This weekend, the 2000m sprint season kicks off for many juniors at Strathclyde Park in Glasgow- where the senior European rowing Championships were held last summer. A vast number of clubs and schools from across Scotland, Ireland and England are due to assemble, with it being one of the most wide-scale events in the British rowing Calendar. Not only is this a great opportunity for crews to race against new competition but it also allows the rowers to post an early 2km time on an eight-lane course, as the National School’s Regatta looms.
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An abundance of entries in this event means that the girls will have to be in the top four in their heat in order to gain a place in the final. ‘Mckenzie’ from Loch Lomond looks promising as she won this category at the SUBC Head in February, ahead of competent athletes from the Glasgow Academy. Clydesdale ‘Morrison’ came 7th at the Inverness Head although, when racing in the double she has been more successful- as her crew were less than a second off the win at SUBC Head. ‘Jarvis’ of St Andrew BC was also over 2 minutes behind the winner at the Inverness Head yet the athletes who placed ahead of her are not racing this weekend, which could open the door for a higher positioning. George Heriott’s School ‘Lurring’ also has experience in the single, having placed 5th at the Scottish School’s Head of the River, much earlier in the season. George Watson’s College ‘Dickerson’ placed second at Durham Small Boats Head but it is difficult to find any single-sculling results for fellow GWC entry; ‘Hughs’ and the girls from Tyne RC. This is a tough event to predict, as few of the entants have ever faced each other before, however ‘Scully’ of Carlow RC, looks to be the favourite, having won the Irish National Championships last year in the scull and represented Ireland at the Home Internationals Regatta.
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George Herriot’s School appear to be fast having won fastest single-school double at the Scottish School’s Head. At the Strathclyde University Head Loch Lomond came in 3rd and 4th place, suggesting that crew selection has taken place for this regatta and so they could be competitve. At Durham Small Boats Head St Leonard’s beat Tyne RC, although the combination in the Tyne crew for this weekend is unknown. Recent results could not be found for the entrants from Glasgow Academy, the New Ross/Waterford composit or Strathcylde Park RC; who will have a home advantage.
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Disappointingly, the only entrants in both of the four events come from The Glasgow Academy and St Leonard’s School. Due to a multitude of races being cancelled, St Leonard’s last race was at Durham Small Boats Head in February where they beat Durham School by over a minute in the coxless four. The Glasgow Academy girls appear to be strong competition as they came 3rd in the coxed four at the Scottish School’s Head and a year ago at this regatta, they were one place above St Leonard’s.
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The girls from Tyne RC have had the upper hand on St Leonard’s School in the quad this season, including at Durham Small Boats Head- by five seconds over 1.8km. similarly, at South Hylton Long Distance Sculls Tyne beat St Leonard’s by 45 seconds over 5km- it will be interesting to see how both crews react to the return of regatta racing. There are not any recent results from St Andrew BC to be found and the last time they faced these two English crews was at Talkin Tarn Regatta last year, suggesting an unpredictable yet, stirring race to come.
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