For anyone who has ever attended the University of Bristol Head, they will know that when the attention switches to the short course, anything can happen over the mysteriously treacherous 1km straight.
With novice rowers likely embarking on their first ever race for their universities, the Beginner Division is often a sight to behold. Having to channel the two months of outings they have had into a frenzy to make it down the course without crabbing, clashing or crashing, this event either showcases the making of future senior athletes, or sees absolute destruction derbies with crews being t-boned and entire bows stripped from boats!
With little-to-nothing go on in terms of past performance for the athletes involved, this division will be hard to guess and, much like the glass platforms on Squid Game, the crews starting in front and behind you could be the difference that will make or break your race.
Noticeably, Bristol’s novices are not taking to the water for their home event, whether that is because they want to preserve their fleet or because they need people to man the barbeque and boating queues is likely to be discovered on the day.
Beginner Men’s Eights
With 15 crews on the draw, this is the most entered beginner event at the Head – just beating the women’s eights entry of 13. Often a show of brute strength, with the understanding of finesse not having quite bedded in by the end of the first semester, this could just come down to who is able to use their ready-made horsepower in the least inefficient way.
Prediction: A toss-up between Cardiff and Bath for the top spot – especially if they go off early in the draw.
Beginner Women’s Eights
You are less likely to see the raging testosterone-fuelled mistakes found in the previous event and so this one instead comes down to who is prepared to hurt themselves. Two crews apiece from Bath, Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Southampton and Surrey give each club twice the chance of winning. However, with Swansea and Warwick having not entered any crews into the coxed fours, the question is whether they are only taking those they believe are race ready.
Prediction: As with any Beginner event, it is all guesswork for the armchair pundit, but with Southampton having a pretty good track record in this event and Surrey having come far to show their hand, the nod goes to them.
Beginner Mens Coxed Fours
A surprisingly small amount of entries in the Coxed Fours, with only five crews contesting the title – two from Warwick, two from Bristol and one from Birmingham. All three clubs have also entered Men’s Eights so it is potentially a toss of the coin as to which boat class the coaches have prioritised.
Prediction: As stalwarts of the University of Bristol Head, Birmingham could be the ones to take this.
Beginner Womens Coxed Fours
Another small entry, but this time with six boats, this event is likely to close out the racing for the day and could very well be subject to battling through whatever chaos has erupted before them. Almost all clubs entered – Cardiff, Portsmouth, Southampton and Surrey – also have eights racing, but the only dark horse could be Kent as their only women’s crew entered in the final division.
Prediction: With the same issues as all other Beginner events, and the likelihood that this is the first race for almost everyone, this might well go to Surrey or Southampton who have a knack for turning around newbie crews quickly.
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