Update: Since the writing of this preview the Fours Head of the River 2024 has been cancelled. This preview was written with the assumption that the event would go underway.
The Fours Head of the River Race is the first opportunity to gauge what crew lineups may look like for this season and who has early season speed. Unlike most other crews in this category, athletes have the privilege of a coxswain to steer the perfect racing line and to remind them to sit up tall when they enter the pain cave. For many clubs, the coxed four won’t be their top entry- so this also serves as an opportunity to see which clubs have good depth of talent in their squads.
Thames Rowing Club
Returning to the championship course are the current pennant holders for this category – Thames Rowing Club. After winning The Wargrave Challenge Cup for the third time, their Putney clubhouse has continued to be an absorbant for rowing talent and can put out competitive crews across all categories.
Portia Light and Rebbeca Clephan are featured in this lineup, who raced together in The Lester Trophy for club coxless fours at Henley Women’s Regatta last season and made it to the semifinal. They then jumped into the eight, where they raced in The Wargrave Challenge Cup’ D’ crew, making it through a round before getting knocked out by their ‘A’ crew. Thames newcomers Jen Bailey and Clara O’Doherty are bringing more talent to the crew. Former GB gymnast Jen Bailey has had great success following her transition to rowing. Last season, she made it to the final of the Aspirational Single Sculls at Henley Women’s Regatta, beating far more experienced scullers. Completing the crew is seasoned Tideway cox Annika Hanson. As an alumnus of the University of London Boat Club and Thames coxswain last season, Hanson is familiar with the Tideway’s quirks. Hanson’s experience and the crew’s raw talent means Thames Rowing Club is well positioned to defend the club coxed four pennant this weekend.
London Rowing Club
Third in the start order for this category is London Rowing Club (LRC). Last year was a record-breaking year for the women at LRC. During Henley Women’s Regatta, they had their largest-ever entry; all crews made it through the time trial and enjoyed their first non-composite win. The season for the women’s squad culminated in making it to the final of The Wargrave Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. LRC’s women’s squad expansion is posing an increasing threat to Thames Rowing Club, and they will be eager to use Fours Head to get an early season win over their neighbouring rivals.
Current women’s squad captain Jemima Harbottle is featured in this crew. Last season, she raced in LRC’s Copas Cup for Aspirational Club Eights, which reached the final, and The Wargrave Challenge Cup’ B’ crew. She is joined by Jenny Arthur, stroke seat of The Copas Cup’ B’ crew, and Emmylie Borg, who also raced in The Copas Cup’ B’ crew. Adding to the experience of this crew is University of Virginia alumnus Chase Lemley. Last summer, Lemley steered The Wargrave Challenge Cup ‘A’ crew that reached the final of Henley Royal Regatta. There is no doubt that Lemley will know what to do to get the best out of this LRC crew as they head down the championship course this Sunday.
Nottingham Rowing Club
Second in the start order is the crew from Nottingham Rowing Club. Annie Beaumont and Cathy Beaumont, who reached the quarterfinals of The Lester Trophy at Henley Women’s Regatta last season, are bringing some twin telepathy to the crew. They raced with Molly Varley in Nottingham’s Wargrave Challenge Cup crew at Henley Royal Regatta qualifiers; however, they didn’t have the pace to make it through to side-by-side racing. Although this crew is not as accomplished as other athletes in the category, the Nottingham programme is on the up, and it will be interesting to see how they can perform on Sunday.
Lea Rowing Club
Another club with a growing women’s squad, Lea Rowing Club, has entered a strong crew into this event. Most of this crew will be familiar with one another as Lizzie Chapman, Caroline Carson, and Anna Emerson raced together in Lea’s Wargrave Challenge Cup crew. Emerson and Carson have already been down the championship course this season at the Pairs Head of the River. Emerson was second in the club double, and Carson placed ninth in the intermediate pair. Lea Rowing Club has a programme that goes from strength to strength; it will be exciting to see how this crew can perform against some of the larger Putney-based clubs.
Prediction
For me, the battle for the win in this category will be between Thames Rowing Club and London Rowing Club. However, last season demonstrated that the depth of Thames’s women’s squad was untouchable, so I suspect they will retake the win.
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