It’s almost time for the tideway to host one of the largest events in women’s rowing. With over 2,500 women of all abilities set to take to the tideway, Women’s Eights Head is a crucial event in the rowing calendar. There are 4 open crews that will be fighting to take the title of fastest university crew.
Cambridge University Boat Club ‘A’
This crew will likely be Cambridge’s provisional blue boat for The Boat Race, which will take place a month after the Women’s Head of the River Race. With this being the focus of their season, they will be well-trained on the Tideway but may not be peaking this weekend like many other crews. Despite this, they managed to claim the university pennant last year. At the February GB trials, Natasha Morrice and Samantha Morton were the fastest university pair, placing seventh overall. Morrice and Morton both raced at the 2022 U23 World Rowing Championships, where Morrice won a silver medal for Great Britain in the eight, and Morton was crowned world champion with Australia in the coxed four. Further international experience comes from Claire Collins, six-seat of the American eight at the Paris Olympic Games, who comes to Cambridge to take a crack at The Boat Race and the MBA course. Even though this isn’t the season’s highlight for Cambridge, it will act as good prep for their forthcoming clash with Oxford.
Durham University Boat Club ‘A’
At BUCS Head, Durham claimed a silver medal in the women’s championship eights, only six seconds behind the winning crew, local rivals, Newcastle University. Earlier this season, positions were reversed as Durham was victorious over Newcastle at Tyne New Year’s Head. Anna Grace, U23 world champion in the pair, sat in the three-seat of the BUCS Head crew and finished 13th at the February GB Trials. Her international racing experience will benefit the crew, but perhaps not enough to bring them up to the level of the other open university crews, who have more international athletes, with many having competed at senior level.
Oxford Brookes University Boat Club ‘B’
Despite being the second boat for Brookes, this crew is certainly not to be overlooked. Oxford Brookes dominates women’s university sweep racing. At Henley Royal Regatta, Brookes won The Remenham Challenge Cup with their second boat winning The Island Challenge Cup. Likewise, at Henley Women’s Regatta, the top boat from Brookes won the Ron Needs Challenge Cup, and their second boat won the Colgan Foundation Cup. Brookes’ second boat has consistently shown itself to be at the forefront of university rowing and after placing fifth overall in 2024, they will be looking to ideally break into the top three.
University of London Boat Club ‘A’
Of the crews entered in this event, University of London had the highest finishing position last year placing fourth. The university pennant will certainly be the goal with many strong recruits this year. Jessie Martin, U23 world champion in the coxless four, returns to the squad as captain whilst new additions include Aoife Casey, who raced in the lightweight double at the Paris Olympic Games, and fellow Irish rower Emily Hegarty, who won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games and finished in the B-final in Paris, both in the coxless four. With these newcomers and many athletes returning from last year’s successful crew, UL will be ones to watch this weekend. They’ve already had success this season, winning Quintin Head, and, with a home water advantage, will be looking to step onto the proverbial podium whilst taking home a pennant that they have not won in several years
Prediction
Following a strong result last year and with several Irish Olympians joining the squad, I would look to the University of London to take the win this weekend. I also expect a strong performance from Cambridge University despite this not being their peak, whilst Oxford Brookes can never be counted out.
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