Henley Long Distance Sculls – a three-kilometre head race along the prestigious Henley stretch of the Thames that poses a significantly different challenge from its sister race, Henley Royal Regatta, yet one no less gruelling. Several clubs will take to the picturesque waters of Henley this weekend to test their speed at one of the first major head races, across all sculling boat classes of every age category.
Bewl Bridge Rowing Club
In the J18 category, Bewl Bridge Rowing Club will play a role as a key contender for the medal spots this weekend across many categories. Notable athletes include Harry Tyrell-Clark, who achieved an impressive 11th-place finish in the notoriously competitive championship singles category at last year’s National Schools’ Regatta, as well as Fraser Whitehead, who joined Tyrell-Clark in a quad last year in a campaign to qualify for The Fawley Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. This crew, brutally, ended up as the fastest non-qualifiers, highlighting a level of experience and skill that these Bewl Bridge athletes will bring to Henley this weekend, across both the singles and doubles events. Bewl Bridge has also entered several athletes across other age ranges, highlighting the level and depth that the club has begun to develop in recent years. J16 athletes, including Theodore Maltarp, Seth Wingfield and James Coward, all three of whom made the A-final at last year’s Junior Sculling Regatta, will bring racing experience as they go down the course this Saturday in both singles and doubles.
Claires Court School Boat Club
One of the biggest names in junior sculling, Claires Court School Boat Club, will undoubtedly be one to watch this weekend. Athletes such as Tommy Beever and Joshua Spanswick, who recently put in a strong performance at the iconic Scullers Head of the River race, placing 14th and 17th, respectively, in the junior singles category, will be racing in the same category this weekend. With some impressive results last year, including a bronze medal in the championship quad at the National Schools’ Regatta and reaching the Friday of Henley Royal Regatta, these boys will undoubtedly be looking to put down some strong performances on the Henley stretch this November. Additionally, with entries across the board in terms of age ranges and boat classes, Claires Court seem to be looking to dominate the racing this weekend, looking likely to build on strong performances in a variety of races last year, including wins at Marlow Town regatta in the J15 quad and J16 double and quad, as well as fifth and fourth place finishes for the J16 quads last year at Wallingford Regatta.
Tideway Scullers School
Another staple of British sculling, the red and yellow of Tideway Scullers School will likely be at the top end of the racing this Saturday on the Henley stretch. They will be looking to build on stellar results from last year, including a win at Schools’ Head of the River, a silver medal at the National Schools’ Regatta (both in the championship quad), alongside a win for the J15 single at the 2025 British Rowing Club Championships, and a fifth-place finish in the B-final for the J16 single. There is clearly a level of depth in this club that ensures all athletes, regardless of age, perform at the top level. Standout junior Tideway rowers racing this weekend include Zac Brockway and Oliver Peres, who impressively achieved a third place finish in the open coxless four at Poplar Regatta last year, both of whom will be racing in the singles and doubles category this weekend, as well as Edward Metcalf, who placed seventh in the J17 singles category at Scullers Head this year, also racing in the J18 singles category this weekend.
Prediction
To conclude, I think that standout performances this weekend will include a gruelling fight for the gold medal in the J18 singles category between Metcalf, Beever, and Tyrell-Clark, with Beever likely taking home the win. Additionally, the double sculls category will be a two-horse race between Bewl Bridge and Tideway Scullers, and my prediction is that Tyrell-Clark’s double will ultimately end up as the victors. Meanwhile, the quadruple sculls race will, in my opinion, likely be taken by the Tideway crew, although a strong performance from the American School London quad could be on the cards to take a surprise win.
