This Saturday, the Tideway will be awash with nearly 3,000 women as they take on the 2025 Women’s Eights Head of the River. While the senior and open categories promise a clash of rowing titans, the real underdog drama unfolds in the challenge academic category, where 52 crews from smaller programmes will fight for their moment of glory. In this head race, it’s not just about power; it’s about teamwork, strategy, and, ultimately, seizing the spotlight on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
St Andrews University Boat Club
Call it bias if you like, but St Andrews University looks like a real contender for this year’s top spot in the challenge academic category. With their top two crews entered here, they’re in a prime position to improve on last year’s runner-up finish. They’ve already made history in 2025, securing their first-ever BUCS championship medal in February with their women’s coxed four, proving that poaching Edinburgh’s Lewis McCue was more than just a power move; it was a launchpad for the programme’s bright future.
Exeter University
Another strong contender, Exeter’s intermediate women’s squad will be looking to defend their title in this category. Fresh off an impressive performance at Hammersmith Head, including a silver in the women’s intermediate eight, they’ll be eager to prove last year’s victory was no fluke. With just a four-second margin separating them from St Andrews in 2024, their experience on the Tideway could be the deciding factor against a fiercely competitive field in this year’s showdown.
University Rowing Aberdeen
First off the start, University Rowing Aberdeen is another small club with a chance to score big. A coalition between Aberdeen’s two universities, their athletes will endure a gruelling ten-hour bus journey to take on the Tideway, a challenge that will fuel their determination and shake up any complacency among the more local crews. While they have yet to test themselves down south this season, a string of strong performances at Inverness Head last week suggests they’re more than ready to make their mark. With their top athletes entered in this category, they’ll be aiming to climb the time sheets and prove that long journeys, tidal training, and very little sunlight can still lead to significant results.
Notable Mentions
With so many crews entering into the challenge academic category this year, covering them all in-depth would be impossible. That being said, a few others stand out as ones to watch. Bath University, for example, delivered a strong performance in the intermediate eight at BUCS Head, while Surrey and Newcastle also made their mark in the closely contested race, meaning it could be anyone’s game out on the unpredictable waters of the Tideway.
Predictions
All in all, I have to back my favourite, oh, I mean, the favourite, St Andrews University, to take the win this weekend. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Exeter closely contesting the top spot. Beyond that, the race for the final podium spot is wide open, and every crew will have their work cut out for them in the fight to seize it. If nothing else, all crews will get the chance to celebrate International Women’s Day together in style, showcasing their true strength out on the Tideway!
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