For the last time in 2022, some of the biggest clubs in the country will come together to slog it out against one and other and Wallingford Head. And after the small boats have taken centre stage at Scullers’, Pairs and Fours Head, this weekend we will be treated to the full speed of men’s eights.
Not to dampen the excitement, it is worth noting that, at this point of the season, first eights are far from established and many coaches use this opportunity to put out matched eights, spreading their top talent among multiple shells.
In this preview I’ll cover the main events at Wallingford, which are covered over two divisions.
Challenge Eights
The top category in the event, the Challenge Eights will home some of the top athletes in the country. Two entries each from Oxford Brookes, Leander and Thames lead off the category with boats from King’s College School and Marlow rounding out the entries. The most notable absence from this list are the men from the University of Oxford who train on this stretch but will not be defending the title they won here 12 months ago.
The key battle at the front of this division will be the first chapter of this season’s Leander vs Oxford Brookes showdown. Last year we were robbed of a final answer, so this first clash between their squads of the season will give us an idea of where they sit in relation to one and other. Thames will be looking to put their noses and break the duopoly which has dominated the domestic scene in recent years. Their squad is made up of far fewer trialists than the others, but I wouldn’t count them out.
King’s College School, coming from a likely disappointing trip to Boston for the Head of the Charles, have put themselves amongst the top senior crews in the country and will want to make a good showing of themselves.
Rounding out the entries in the Challenge Eights, Marlow Rowing Club may also have a harder time keeping up with the opposition after an underwhelming set of results at Fours Head, however this eight did win at the Upper Thames Autumn Head so perhaps the big boats will do them better.
Prediction
Based on some great results last weekend at Fours Head, Leander seem to be the form squad, so I would expect one of their eights to win. Given that both they and Brookes are likely racing matched boats, I would predict that the second Leander boat to edge out the top Brookes boat for second place.
Tier One Eights
The next level down of racing in the first division is Tier One Eights, setting off right behind the Challenge boats many of them will be looking to compare favourably to those in the other category, as well as fighting for the win in their own. The majority of entries in this event come from Thames and Oxford Brookes, with three entries each. These crews will be looking to demonstrate the sheer depth of their respective squads (and both clubs have a crew in tier two as well). The five other spots go to top senior boats from their respective clubs.
Radley College, narrowly defeated in the final of the Princess Elizabeth in July, have a boat entered both here and near the front of J18 so it is unclear how their talent is split.
Upper Thames had some great results at Pairs Head but weren’t so fortunate at Fours Head and will be looking to bounce back this weekend in Wallingford.
Cambridge ’99 have had a great start to the season on the tideway although their men missed Fours Head. If they add the engine of trialling sculler Will Young to their eight, they could have a good showing for themselves here.
Rounding out the category, City of Bristol, have had a much quieter start to the season without much showing other than a win at the Gloucester Autumn Head Race against very little competition. They have been seeded into Band One so obviously have some pedigree. It will be interesting to see how it presents itself against such a high-quality field.
Prediction
How the talent in these Thames and Brookes boats is divided will be key to the result here, but if they are balanced between themselves and the Radley boat resembles a true first crew, they could shock their older rivals.
Under 23 Eights
Racing in the afternoon, this category draws boats from both the morning’s senior events, in addition to the junior boats. Headlined by what appear to be very similar Oxford Brookes boats, there is also a single Leander boat entered, perhaps drawing the younger elements from the two challenge crews.
From the junior events I would look out for the St Paul’s School boats, name “This” and “and that”, the latter of which will set off between the first two Brookes boats. Also, Radley College left National Schools’ demonstrating they had a great deal of talent coming through winning both second and third Eights as well as J16 first and second eights, it will be interesting to see how this has developed through the early part of the new season.
Entered into only this event are two Exeter University boats, who may have the advantage of rest with the relatively short turnaround time between the two divisions, especially for the juniors set off later in the first division and earlier in the second.
Prediction
As the dominant student club, Brookes should be the quickest crew in this event, however I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the schoolboy crews make a good impression of themselves.
About The Author
Discover more from JRN
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
