Wallingford is one of the first major regattas of the season and as a result of this, most big junior sculling clubs are opting to see where they rank in the Junior Quads event, meaning that the Junior Double will take place as a straight final and lacks many big names. It is also difficult to know who is actually in each crew with the absence of any names in the draw, making this a very difficult event to predict. Despite this, the prospect of side by side racing over 2000m is still exciting and should help set the scene for the rest of the regatta season.
Dart-Totnes are a name that have certainly produced talented athletes recently, with Matt Swiss racing in the double at Junior Worlds last year. If he is in this crew then it will be very tough to beat and will definitely be the favourite. Even if he is not, I expect this to be one of the quicker crews, as this is clearly a club capable of producing some talent. King’s Worcester had an excellent J16 Quad last year and did very well to win a medal at The Scullery earlier this season. Because of this proven pedigree I would be very surprised not to see this crew near the top. Kingston seem to have an ever improving junior squad with a very quick J16 double winning a medal at NSR last season. Presumably this crew will have similar athletes and should therefore be looking to step up to the J18 level, however I can’t see them challenging the top crews in the country just yet. The last crew that I think should put in a good performance is RGS. They’ve consistently been in the middle of the pack since they stepped up to J18 sculling, however I feel like they should now have found their feet and will begin to challenge the top end more effectively. I can’t see them winning on Sunday however I expect them to be up there.
Prediction
It is very difficult to predict this event without knowing a bit more about each crew, however if they are as I expect then Dart-Totnes should take the win as it is unlikely any of the other crews will be able to challenge internationally successful athletes such as Matt Swiss. This boat will be followed by RGS and King’s Worcester who have both proven this season that they can produce quick crews, but simply lack the strength and experience required to take the top spot.
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