As the sun begins to rise on a new regatta season, and many students ramp up for exam season, school boat clubs are preparing for the pressure for one of the most significant events of the junior rowing calendar – the National Schools’ Regatta 2025. Families, coaches and students prepare to line the banks of Holme-Pierrepont National Watersport Centre, and watch their protégé crews charge down the course to seize victory. The Mariner’s Cup for Junior 15 coxed four stands to be one of the most fiercely contested trophies throughout the whole weekend of racing, with many clubs entering multiple crews in an attempt to secure their place in the final, and a wide variety of powerful crews from majorly experienced clubs ensuring that the tension on the banks this coming weekend will be palpable. My crews to watch for the 2025 edition of this cherished race stands as follows:
Great Marlow School Boat Club
With past successes at national and international levels, Great Marlow School have a record of victory that they will seek to uphold. Training on the same stretch of water as the illustrious Marlow Rowing Club, the club has a wealth of experience with which to shape their crews, and has had a seemingly positive start to the season, which will bolster them going into this fierce contest. Having taken first place at Bedford Regatta, and other crews throughout the club, including the Junior 16 coxed four taking first at Wallingford Regatta alongside a Junior 15 coxed quad placing eighth at the Junior Sculling Regatta, the club has high expectations. As such, it’s safe to assume that with two crews entered, GMS will be looking to add to their existing record and assert their dominance for the rest of the racing season.
Brentford Boat Club
Having been formed in only 2023, Brentford Boat Club is still in its infancy when it comes to experience in the rowing world, and will likely be keen to establish itself with some key victories to help put it on the map. A Thames-based club, the crew from Brentford will be used to the unpredictability of the Thames, which may swing in their favour with the variability of conditions that we have learnt to expect at Holme-Pierrepont. A successful campaign at the recent Bedford Regatta, defeating an Eton College crew before a narrow loss to the overall winners from GMS, stands them in good stead to build up and cinch the victory this weekend.
Canford School Boat Club
Adding more entries to this crucible of youthly prowess, Canford School is a strong contender for the trophy this coming weekend. Rowing is a key pillar of the school sporting curriculum, and there is evident dedication to the sport with excellent facilities and expert coaching, with the highly experienced Ian Dryden leading the programme. Additionally, Canford recently pipped a crew from Kingston Grammar School at the Thames Ditton Regatta, so will still be feeling the buzz of this victory. They will definitely wish to consolidate their win if they happen to be matched up with any of the Kingston Grammar crews this coming weekend.
Looking at the list of nearly 30 entries, it is genuinely hard to decide which crews have the advantage, and I fervently believe there will be some incredibly tense neck-and-neck racing to be seen this coming weekend. There is potential for upset during this contest, with plenty of strong competition making up the rest of the field – will the boys from Kingston Grammar, smarting from their recent defeat, come back with a vengeance, or will the crews from Shiplake College or Westminster School storm the course and add to a long list of awards and acclamations? It is all to play for this coming weekend, and I am sure you will watch as keenly as I do to see who comes out on top…
Prediction
1st – Great Marlow School Boat Club
2nd – Canford School Boat Club
3rd – Brentford Boat Club
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