The clocks have dropped back, and like them, many athletes have taken a step back from racing to train or study during the cold winter months – but not all have given in so easily. This Saturday, through the early morning mist, the banks of the Thames will once again come alive with the clatter of rigging and the chatter of rowers, as clubs and schools from across the country descend on the Thames for the 2025 edition of Kingston Small Boats Head. As we approach hotly anticipated events such as the inaugural Junior Fours Head, coaches and clubs will endeavour to ensure their crews and athletes have a surplus of experience and confidence to guide them down these infamous courses, and crews will be looking to consolidate their standing and make sure that they know what they’re up against. As such, the selection of open junior crews set to take on the cornucopia of sculling events at Kingston is rife with talent and potential, and stands to make some exciting racing, with what will undoubtedly be some embittered rivalries tested once again on the mighty Thames.
Junior 18 Sculls
The J18 scull is likely to be one of the lesser-contested events of the day, with only seven entries, primarily due to the looming GB U19 trials, which many Junior 18 athletes will be focusing on. Nonetheless, even with fewer entrants, I think that those remaining will be driving harder to secure a victory that they may not have been able to clinch throughout the season. The King’s School, Canterbury are clearly seizing the opportunity, making up three of those seven entrants, and the shift from a number of their athletes, such as Gaskain, who bulked out the Junior 18 quad at Reading Small Boats Head into singles, could suggest a refinement of technique and power that would stand him in good stead later in the season. A challenge may arise, however, once Walpole from Canford School takes to the course – a fourth place finish in the Band three Junior 18 single at the recent Henley Sculls will, I’m sure, have left him hungry for a podium place, and this weekend’s reduced field will serve as an excellent battlefield to hunt one down. As such, this could be any man’s race, but I’d say it’ll be worth keeping an eye on those fresh scullers from King’s School, Canterbury, although I wouldn’t put it past Boyd of Tiffin School, after splitting from a double at Wallingford Long Distance Sculls that placed eighth to pull something out of the bag and surprise us all.
Junior 16 Doubles
It’s nigh on impossible to look over the list of entries that make up this year’s Junior 16 double event and skip that bastion of British schoolboy and schoolgirl rowing that is Shiplake College. With a reputation for excellent coaching and training their athletes to an incredible standard, shown by the numerous alumni that go on to compete nationally and internationally, I think that we can rest assured that the four crews entered will be of the standard that we have come to expect from Shiplake, and will be looking to add to their list of accomplishments. Additionally, we may see some interesting battles going on within this category that have been running throughout the autumn – the duo from Barn Elms RC, led by Lomas, will be once again facing the Walbrook RC crew, steered by Tenorio Saur, that they lost out to by the margin of a second at the recent Weybridge Silver Sculls. This, I imagine, will fuel some very tense racing, and may lead to an upset for any one of the Shiplake crews, but I do still put faith in those mighty Shiplake doubles!
Junior 15 Coxed Quads
Certainly set to be one of the best junior sculling categories to watch, the Junior 15 coxed quad is absolutely chock full of talent, currently having the most entries of all open junior sculling events, with 18 crews poised to duke it out for victory. My eye is immediately drawn to three entries within this category from Hampton School Boat Club, who managed to secure an awe-inspiring clean sweep of the podium in this event last year at Kingston Small Boats Head, and will almost definitely be looking to replicate this mammoth performance in 2025. A scattergun approach of four entries from King’s College School, Wimbledon, could, however, stand to upset these plans. A strong performance in the Band two Junior 15 quads at Reading Small Boats Head in early October, placing first, second, fifth and seventh puts them in good stead to challenge Hampton for the victory, but I also wouldn’t rule out a campaign from the Sir William Borlase School crew that were denied a spot on last year’s podium by the three Hampton crews to seize some glory. Ultimately, I think the three quads from Hampton will be hard to beat, but I definitely wouldn’t believe that the guys from King’s College School, Wimbledon will go down easily, so that’ll be a race to watch!
Junior 18 Coxless Quads
This looks to be another fiercely contested trophy, with 12 crews ready to blast down the course and seize a win. I’m immediately drawn to the first of the three crews from Sir William Borlase School. I think they’ve got a very good shot to improve on their third-place finish of last year; the experience of their young bowman, Lorenzi, who won multiple sculling events at the recent Bedford Autumn Small Boats Head and the Junior 16 double at the British Rowing Club Championships. Assuming a similar lineup, I’d say that this crew will be very hard to beat, but I wouldn’t discount the crew of Tiffin School BC, steered by Dennis, that came home fourth behind the Borlase crew at last year’s Kingston Small Boats Head, who I daresay will be looking for retribution.
