Regatta season is upon us. This weekend, BUCS regatta will be kicking off the summer racing season for many of the UK universities. Six clubs will be competing to take the title in the championship quads event. With five of these universities having raced in this event last year, Newcastle University will be determined to retain the title while others will look to step on from last year’s results.
Newcastle University Boat Club
Reigning champions Newcastle University Boat Club will be hoping to overturn the results of BUCS Head, where they placed second, to claim the championship quads title for a second year in row. Newcastle have had a strong season on the sweep side placing 12th overall at WEHORR as the third fastest university crew. The international sculling experience of Rachel Bradley, who recently won the B-final of GB final trials with her doubles partner from the 2023 U23 World Rowing Championships, will aid Newcastle this weekend as they hope for a repeat of their 2024 success.
Reading University Boat Club
Reading University Boat Club are well known for their strong sculling programme and often the favourites when it comes to university sculling. However, last year there was an upset when they were pipped to the gold medal in this event by Newcastle University. This year they’ll be determined to take the top position after their commanding performance at BUCS Head where they won by almost 40s. Reading University had four scullers competing in the doubles at GB final trials highlighting the ambition of these athletes. They will be looking to avenge last year’s result and their BUCS Head result makes this seem likely.
Birmingham University Boat Club
Earlier this season at Bristol Head, Birmingham University Boat Club placed third behind Leander Club and Bath University. However, this crew was lacking Birmingham University standout athlete Katie Mole, who placed fifth in the double at GB final trials this year and fourth in the B-final at World Cup III last year. With her addition to the crew and a few months extra training, Birmingham reversed this result and beat Bath to a medal at BUCS Head. They’ll be looking to claim another medal this weekend.
Bath University Boat Club
Last weekend, the National Watersports Centre played host to the British Rowing Olympic Pathway Regatta. At this event, Bath University Boat Club athlete Ella Fullman won the U21 category. She also competed with fellow Bath University student Rebekah Court at the GB Final Trials. This brings lots of side-by-side racing experience to the crew and may help Bath step ahead of Birmingham to take a medal after their fourth-place finish at BUCS Head.
Cambridge University Boat Club
Having spent most of the season in eights in preparation for The Boat Race, it’s very exciting to see Cambridge University Boat Club enter two boats in this category, especially given the sculling prestige of some athletes in the squad this year. Stern pair of this year’s blondie crew, Caroline Rijkse and Eloise Etherington, have made the Semifinals of the Godfrey Rowsports Trophy at Henley Women’s Regatta and raced in the quad at the U19 World Rowing Championships respectively. Gemma King is also an accomplished sculler with multiple BUCS medals to her name.
Durham University Boat Club
Durham University Boat Club placed third in this event last year, however, their championship quad was scratched from BUCS Head so we are still yet to see their form this year. The crew features Zoe McCutcheon, a graduate of USC who placed 29th at the GB trials November assessment showing her sculling capability but it will be interesting to see how Durham can perform as a unit.
Predictions
After a dominating performance at BUCS Head, Reading University Boat Club seems set to take the win this weekend. Last year’s winners, Newcastle University Boat Club, will probably fall to second, and I’d predict Bath University Boat Club and Birmingham University Boat Club to fight it out for the final medal. I’d give Bath University a slight edge.
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