This weekend’s Hampton Small Boats Head gives young scullers a valuable opportunity to face the 3000m course, and after last year’s cancellation, plenty of crews will be itching for another go. A packed field of WJ16 singles are ready to take on the course’s tight bends and fast streams, so with a course shorter than most winter heads, this race will favour anyone brave enough to hold the rate high and keep the power on from start to finish.
Wimbledon High School Boat Club
Fielding seven athletes in this category, Wimbledon High School is demonstrating depth throughout their squad early in the season. At last year’s Schools’ Head of the River, Wimbledon’s J15 eight won the category, therefore, I expect that as these girls progress to the J16 category, they will be eager to continue dominating the podium. With a programme that grows stronger each year, I am sure that their scullers will arrive at Hampton ready to race hard.
Lady Eleanor Holles Boat Club
Racing on home water, the familiarity of the course will be a significant advantage for the young scullers. While LEH has more recently been associated with sweeping success, reaching the semi-finals of the The Prince Philip Challenge Trophy last summer, I am sure that their J16 squad will benefit from the momentum set by the older girls, and they will be able to transition their depth and strength into sculling this weekend.
Tideway Scullers School
Tideway has long been one of the strongest development centres for producing junior scullers in the country, and I don’t doubt that they will have fielded some incredibly strong athletes this weekend. Ogland has recently shown her skill in the single, taking fourth place at Vesta Scullers Head in September. Given Tideway’s stellar track record for producing experienced young athletes, as well as Ogland’s impressive recent record, I am sure that the Tideway athletes will be vying for the top spots.
Norwich School Boat Club
Norwich School is a program that is rapidly on the rise. The entire squad has been building in momentum recently, with the boys J18 4- winning this year’s Junior Four’s Head and the girls J18 4- coming an impressive sixth, signalling that Norwich School is not a club to be ignored. Conway follows in the footsteps of her older brother Nick Conway, who recently appeared as the first Norwich rower to represent Great Britain at Junior World Rowing Championships. Norwich may not have the size and experience of the larger clubs, but its recent achievements across the entire squad suggest that the Norwich girls may deliver big things.
Prediction
With so many talented athletes in this category, there are plenty of scullers capable of taking the win, especially on such a short, fast course. With a mix of established programs as well as emerging clubs showing great skills, it is hard to predict the winner when the race is so wide open. However, I expect Tideway’s athletes, with sculling experience and technical skill, as well as LEH, who boast home water advantage, and Wimbledon, to dominate the podium.
