The Fours Head of the River returns this weekend for the first time since 2022 and will see over 400 crews racing down the Tideway from Chiswick Bridge to Putney in one of the most competitive events of the autumn calendar. The Women’s Club Quads event promises a fierce contest, with top club athletes set to test their strength, stamina, and steering against the unpredictable River Thames. With 40 crews entered into this category, it could be anyone’s race on Saturday.
Molesey Boat Club
Molesey Boat Club has two quads entered this year, but with a rumoured top lineup of Leonie Kennedy, Aoife Keane, Lara Grant, and Eleanor Stratton, they look set to dominate this year. Kennedy brings impressive lightweight results, with podium finishes across BUCS events, including silver in the Championship Lightweight Four and bronze in the Intermediate Lightweight Single in 2024. Aoife Keane represented England at the Home International Regatta in 2025, where she proved her skills, placing second in the single scull and first in the quad, and more recently tested her mettle in a stellar performance at the Wingfield Sculls. Both Keane and Grant represented Molesey at the GB November trials, with Lara Grant coming fourth in the U23 category. Together, this is a crew stacked with experience and recent top results. On paper, they’re the ones to beat.
London Rowing Club
London Rowing Club is also putting two strong quads forward in this event, and their Tideway familiarity and strong club reputation will undoubtedly play in their favour. Honor Parish, Charlotte Bawn, Kathryn Barnhill, and Rachel Ellingham bring a wealth of experience both on and off the tideway. Kathryn Barnhill was hugely successful in the 2025 Home International Regatta, where she represented England and won gold in the sprint eight, silver in the women’s eight, and bronze in the coxed four. Combined with Parish, Ellingham and Bawn’s Henley campaigns and London Rowing Club’s dominance on the Thames, this is a crew that could quietly row itself into contention if it finds its rhythm down the course.
Cantabrigian Rowing Club
Cantabrigian Rowing Club has established itself as one of the strongest women’s programmes in the country in recent years, and the three crews entered into this category will be looking to put pressure on the London Clubs. The combination of Laura D’Urso, Amanda Clarkson, Abi Smith and Charlotte Out arrives with momentum. D’Urso and Clarkson’s recent victories at both the British Rowing and Henley Masters Championships – where they broke course records in the double – underline their technical quality and sharpness. This, paired with Smith’s Henley Women’s Semi-final experience and the club’s 2024 WeHORR Pennant, shows their understanding of race strategy and a deep understanding of the Tideway. Cantabs could surprise amongst more established names. Expect efficient, precise rowing and a fierce race to the line.
Upper Thames Rowing Club
Alice Pickthall will return to the Tideway with Yasmin Ryman-King, Teuntje Tijssen, and Naomi Holland to reclaim the Fours Head title that she won in 2022. Pickthall and Tijssen both boast Henley Women’s final appearances, while Ryman-King’s National Schools’ silver and Holland’s veteran doubles success speak to the range of experience in this boat. Upper Thames took the win the last time this event ran, and although the line-up has evolved, their past success and club culture of technical discipline make them likely top-three contenders once again.
Mortlake A&A / Newark / Vesta Composite
One of the most exciting crews in the draw, this composite unites Katy Brooks, Jennifer Titterington, Jennifer Bailey, and Isabelle Maxwell, each bringing a standout season’s worth of results. Titterington achieved two gold medal wins at the Home International Regatta in 2024 and reached the quarter-finals of the Stonor Challenge Trophy at Henley Royal Regatta 2025, setting the tone for a crew of immense depth. Brooks and Bailey add further wins and experience racing together for England at the Home International Regatta in both the women’s coxed fours and the women’s eight. Maxwell, winner of the senior single at the Vesta Scullers Head, provides individual strength and proven sculling ability. With strength across both sculling and sweep, and athletes drawn from three powerhouse clubs, this crew could very easily turn the tables on anyone ahead of them.
Leicester Rowing Club
A crew to watch from further afield comes in the form of Leicester Rowing Club. Eleanor Gough and Lizzie Webster took Henley Women’s Regatta by storm, winning the hotly contested Rosie Mayglothling Trophy for Aspirational Double Sculls, followed by the Club Double at British Rowing Club Championships. Individually, Webster then went on to qualify for the Princess Royal Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta and then win the Club Singles at the British Rowing Club Championships. We all know well the quality of scullers that have come out of this club in recent years, and this duo could certainly be one to watch. In combination with Molly Varley, another athlete successful in her own right at the Home International Regatta, and Kate Duffy, I’ve got my bets on Leicester Rowing Club to be a real underdog crew in this event.
Notable Mentions
This is certainly a strong field, and the crews from Derby Rowing Club and Worcester Rowing Club are additional names to keep an eye on to challenge the more established clubs. Crews from City of Oxford and Hollingworth Lake/Warrington see established single scullers transition into crew boats, and also promising to see are entries from regional clubs including Rob Roy, Dart Totnes, Norwich and Medway Towns Rowing Club. Across the board, this is an exciting celebration of club women’s sculling.
Prediction
Following their success at the Head of the Charles, Molesey Boat Club will be looking to establish the depth of their squad and is emerging as a favourite in this event. This crew will build on the success of GB trials and their recent Henley Women’s experiences, which should give them confidence going into the race. Yet the Mortlake / Newark / Vesta composite has the depth and raw strength to push them all the way, particularly if they find their rhythm early. Expect Molesey to take the win, but not without a hard-fought challenge from the composite and a strong showing from Upper Thames close behind.
