After a difficult National Schools’ Regatta – with an entire day of racing scrapped from the roster – this race will mean that extra little bit to so many competitors. Although this boat class did get to compete back in May, the drive to build on those performances and another winter of systematic disruption will be on full display as crews take to the water for Saturday’s time trial in the Groton School Challenge Cup.
Kingston Grammar School
Let’s start with the national champions. Kingston Grammar School have been quietly building a robust rowing programme, notching several impressive results over the past three years and even supplying athletes to the U19 Great Britain team. They won the Jim Mason Plate for girls’ championship coxed fours at the National Schools’ Regatta four weeks ago and return the entirety of that crew to race on the Henley straights this weekend. This unit also won the women’s coxed four event at Poplar Regatta, so they have plenty of winning pedigree at their back. Anna Thevenon and Amy Fraser return from the crew that made the final of this event a year ago, losing out to a talented outfit from Aberdeen.
Surbiton High School
This Surbiton entry draws my attention immediately, as it appears to be their four top athletes, including U19 world silver medallist, Emily Shaw. We were deprived of seeing this crew in action at the National Schools’ Regatta after their event – the coxless four – was scrapped, but this weekend should provide us with plenty of evidence as to just how fast they’re going. Gracie Bates will provide additional firepower, having just been named in Rowing Ireland’s team for the Coupe de la Jeunesse, whilst the crew is steered by Hannah Jacobs, who coxed Great Britain’s women’s eight to gold and silver at the Coupe last summer. Surbiton have been a programme scratching around the top end of junior rowing for some time without ever really converting that obvious potential into top-level silverware. A victory in the Groton School Challenge Cup would be a significant step in the right direction.
Henley Rowing Club
Bronze medallists from the National Schools’ Regatta, Henley Rowing Club will take to home water to claim a coveted Henley Women’s Regatta trophy in front of a partisan crowd. With one change from the crew that finished three seconds back on Kingston in May – Scarlett Hyde joins the crew in place of Molly Hall, who jumps into the eight – this boat have plenty of experience racing together. Jemima Butterworth, Evelyn Meeks and Lilian Graham all raced for Great Britain at the annual GB vs France match last summer (a feat they also managed in 2023, a year early), so if their talent trajectory continues pointing so sharply upwards, they could well be challengers for the title this weekend.
Marlow Rowing Club
Marlow, another powerhouse of rowing talent production, has successfully rebuilt its programme’s top end since the middle of the last decade. However, it has also broadened its approach to ensure it’s competitive on multiple fronts. This crew were fourth at the National Schools’ Regatta, missing out on the medals despite winning the initial time-trial by two seconds. Three of this boat – Francesca Wilson, Lowri Cawdell and Libby Frampton – also placed fourth at the Junior Sculling Regatta in the women’s Junior 18 quads. If the draw is kind and they don’t run into any heavy hitters too early, they look like a good bet for a semifinal slot.
Headington School
Pulled from Headington’s second eight, who placed third in the B-final of girls’ championship eights at the National Schools’ Regatta, it would be foolish to discount a crew emerging from this Oxfordshire-based talent factory. This crew last raced together in this combination – albeit in a quad – at the Junior Sculling Regatta, where they placed ninth in the time-trial of women’s Junior 18 quads.
Blair Academy Crew, USA
One of several US-based entities to race for the Groton School Challenge Cup this year, Blair Academy will be fresh from competing at the 2025 USRowing Youth National Championships, where they placed fifth in the A-final of women’s youth coxed fours. What this means in the context of UK racing is hard to say. Stroked by Emily Tierney, who won gold at the U19 World Rowing Championships back in August as part of the US women’s eight, I expect this crew to navigate the timetrials comfortably. Depending on how fast they can do this, having already had to contend with jetlag + re-peaking for a race that begins six days after their nationals finish, will dictate their ability to contest for silverware.
Gwynedd Mercy Academy, USA
Boasting a strong record from their 2025 spring racing, Gwynedd Mercy Academy will arrive in Henley potentially a little fresher than some of their other American counterparts, having not raced at the USRowing Youth National Championships. This boat won the City Championship and SRAA National Championships, so will certainly have confidence approaching this weekend’s racing. Described as ‘true leaders’ by head coach, Lou McCormick, the club have been fundraising for the trip and will now be focused on converting that off-water effort into deep progress in the competition.
Newport Aquatic Centre, USA
Coxed by Grace Galipeau, who steered Newport’s Varsity eight to silver at the 2025 USRowing Youth National Championships held yesterday, this boat also features Eden Smith (who raced alongside Galipeau in the 1V) whilst Ava Kellman, Chloe Lopez and Gabby Bertoia all hail from Newport’s second Varsity crew, which won bronze at the USRowing Youth National Championships. Having already experienced the Henley course during their trip to race at the Royal last summer, Newport will bring those lessons to bear in an assault on the Groton School Challenge Cup.
Clydesdale ARC/ Glasgow Univ/ St Andrew Boat Club
Tough to ignore a Scottish composite, particularly given their storied success in this boat class. The holders from Aberdeen do not return in 2025, so it will partially down to this crew from Clydesdale ARC, Glasgow University and St Andrew’s Boat Club to try and uphold Scottish pride. Isabel Soyinka and Zoe Cochrane raced at the 2024 Swift British Rowing Beach Sprint Championships, winning silver and bronze in the mixed U19 doubles. Lucie Edwards and Anna Moore hail from St Andrew Boat Club and both raced at the Home International Regatta for Scotland last summer.
Prediction
Smart money is on Kingston Grammar School to take the win. They will be hard pushed by Surbiton, who bring the best of their boat club to bear, alongside fast American entries from crews including Newport and Blair.
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