This year’s Women’s Head is set to be the biggest and best in recent years, with the pandemic fully behind us we see a full entry list with a pleasing range of crews from far and wide. With several cancellations in recent years competitors will be hopeful for an uneventful weekend in this regard.
The University Pennant will be fiercely competitive this weekend with a number of crews well placed to fight it out for the top academic head race prize.
Oxford Brookes University BC
Last year Oxford Brookes‘ university-eligible crew only placed 14th, a disappointing result by their own high standards. This year they will aim to rectify this and take the university pennant home. In the recent fixture against Cambridge we all got a first look at a Brookes women’s eight this season. This dominant display was followed by a big victory at Reading University Head last weekend. Back on the Tideway it will be interesting how they shape up against other university eights, having not raced at BUCS Head.
Edinburgh University BC
Edinburgh have already had plenty of eights experience this season, winning Rutherford Head and placing second at BUCS Head. In 2022 they were the second placed University at WEHoRR and seventh overall. They will hope to build on their BUCS Head result, where they finished just behind Durham, and go one better this weekend.
Newcastle University BC
In 2022 Newcastle placed third in the University Pennant. Two weeks ago at BUCS Head they placed third, closing the gap on Edinburgh who beat them comfortably at Rutherford Head. They go off one place ahead of Durham, who also just beat them on the Tyne, so will hope to use this to their advantage and push off them.
University of London BC
Returning champions in the university pennant UL are off fifth in the draw. This year’s crew is weaker than 2022, indicated by their recent loss in the fixture against Cambridge. At Quintin Head they were second in the Championship category and top university crew. Home water may help them this weekend, but it would be a shock to see them back up their victory.
Durham University BC
Durham are fresh off an impressive win at BUCS Head two weeks ago. Under the guidance of their new Head Coach Will Fletcher they are making big strides each time they race and will be aiming to continue this trajectory at WEHORR. Last year they placed fourth so are going off behind some of their rivals. They will be aiming chase them down and take another victory.
Prediction
This weekend the result will be close between Brookes and Durham. The latter will continue their impressive form and return north with the University Pennant. Newcastle will place third in a competitive draw.
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