Image Credit: Benedict Tufnell/British Rowing
The coxless four – one of Great Britain’s most prestigious boat classes, and often one that it has found the most success in – features, this year, a very experienced cohort of young athletes, all of them in their final school, this being the final race of their junior careers, and therefore will likely prove to be something special. With all of this crew having earned GB vests previously, and two having already raced at the U19 World Rowing Championships last year, this crew will be looking to go to Lithuania in a couple of weeks to build on the success of last year’s silver medal-winning four, and take home the gold.
Edward Galer – Shiplake College (J18)
Fresh off what has undoubtedly been Shiplake College Boat Club’s most dominant season in history, bowman Edward Galer will be looking to make waves on the international circuit as he races in the GB four this year. Both a National Schools’ Regatta gold medallist, as well as Henley Royal Regatta winner, Galer faces a new challenge moving onto the last race of his junior career – ensuring that he has the composure and focus to steer the boat while rowing as bowman. However, as this is not his first taste of racing in smaller boats, having raced in the four for GB at the Munich International Regatta, it seems likely he will be able to adapt to his new role well and do GB proud at the U19 World Rowing Championships.
Edward Bayfield – Abingdon School (J18)
Not his first U19 World Rowing Championships, Edward Bayfield will be looking to expand his international medal collection, having taken a gold medal as part of the GB eight that raced in Canada last summer. While perhaps lacking the same domestic racing success as some of the other Henley Royal Regatta-winning members of the crew, this should by no means take away from the fact that Abingdon rower Bayfield brings some of the richest international racing experience out of any of the crew members to this squad, which will undoubtedly only help this crew as it races for gold in Lithuania this summer.
Isaac Dean – Shiplake College (J18)
Shiplake College’s Head of Boats, Isaac Dean will be looking to take into the three-seat the rhythm and power developed through his role of stroke seat as he lead his school’s first eight to a second-place finish at the Schools’ Head of the River, as well as their historic wins at the National Schools’ Regatta and Henley Royal Regatta. This is not his first GB vest or his first race in a smaller boat; he joined his schoolmate and bowman Ed Galer at the Munich International Regatta earlier this season to achieve a silver medal in the coxless four. Undoubtedly, Dean brings a good level of racing experience and grit that GB fans will appreciate as they watch the four race in a couple of weeks.
Elam Hughes – St Edward’s School (J18)
Stroke man Elam Hughes, hailing from St Edward’s School in Oxford, will undoubtedly have little issue in becoming familiar with this new crew. He has already raced both at the Munich International Regatta this season as well as the 2024 U19 World Rowing Championships with two-seat Edward Bayfield, highlighting the level of international racing experience within this crew that will fuel them in their campaign to take home the gold in Lithuania this summer. For Hughes, there is no lack of domestic racing experience either, with Elam and the rest of the St Edward’s first eight impressively reaching the quarterfinals of Henley Royal Regatta this year.
