A formative, if at times unsettling, year, the J15 stint of any young oarsman’s rowing journey is fraught with new experiences, trial and tribulation. Like many of their senior crewmates, the season will conclude next month at National Schools’ Regatta. Still, before that, Wallingford Regatta allows the 18 crews racing this weekend to sneak in Dorney experience against a highly competitive field – perfect practice ahead of NSR.
Bedford School:
Hot off a tight third-place finish at Schools’ Head, Bedford School enters this race as red-hot favourites for the win. Famed for their younger junior programme’s strength, Bedford has proven expertise in moulding fast J15 crews, and this year looks to be no different. Of course, head results are never a reliable predictor of 2K success, but a second-place finish at Bedford Fours and Eights to Mossbourne – the big name missing from this draw – should give this crew plenty of confidence in their ability to race well.
Westminster School:
With a metric tonne of experience in the club, writing off Westminster is a dangerous game to play for any rivals. Another club that often succumbs to the ‘almost, but not quite’ disease, could this be the crew to take the recent legacy of Westminster to the next level? Results would suggest it’s not beyond the realms of possibility. A top-four finish at Schools’ Head was a significant step-up from 12th place at Hampton Fours and Eights earlier in the season. Whether this is a new dawn for Westminster remains to be seen, however.
Reading Blue Coat School:
Blue Coat is another titan on the young junior scene and has crews entered into this event, both looking to compete at the highest level. With a 6th place finish for their first eight at SHORR, and 14th for the second crew, the top crew looks to be punching for a place in the final, and perhaps even a medal.
Notable Mentions:
Ever a powerhouse on the sculling side, Windsor Boys’ School, have entered an eight into this event – could this be the start of a new legacy? Kew House, Dulwich, Pangbourne and Radley have also seen some positive results this year but have often failed to surpass those previewed in detail above.
Predictions:
1st: Bedford School
2nd: Westminster
3rd: Reading Blue Boat
Good Luck!
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