The intermediate pairs at BUCS Regatta always feature great racing and plenty of action throughout the category. It’s a deep event, with a large number of entries from universities across the country, but with a top end populated by some key players in the first VIIIs of some of the most competitive boat clubs at the Championship level.
With Oxford Brookes notably absent here, this event really is wide open – and it looks like there is plenty of speed to be found from several combinations in this category. As ever, I’ll preview the entries that I think will be the ‘main players’, before offering a finish order prediction.
Durham University
The reigning champions in this event. There are a number of Durham pairs entered here, and the Palatinate will undoubtedly be looking to defend the title earned by Will Morgan-Jones and Charlie Warren last year. It’s a testament to the quality of the Intermediate field that the Jones/Warren pair won by just a couple of seconds; the pair has seen significant success this year, including at the most recent GBRT Trial, coming home as the top U23 combination and beating a host of Caversham pairs in the process. This year, my eye is drawn to the Durham ‘B’ entry, helmed by George Morris, who sat at four in Durham’s 18th-place finishing first VIII at the Head of the River Race. Morris partnered with Harry Wildridge at the GBRT February Trials – it’s interesting to see the combination split apart for BUCS. Expect to see at least a couple of Palatinate pairs in the A-final, with some vying for podium positions.
University of Edinburgh
The standout Edinburgh entry here is under Freddy Foxwell, who has been a stalwart of Edinburgh’s top end for several years now and has accumulated a ton of small boats experience in the process, including many runs down the track at GBRT Trials. His last couple of trials were actually in the double – most recently, he was fifth in the B-final at April Trials with fellow Edinburgh athlete Murray Bone. If that combination races here – albeit with one oar each instead of two – I think they’ll be pretty formidable. It’s interesting, really, that they haven’t opted to go for the Championship category; it seems like they’re trying to give themselves the best chance of winning outright, and I think this pairing could certainly do it.
Exeter University
While Exeter doesn’t have the pedigree of some of the other big rowing institutions in this field, I couldn’t ignore this entry helmed by Jamie Pollock. Pollock and Tom Loosley won bronze in this event last year with a cracking row that saw them beat out a strong Durham pair onto the podium. Pollock is an excellent boat mover and is the standout athlete at Exeter. This combination might surprise a few people again this year – certainly watch this space.
Imperial College
I would be remiss not to mention Imperial College in this field, particularly given that at least one of these pairs seems to have come out of the Imperial first VIII that came home 23rd at the Head of the River Race a month ago. The Angus Millar combination should have decent experience that I think will see them in with a shot at the A-final – indeed, last year, Millar was actually in the A-final of the championship pair alongside Dan Kirwan. I don’t think Imperial will have the speed to win this event outright, but they certainly could have a crack at the podium.
University of London
UL always brings some decent small boats to BUCS, and the two pairs entered here should prove to be no exception. The Theo Doyle unit is particularly interesting – Doyle was part of UL’s first VIII, which was 11th at the Head of the River Race, and the fastest university crew behind Cambridge and Brookes. Doyle learned to row at St George’s College and was in the junior men’s pair at the Coupe de la Jeunesse for GB back in 2022. He’s clearly adept in the smaller boat class, and I think his international experience will prove very useful in this field – expect UL to be the dark horses here.
Newcastle University
There are plenty of Blue Star entries in this field, but Newcastle‘s quickest appear to be the Harvey Orskov and Chris Fry combinations. Orskov was bow of Newcastle’s first VIII at the Head of The River Race, while Fry sat at three. Both of these guys have decent experience in the pair. Last year, Fry partnered with Thibe Vandermeulen in the BUCS Intermediate Pair, winning the B-final; this season, it was Orskov who partnered with Vandermeulen at GB Trials in February. They were the ninth fastest full-U23 combination, and 27th overall. One place above them, in 26th, was Fry, who partnered with another Newcastle athlete, Dylan Howard. If I had to guess, these combinations will be making another appearance at BUCS this weekend, and if that is the case, then the racing should be very close and very fierce. Internal competition should push these pairs right to the top of the category.
Prediction
This is a really hard one, as there’s some great experience throughout this event. Instinctively, I can’t look past the strength of Edinburgh‘s combination and pick them for the win. I think it will be a brutal fight for the medals, but I’m going to put Newcastle behind them in second, and Durham in third.
Best of luck to all crews.
Five Man
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