There isn’t a massive amount of information in the girls entered in the WJ17 1x category, so I am going to have to apply some guesswork at their relative abilities. WJ17 is an event often not offered as girls of this age are expected to race in the WJ18 event. Even so, I think a J17 event is a good idea to allow people with slightly less experience to be competitive at races by avoiding girls a year older than them. It is noticeable here that some of the Reading RC scullers are also entered in WJ16 1x in the morning division. This means they are racing an age group up for their second race, and although a good experience this would put them at quite a disadvantage. For previews on the strongest of these girls please see the WJ16 1x paragraph above.
Reading RC- Holdcroft is the one of two scullers in this event who entered GJ16 1x at National Schools and she was unfortunately knocked out in the semis. However with the strong Reading squad in the year below it is possible she has come on since then and will put in a fast scull. Maidenhead- Bird was the other national schools entry but was also knocked out in the semis. However, she did get a silver medal in the double scull, and so is realistically the one to beat. American Sch- Brunsberg came 4th in the GJ16 pair and is someone else to watch out for – she clearly has some strength so if her sculling is up to scratch she could be fighting bird for the top spot. There are five LEA RC entries in this event, and Im guessing four of these girls would have made up the LEA J16 quad last year. This quad came 3rd at JIRR representing Eastern, and made it to the quarter final of Henley Women’s. If these are the girls they should be confident scullers and able to perform well individually but possibly just off the pace due to their lack of single experience. A final mention should go to Wallingford- Swiatoniowski and Bird* who made the final of GJ16 4x at national schools. Like the Lea scullers they should be looking for good results over the course.
*there are two entries of Wallingford-Bird in this event, and only one of these girls was in the quad aforementioned. Unfortunately I cannot tell which.
Prediction
Maindenhead-Bird for the win, with Reading RC- Holdcroft In second and American Sch- Brunsberg in third.
Good Luck to all crews racing!!
GoingFastBackwards
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