Following a two-year hiatus due to Storm Bert in 2024 and a dangerously strong stream in 2023 – as well as the recent cancellation of this year’s Pairs Head – the return of The Fours Head is even more exciting than usual.
The Fours Head is contested over the Championship Course – starting in Mortlake and finishing no fewer than 6779 metres downstream in Putney.
The women’s academic quads promise to be one of the most competitive categories, with 13 crews from ten clubs vying for the top spot. The academic category excludes athletes who have competed in the World Rowing Championships at any level, reached a semifinal at Henley Royal Regatta, or a final in a championship event at Henley Women’s Regatta. This levelling of the field ensures close competition, so we can expect some tight racing this weekend.
Hartpury University and College Boat Club
A stacked crew of juniors from Hartpury University and College Boat Club, an exclusively sculling programme, will lead the charge of the women’s academic quads. Two members of the crew, Daniela Raguckaite and Matilda Hudson-Hulls, were selected to represent Great Britain at the Coupe de la Jeunesse this summer. Both won gold medals in the eight and quad, respectively, rounding off an excellent season. Joining them is Gracie Janes, who partnered up with Raguckaite at Henley Women’s Regatta, reaching the semifinal of the Rayner Cup for junior double sculls. Completing the crew is Harriet Bray, who was part of Hartpury’s quad to win the Junior 16 quads at the National Schools’ Regatta in 2024. All now in their final season as junior rowers, this fierce combination of girls won’t be afraid to tussle with the older university-level crews in the category.
Reading University Boat Club
Safely regarded as the premier sculling university in the country, Reading University has entered three crews into the event, with a further two crews contesting the championship category. In 2022, the last time this event was contested, Reading took the win by 0.9 seconds. Scattered between the crews are members of Reading’s intermediate ‘A’ and ‘B’ quads from BUCS Head that placed first and fifth in the category. With a new intake of athletes, we can expect these crews to be even stronger and certainly ones to watch out for this weekend. Undoubtedly, these crews’ focus won’t solely be to beat their rival universities – it will be to upset the internal rankings within the club and beat their fellow teammates, something that could be even more exciting to watch.
University of Nottingham Boat Club
Nottingham University claimed second and third place in the event in 2022, a mere 0.9 seconds – equating to less than 0.1 splits – behind victors Reading University. Three years on, we have seen Nottingham focus predominantly on sweep rowing, with highlights including bronze medals in the championship coxless fours and silver medals in the lightweight event at BUCS Head in 2025, as well as their first and second eights placing ninth and 13th out of the senior university crews at Women’s Head of the River Race. With a crew in both the championship and academic quads categories, Fours Head will be one of the first tests of Nottingham’s sculling capabilities, and if it goes well, we may see them prioritise the quadruple sculls over the eights this season.
University of Birmingham Boat Club
Birmingham is another club strongly represented in this category, with two crews vying for top spot. In crew 270 is Cari Meredith, who, alongside her sister, won medals in a grand total of five events at BUCS Regatta this year. Joining her is Ella Oldland, who competed with Meredith in the European Universities Rowing Championships, placing sixth overall. The abundance of experience of these athletes – something vital when navigating the River Thames – could mean Birmingham is well-positioned for a top spot.
Other Notable Mentions
With the introduction of Junior Fours Head to the 2025/26 racing calendar, Westminster School Boat Club is one of two junior crews in this category. Westminster School is one of the premier programmes for schoolboy rowing, but its girls’ programme has seen a resurgence in recent years. Despite their likely overall deficit in race experience due to their age, Westminster School is the only club in the category to boast a home-water advantage – something which, on the Tideway, can make a world of difference.
Cardiff University is another club not to be forgotten, with three returning members from their Henley Women’s Regatta composite crew that successfully qualified for the Chairman’s Trophy for aspirational quadruple sculls. They will be closely rivalled by Loughborough Students‘ Rowing Club, who placed sixth at BUCS Head in the intermediate women’s quads and also managed to qualify for the Chairman’s Trophy – an achievement not to be disregarded in one of the most oversubscribed events at Henley Women’s Regatta.
Prediction
It’s hard to look to anyone else but Reading to take this title, and while I’m sure the Clams have made it their mission to get a 1-2-3 in the category, it would be foolish to underestimate the quad from Hartpury University and College, who boast international success and national titles. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the University of Birmingham slot into the top five, with their top challengers being Nottingham, who have shown their prowess on the Tideway with their previous Women’s Head of the River Race success. While I don’t expect Westminster School to feature in the top few, it would be exciting to see the rise of their girls’ programme in the 2025/26 season.
