The first 2000m regatta of the domestic racing season, and the second regatta in two days over this weekend. The Junior 4x category has a strong entry, albeit missing a few of the big guns such as Maidenhead and Windsor Boys. Also this regatta is the same weekend as the Munich Junior regatta where GB have named a strong sculling squad. Nevertheless the event still has an entry of 18 crews, all of whom will want to capitalise on the absence of certain top crews in this event
Star and Arrow Club.
Racing for the second time over the course of the weekend, what are the Leander junior quads entries into this event will be looking for strong results on Sunday. Entered under the names of A and B crew I can’t say for sure that the crews will be the same as those that will be racing at the Junior Sculling Regatta the day before. What is for sure though is that with 3 athletes at the recent GB small boat regatta and another one at the German national team trials this is a squad loaded with potential. A 3rd and 6th place finish at the Schools Head and then another 3rd in J18 4x and a win in J17 4x at the Junior Sculling Head means that this squad has depth at this level and that racing on consecutive days won’t take too much out of them so as such I would think these crews really will be up and around the front of this field too.
Lea RC
Looking to build on what was a breakthrough season for the Lea juniors last year will be this crew. The ‘Lea Musketeers’ will be looking to improve on last year’s quad project. This years crew has been built around Lea’s all conquering double of Louis Powell and Jasper Den Dulk who won the British Rowing Junior Championships two years on the spin. Both of these athletes have been involved in the GB junior trialling system this year, having earned their first international vest at the GB vs France match last summer. Recently both raced well at the April small boat regatta. In terms of performance in the quad this year Lea have been very quiet, not entering the Schools Head and then scratching for the Junior Sculling Head. However with a new boat, and such quality on boat, this crew will be well up around the front on Sunday
Henley RC
Again, with no crew name it’s hard to be certain, but with no quads racing Junior Sculling Regatta and no athletes heading to Munich I would imagine this is Henley’s top quad. Henley had one of their junior men’s squad at the GB April Small boats regatta and have the experience of athletes who were in Maidenhead’s second 4x last year. This season they have been strong throughout with a strong 4th place at the Junior Sculling Head being the culmination of this. I really think Henley could well win this, especially what with the split time for the first leg at the Scullery that was only a second shy of Leander and without a race in the legs from the previous day, it could well be on for these guys.
Marlow RC
Another club who are doubling up this weekend and another crew who will be looking to put their hat into the ring for the season. Like many of these clubs, they had athletes at April trials and so will have a talented squad to pick from. As well as this, Marlow have done a fair amount of racing in a quad over the winter. They were one of the many clubs to race at both the Schools Head and the Junior Sculling Head. They placed 5th and 10th at the Schools Head and then 8th in J18 4x and 2nd in J17 4x at Junior Sculling Head. How they will have moved on from that point remains to be seen but I do expect a strong showing. The fact it is only a single entry could mean it is Marlow’s top boat which will mean it will pose a real danger to the top of the standings at the end of the day on Sunday.
Other mentions
Other crews that could place well, but may not be right up there include an all new Globe crew, as well as the like of Staines, RGS High Wycombe and Hereford Catherdral School, who have all had solid if unspectacular results over the winter and will want to lay down their hand for the summer ahead.
Predictions
This is a tight one to call, being so early in the summer season. I think not racing the day before could mean all the difference to Henley over Leander, and behind them i can see an almighty scrap for position with Marlow edging Lea for third. However it will be close and no doubt there will be some fantastic racing.
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