The championship single scull is one of the blue riband events at BUCS Regatta and gives the competitors a chance to be crowned the fastest student-athlete in the country. This year’s standard in this event is exceptionally high, with multiple international medallists, so expect a fierce battle for the podium positions.
Reading University Boat Club
Over the past few years, Reading have established themselves as the top university sculling programme in the country and have entered five scullers into this event. Three of them won bronze in the quad at the 2024 U23 World Rowing Championships, including Finnola Stratton, who may be the pick of the field, having placed fourth overall at GB trials in February and fourth in the double at April trials. Last year’s runner-up, Ellie Cooke, was also in that crew from the U23 World Rowing Championships and will be looking to retain her spot on the podium. The last Reading sculler in that crew, Meg Knight, also has a bronze medal from the 2022 U19 World Rowing Championships and won the Borne Cup for championship quads at Henley Women’s Regatta last year. Their other scullers are Zara Povey, who was the fastest U23 sculler at November’s GB trials, and Daisy Bellamy, who is perhaps better known for her sweep prowess, having won gold in the U23 coxless four at the 2021 U23 World Rowing Championships. All five of these scullers are exceptionally talented and should be aiming for the A-final or a place on the podium on Sunday.
Queen’s University Belfast Boat Club
At the 2019 National Schools’ Regatta, Molly Curry beat current Olympic Champion Lauren Henry to win the championship girls’ single. Since then, she has represented Ireland and GB at age-group World and European Rowing Championships and reached the semifinals of the championship single at Henley Women’s Regatta in 2024. She is coming off the back of an injury, but if she can get near her best in time for Sunday, she could challenge for the win.
University of Birmingham Boat Club
Last year’s defending champion, Kathryn Mole, will be looking to add another medal to her growing BUCS collection on Sunday. She was a member of the Birmingham quad, which placed third at BUCS Head, and more recently, she placed fifth in the double at GB April Trials. Before that, last year, she was selected to represent GB at World Rowing Cup III as part of the ‘Project LA’ group. In the current pecking order, she appears to be just behind Finnola Stratton from Reading, but with such tight margins, she could easily turn that around on Sunday.
University of Nottingham Boat Club
Olivia Bates’ results speak for themselves. A World Rowing Cup gold in the lightweight single and a fourth-place finish in the lightweight double at the 2024 European Rowing Championships are probably two of the highlights of her career so far. She is also an Olympic reserve and holds the honour of being the final lightweight single sculler ever to represent GB. Although her last international regatta did not go to plan, there is no denying her single sculling prowess. She won this event in 2023 by nearly 14 seconds and placed second the year before, and also won the championship lightweight single in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Her current form is a little unknown, but she can take the win on Sunday.
Cambridge University Boat Club
Fresh off the back of yet another Boat Race win and looking to regain the women’s Victor Ludorum in a post-Olympic year, Cambridge have entered three scullers, including Gemma King, who placed fourth in this event last year. Samantha Morton was a reserve for the Australian Olympic team in Paris and also made it to the semifinals in The Hambleden Pairs Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. Their last entrant is Sophia Hahn, a two-time U23 world champion in the eight. It will be interesting to see if they can transfer their speed in sweep boats to sculling.
Bath University Boat Club
Ella Fullman had an incredibly successful junior career at Wycliffe College Boat Club and represented GB, winning gold medals at the 2022 and 2023 Coupe de la Jeunesse. She came third in this event last year but appears to be slightly off the pace this season. Alongside Rebekah Court, who has also entered this event, she only came fourth in the B-final at the April trials. A marked speed improvement will be required to retain her spot on the podium on Sunday.
Other Entries
The final two entrants are Zoe McCutcheon from Durham University Boat Club and Ellie Dash from Hartpury University & College Boat Club. McCutcheon is a University of Southern California graduate and competed in their varsity eight. At Durham, she has spent much of her time in their first eight. She is very quick, so seeing how that translates to the single will be interesting. Dash placed second in the intermediate single at BUCS Regatta last year and, since then, has gone from strength to strength. Alongside Zara Povey from Reading, she placed second in the B-final at the April trials. Whilst I do not expect her to challenge for a medal, an A-final finish would be an excellent result.
Prediction
If Olivia Bates is at her best, it is hard to see anyone getting close to her. Behind her, I would expect to see a very close race between Finnola Stratton and Kathryn Mole. A fit Molly Curry is capable of getting on the podium, but it may be too much, too soon for her. Ellie Cooke should also be challenging for a podium place, and I would not be surprised if the Cambridge scullers caused an upset or two. Overall:
- Olivia Bates – Nottingham University Boat Club
- Finnola Stratton – Reading University Boat Club
- Kathryn Mole – University of Birmingham Boat Club
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