The Wallingford Long Distance Sculls regatta is back, with the competitors battling it out over the 4000m course. This makes it an unusually long regatta, but one bound to throw up some excitement.
The J18 quad sculls category always has some good competition, and this year is no different, with 10 entries from 6 boat clubs. Magdalen College and Sir William Borlase are each entering three boats, but will their strength in depth result in a victory?
Sir William Borlase
With the joint largest entry into this event with three crews, Sir William Borlase will be looking to pack a punch on Saturday. With the crews coming down back to back it is likely that there will be some added competition as not only are they racing other crews, but they are also fighting to be the fastest crew in the school. It will be exciting to see how each crew manages the conditions and navigation and it may just be the one that steers the sharpest line that takes the win- something to definitely not rule out at the start of the season.
Maidenhead RC
One club that has been performing strongly over the past few years is Maidenhead RC. Also competing at Pairs Head this weekend it will be a busy few days of racing for this club allowing them to get some racing experience early into the season. Making it into the final of the Fawley Challenge Cup at Henley back in 2018 within this boat class, these boys will be looking to reinstate that position coming into the 2022/23 season.
Radley College BC
More known for their sweep rowing, Radley reached the final of the Princess Elizabeth last year and it remains to be seen whether the switch to sculling will work out or not. After the last few years in the shadows, Radley appears to be doing something right in their programme as it grows from strength to strength with one athlete competing at U19 Junior Worlds and another at the Coup De La Jeunesse this past summer. With the last season J16’s moving up into the J18 events, this group look to be stronger than ever, as, alongside the success of their J18 athletes, they also had four boys selected for the J16 GB vs France match which with no doubt will aid them, even more, this weekend.
Wallingford RC
Looking to play into their home advantage this weekend the Wallingford crew know this stretch of the river inside out. With this stretch being notoriously windy and an S-Bend to navigate, their more experienced steersmen will likely give them the upper hand compared to some of their counterparts so these athletes will be leaning into this come race day.
Predictions
Ultimately, I think it’ll come down to a tight race between Radley and the Maidenhead crew. However, don’t count out the Wallingford and Sir William Borlase boats. We could be in for a surprise especially with it being this early in the season.
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