Bedford Regatta 2025 – Open Junior 15 Eights Preview

In this 159th Bedford Regatta, 23 J15 crews take to the water to battle it out to be the victors in Britain’s largest one day regatta. For some, this will be the first regatta of the season; for others, a result would have been set earlier in the season, and the S.R. Wells Challenge Cup is another chance to prove their progress.

St Paul’s School Boat Club

Last year, St Paul’s School Boat Club swept the Bedford J15 eights categories, with their first, second and third eight all taking home silverware, after comfortable wins in each final. A year on, and with a recent School’s Head of The River win under their belts for their first and second eight and a strong second place for their third eight in their respective categories, St Paul’s will look to do the same again. It’s safe to say St Paul’s has become synonymous with elite junior rowing, right from their lowest years; I have no doubt these crews will continue to reinforce this.

Abingdon School Boat Club

Abingdon School Boat Club made it all the way to the final in this event last year, just missing out on silverware due to a dominant performance from St Paul’s. This year, they find themselves re-rowing last year’s final in their first heat, where they will look to send last year’s winners home early and then go on to improve their previous finish.

Radley College Boat Club

This Radley College Boat Club crew took to the starting blocks just six days before Bedford Regatta, at Wallingford Regatta, where they found themselves finishing in an impressive second place three seconds behind the winners, Hampton School. It’s clear Radley’s depth in their squad is a huge strength, with three eights entered for Bedford Regatta and two of their eights making the A final at Wallingford Regatta.

Bedford School Boat Club

Similar to Radley College, Bedford School Boat Club stack up their regatta experience having raced six days prior to Bedford Regatta where they had a respectable performance in Heat C. Racing on their home water is bound to give Bedford an advantage for their first heat against Latymer Upper School Boat Club. Even if slight, could this advantage be enough to take them all the way in their home regatta?

Latymer Upper School Boat Club

Last year Latymer Upper School Boat Club missed out on the final of Bedford Regatta by under a length, where they just got pipped by Abingdon in the semi final. This year Latymer are drawn against Bedford School, who they faced in their heat of Wallingford Regatta and beat with a margin of seven seconds. Despite this, Latymer won’t allow themselves to get complacent and will continue to push on with this draw in mind.

Prediction

St Paul’s School Boat Club- After such a dominant performance at School’s Head of The River, it is impossible for me not to predict them as winners.
Radley College Boat Club– their second place finish at Wallingford Regatta shows this crew have some real speed.
Latymer Upper School Boat Club– a good performance on Sunday and a strong placing at last year’s Bedford Regatta suggests that they could go even further this year.