Pre-dating even the likes of Henley Royal Regatta, the Wingfield Sculls is one of the most historic rowing events in the racing UK calendar, despite this only being the 18th time that women have raced the course. The highly selective nature of the event draws in some of the country’s most elite single scullers, and the unpredictable challenges of the Tideway can present some fantastically exciting racing. As they have for the last 17 years, these five women will line up under Chiswick Bridge on Sunday to compete for the contested Silver Sculls.
Katie Mole – University of Birmingham Boat Club
Will it be third time lucky for Katie Mole in the Wingfields? After the dramatic race of 2022 and last year’s undoubtedly painful fifth-placed finish, I hope to see Mole towards the front of the pack in this year’s race. With recent success at British Universities (BUCS) and European Universities (EUSA) regattas, we’ve all seen how Mole can perform in the single, and I hope to see her take the Tideway by storm this time around and put herself in the mix for a win.
Finnola Stratton – Reading University Boat Club
Stratton has been at the top of the university sculling scene for multiple years now, and most recently won a bronze medal as part of the quad at the U23 World Rowing Championships. With BUCS gold and world bronze to her name, could the Silver Sculls complete the set this weekend? We’ve not seen her in a Wingfields lineup before, but Stratton has the backing of a string of successful results at GB trials and numerous BUCS medals, so stay tuned to see what this Reading sculler can lay down on the Thames this weekend.
Imogen Grant – Cambridge University Boat Club
It’s safe to say that one does not win an Olympic gold medal by simply being quite good at sculling, and Imogen Grant is certainly proof of that. Grant is another seasoned veteran of not only the Wingfields but also of Tideway racing more broadly and is back to defend her title for the third year in a row. I doubt I need to go into too much detail about her recent rowing successes, and it’s hard to look past Grant for the win in this event despite the recent shift in the pace post-Olympiad. Still tied to her beloved university boat club, the Tideway could be painted Light Blue this weekend.
Jessie Martin – University of London Boat Club
Still fresh off the back of U23 World Rowing Championships gold in the W4- this summer, Jessie Martin swaps her sweep oar for a set of sculling blades this weekend to take on the Wingfields on her home stretch of water. Last year, teammate Georgie Robinson-Ranger finished second in this race, and if anyone’s going to get close to that again, Martin will surely be the one to do it. We haven’t seen much of Martin in the single of late, but surrounded by a stellar UL coaching team and the course on her doorstep, I do not doubt that she’ll be going out to put down a strong performance, especially looking ahead to November trials.
Jen Titterington – Nottingham Rowing Club
Having come away with a win in the Championship Women’s Doubles at Pairs Head mere weeks ago, Titterington is well-versed in Tideway sculling and the art of a fast line. We’ve seen strong performances time and time again from this sculler, too – including a third-place finish at the Metropolitan Regatta and a Henley Women’s Regatta quarterfinal in championship singles. Another first-timer to the Wingfields, I hope to see Titterington put herself in the mix to challenge the likes of Grant and put her recent Tideway racing experience into practice.
Prediction
A side-by-side race on the Tideway is unpredictable, let alone when racing single sculls in the depths of autumn. The Wingfields often throws up drama not quite like any other race, and it is all to play for, leaving it wide open for competition. That being said, if everything runs smoothly, then I’m finding it hard to look past Imogen Grant of CUBC to take yet another Wingfields win, but I’d love to see the likes of Katie Mole and Jessie Martin put themselves at the front of the pack to challenge her. This is a difficult one to call, as all five of these women are right at the forefront of British sculling in their own right, and I can’t wait to see what should be an incredibly exciting race unfold on Sunday.
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