The blue ribbon sculling event at BUCS regatta, the open championship quads, brings together some of the top crews in the country to present a lesson in elite sculling. Rivals throughout the head season will now race in their first major side-by-side race, at the start of a blockbuster summer racing season. BUCS regatta is now a four-day event, and given that this event is on the Sunday, it will be interesting to see how crews will cope with multiple races already in the legs. In recent years, Reading University Boat Club has dominated this event, but there are five other institutions with crews entered to try and knock Reading off their perch. This may prove to be a close battle.
Reading University Boat Club
Where else can you start than with the best university sculling programme in the country? After moving to a sculling-only programme back in 2015, Reading University Boat Club have seen success after success, with the 24/25 season so far being no different. They claimed a clean sweep of quad events at BUCS head, whilst also having numerous other medalists in those categories. Moving on to GB April trials, they were represented by two doubles, with Ed Fuller and Matt Long finishing a strong sixth place overall, and the Robbie Collen, Ryne Robson pairing not far behind in tenth. All of these athletes are almost certain to be in one of the two quads they have entered this weekend. With Queen’s University Belfast, consistently the second fastest quad to race this season, not entering a crew, can they go one better than BUCS head and take a 1-2 in the championship quads? We will have to wait and see.
Durham University Boat Club
The Palatinate club brings a huge entry to the National Watersports Centre this weekend, hoping to claim the overall Victor Ludorum once again after missing out on it last year. Predominantly a sweep-focussed programme, with their year revolving around the heads of the river and Henley Royal Regatta, it is always interesting to see the calibre of athletes they put into sculling events. Their entry in the championship quads is under Will Morgan-Jones, current DUBC president and one-half of the top U23 pair at the recent GB trials. The other member of that successful pair is current men’s captain Charlie Warren; given that he has a strong sculling background at Windsor Boys’ School as a junior, you would expect him to be in this quad. The other two members of the crew are a relative unknown, but Norwegian U23 sculler Fredrick Reite is a strong bet for one of those seats. This Durham boat clearly has lots of talent, but given that DUBC’s main focus is on bigger sweep boats, their lack of training time in this combination may see them struggle to sustain a challenge for the win.
Nottingham University Boat Club
Rowing on their home lake, Nottingham University Boat Club enter this weekend aiming to establish themselves more in the championship events. After finishing sixth in this category at BUCS head, they will look to improve their finishing position this Sunday. Nottingham had three athletes attend GB November trials, and with Peruvian international sculler Lucas Salmon almost certainly in this crew, they do have some pedigree in the quad. With only seven crews entered this year in the championship quads, they will be gunning for an A-final spot to give themselves a chance of grabbing a medal.
Edinburgh University Boat Club
The men from Scotland have had a very successful head season this year, culminating in them finishing an impressive 13th overall at Head of the River, winning the inaugural edition of the Scott Skirving trophy. Only Oxford Brookes, UL and a fast Goldie crew had the beating of them, so clearly they have some very talented rowers. However, all of this success has been in sweep rowing, and given they have had few crews entering sculling events (no EUBC quads at BUCS head), can their speed be transferred across disciplines? Two rowers who will almost certainly be in this crew are Freddie Foxwell and Murray Bone, fresh from a credible 11th place in the doubles at GB April trials. Edinburgh University have had strong crews over this season so far, so be sure their quad will be challenging for the medals in this event this weekend.
Loughborough University Boat Club
This programme consistently seems to punch well above its weight, with their top crews competing well with many of the GB high performance university programmes. Their top quad finished a strong fourth overall in the championship quads at BUCS head, beating a Durham boat on their home river and not being far off Reading University’s second quad. Given they have quite a small senior squad, I would expect their crew to be similar to the one who raced throughout the head season. It will be interesting to see if they can maintain their speed from head season against possibly stronger opposition.
Bath University Boat Club
Historically a very strong sculling programme, the Bath University quad will be hoping to redeem a somewhat disappointing seventh-place finish at BUCS head. The university programme runs alongside the Bath Performance Development Academy, a team GB talent identification group. Both the university and the PDA have had some impressive GB trials results, with Archie Norton and Luka Halozan-Bayley finishing 11th at the February trials. This Bath quad will be aiming to beat their BUCS head result, and maybe mount a charge at some silverware.
Predictions
I think the Reading University Boat Club squad will continue its dominance at BUCS events. No university quad has come close to their top crew this year, with it being so stacked with talent. If Durham University Boat Club goes with their strongest crew, they will pip the Reading ‘B’ boat to second. Do not count out Edinburgh University Boat Club either. They may be the dark horses in this event and grab a bronze if they have a good race.
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