Wallingford Long Distance Sculls spans over 4000m against the stream on the snaking Oxford stretch of the Thames. After the unfortunate cancellation of Scullers Head, this is the first Southern head race of the season. With the departure of last year’s top athletes and the introduction of some of the younger crop, it will be the first test to get a measure of competition in this class and benchmark where they stand after the summer break. A few clubs are entering multiple single scullers, many from successful crew boats last year. Everybody specialising in racing a single will have heard the saying: for every good single sculler, at least three stronger ones are hiding in a crew boat. Now is their chance to test this theory.
Marlow Rowing Club
Kennedy and Wells. Quad finalists at Henley Royal Regatta, Henley Women’s Regatta, and second place at National Schools’ Regatta. The two athletes accomplished much last year and are back better and stronger than before. Having raced internationally, they have a great deal of regatta experience. However, a head race in a single is a very different mental proposition. How will they hold up in the psychological test of a head race on their own?
Sir William Perkins Boat Club
Whilst it is difficult to find information on these six scullers from Sir William Perkin’s Boat Club, the team boasts multiple international medals this summer. They have an excellent sweep program. They also prequalified their quad for Henley Royal Regatta but fell short against Tideway Scullers School. Their strong program shows potential for these scullers to do very well. Past winners of this category here have been from Sir William Perkin’s Boat Club.
Wallingford Rowing Club
With successes all of last year, Wallingford is one of the most impressive club programmes, often beating schools with more resources. They were among the few clubs to prequalify an eight for Henley Royal Regatta. Scott and Bahadori claimed a silver medal in the coxed four category at the National Schools’ Regatta, and Downs won a gold in the WJ16 eight. Wallingford also won the Junior eight category at the British Rowing Junior Championships. The girls have clearly shown that they can move a boat at speed. Will the same apply to the skill-intensive single scull on their home course?
Prediction
It isn’t easy to form a prediction with the first races of the year: how much the rowers have progressed since regatta season is a mystery that remains to be seen. However, I would predict the Marlow Rowing Club athletes Kennedy and Wells will battle for the top two spots, given their expertise in the field of sculling. Third place could show some interclub competition, with one of the Wallingford Rowing Club athletes claiming a bronze. Seeing crew boats broken down into single sculls never fails to be an exciting race to watch, as you never know who could throw in a wild card!
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