As we edge closer and close to Henley Royal Regatta, we come into one of the last major races in the UK rowing calendar. For most crews, the penultimate regatta at Dorney Lake for the season, the Metropolitan Regatta hosts two days of world-class racing. The Open Championship Quadruple Sculls offers some of the fastest race times, and tightest races, making it a thrilling event to watch. As preparation for The Prince of Wales Challenge Cup for lots of clubs, this event has a strong blend of skill, tactics and raw power. So how do the crews stack up?
Reading University Boat Club
With a swarming squad coming to Dorney, Reading University has a massive six crews entered on the Saturday and five on the Sunday. With seemingly nine different crews racing over the weekend, they no doubt will be here to show strength and size. With a large number of men’s quads being entered at various regattas throughout the season, this is not something new for them. Coming off of a commanding win at BUCS Regatta in the championship quad just recently, their ‘A’ crew has the qualities to claim gold. Not to be ignored, BUCS Regatta also saw Reading University take gold and bronze in the intermediate quads, showcasing the squad size isn’t just for show, but there’s quality all throughout the crowd of quads. With the final stages of their academic work in full swing, at having their main goal of the season having come and gone with BUCS Regatta, it leaves it open to see if they have had the same focus on their training that has taken them to several gold medals already, or if they academic focus will hurt the gold-streak.
Leander Club
Year on year, Leander have proven their ability to produce winning quads. With Henley Royal Regatta looming around the corner, they will be looking to produce their next red-box quad. Having come off of a win in both The Prince of Wales as well as The Queen Mother Challenge Cups at Henley Royal Regatta last year, their expectations will be set on winning again. Most recently, Leander took to Ghent Regatta, where the then recently formed quad raced for the first time. The Saturday saw a respectful fifth place, in a field of tough international opposition, and the Sunday saw an overall win. This showcase of their ability to learn and improve will surely give them the confidence to step on and gain the speed they need. This weekend will show whether they have managed to learn what they needed from Ghent and do the work they needed in the three weeks between the regattas.
Upper Thames/Winchester College/Itchen Imperial/City of Oxford
Matt Swiss of Upper Thames and Sam Clifford of City of Oxford have spent the season together in the double, notably coming in second overall at pairs head in the early season, just 0.1s behind first place. While they are also racing the double at Met, they are joined on Sunday in the quad by Harry Aitchson of Winchester College, and James Foad of Itchen Imperial, who is a bronze medallist in the GB men’s eight at the London 2012 Olympics. This crew will no doubt be a strong, competitive crew, with a good blend of experience and raw power. Their speed is so far untested, but with an individual history of winning regattas and producing results, they have what it takes to be up with the best.
Marlow Rowing Club
With two different crews racing each day, Marlow are looking sharp and precise with their rowing. Seemingly relatively new crews, they will be testing out their speed and learning from racing how they do up against the best the country has to offer. Having won the D final in last year’s event, they will be looking to improve on their result and perhaps push the A-final, matching the progression in talent and results we’ve seen come from the Marlow senior program in the past couple years. Coming off of a highly respectable loss only on the Sunday of Henley last year in the Fawley Challenge Cup, they’re proving that it’s not only the sweep rowing that is taking off. With such an exciting development with Marlow’s rowing, I’m looking forward to seeing what this quad does and how they stack up against such strong competition.
Edinburgh University Boat Club
Racing on both days, Edinburgh University provide another student-athlete crew, having just completed their final stages of their course. Most recently they raced at BUCS, sitting just over nine seconds behind the Reading ‘A’ crew, but three seconds ahead of Reading’s ‘B’ crew, in the championship event. They also picked up a silver in the intermediate category. Having their final academic commitments over earlier than Reading, has that left this crew with the opportunity to do the work and have the focus that perhaps the Reading crew didn’t? Only time will tell for this crew.
Bath University Boat Rowing Club
Racing on the Sunday only, this Bath crew are in the very final week of their academic studies, with teaching ending just before this weekend. With the break from academics, perhaps they will take this Dorney run as a chance to utilise the stress relief and post-uni high. At BUCS, they took bronze in the championship event, just over eight seconds behind the Reading ‘A’ crew, so they have strong potential to be making the A-final.
Predictions
There is a big field of strong contenders over both days of racing. I believe that the experience and strength in the Reading ‘A’ crew will take them to claim gold on both days, with the Leander crew close behind on the Saturday, and the Upper Thames/Winchester College/Itchen Imperial/City of Oxford crew on the Sunday. The rest of the crews are hard to put, but I expect University of Edinburgh to take third, with Marlow then Bath University coming in behind in the A-final.
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