schools’ up in the Granite city and have tussled with Clydesdale all season long. Ultimately, if any of these crews wish to consider a spot in the Fawley, they must comfortably win at Strathclyde Park this weekend.
J18 2-
The J18 Pairs will be another three-way showdown. Travelling from Newcastle, Tyne Rowing club will provide good competition for both George Heriots and St Andrew Boat Club, who will know each other well from training on the same stretch of Edinburgh canal. There are only two boats contesting this event and both are from Aberdeen Schools’ this will be invaluable experience as they prepare to ramp up National Schools’. This is also reflected in the fact that their J16 8+ will race Edinburgh University and that their J18 8+ will be racing Open Eights against Edinburgh Uni, Durham Uni and Tyne RC, who recently won the Jackson Trophy.
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