National Schools’ Regatta 2025 – Open Second Eights Preview

It’s finally that time of the year – the holy grail of races – National Schools’ Regatta 2025, where the winner can be crowned Britain’s fastest second eight. This year is heating up, and it looks like it will be one of the most intense levels of competition ever seen in this event. Many of the crews involved undoubtedly look to use this event as a springboard for the next: Henley Royal Regatta, where they will attempt to qualify for The Temple Challenge Cup, to face some of the toughest university crews in the country. But who will step up to the challenge this weekend and ultimately be crowned victor?

King’s College School Boat Club

Following several strong performances throughout the year, King’s College School Boat Club are coming into this event as a strong bet for a spot on the medal podium, potentially even for the gold itself. They have had a successful head race season, characterised by a win at Kingston Head of the River, and a second place finish at the Schools’ Head of the River Race – their best position in this event, ever. They will confidently take these results into the National Schools’ Regatta. Four members from last year’s second eight have returned to race this season, highlighting maturity and experience within the crew, placing King’s College School Boat Club as one of my top picks to watch this weekend.

Eton College Boat Club

The last time all the schools’ second eights came together to test their speeds was the Schools’ Head of the River, where Eton College Boat Club came out on top in the second eights category. Their impressive speed showcased so far can only have been boosted by a productive training camp for the squad in Spain. While a weaker performance from their Junior 16 squad last year, who placed eight at the National Schools’ Regatta, could be seen as a potential limiting factor of the crew’s speed, the tables might have turned this year, and I’m very excited to see what they can bring this Saturday.

St Paul’s School Boat Club

One of the biggest names in schoolboy rowing currently, St Paul’s School Boat Club, will also be one to watch this weekend in Nottingham in the second eights category. Narrowly missing out on a medal at the Schools’ Head of the River Race in March, placing joint fourth, St Paul’s School Boat Club will undoubtedly be moving into the racing this weekend out for blood. The majority of this crew are year 12 rowers looking to reclaim their glory at the National Schools’ Regatta last year, where they came second. The lone year 13 in this crew, the eldest of them all, Kalia, will be driven by his win at this event last year.

While this second eight might not have put down any striking performances so far this year, given the heritage of St Paul’s School Boat Club at this event, I think it would be unwise to discount them as contenders for one of the top spots.

Radley College Boat Club

Radley College Boat Club will undoubtedly be going into this weekend with something to prove as they seek to finally defeat St Paul’s School Boat Club, after placing joint fourth with them back at the Schools’ Head of the River Race, down to the tenth of a second. Following the arrival of the new director of rowing, Patrick Duggan, the entire club was restructured. It will be interesting to see whether Radley College Boat Club has changed their racing strategy to make them more competitive in the regatta season.

Hampton School Boat Club

Entered into the School First Eight category at the School’s Head of the River Race this year, rather than the Second Eights’ Category, Hampton School Boat Club flew under the radar and somehow managed to pull a time 12 seconds quicker than the winners of the Second Eights. A solid performance last year from their Junior 16 First Eight at this regatta, narrowly missing out on a medal in fourth place, with many of these rowers rowing in the second eight this year, indicates a strong yellow-and-black squad this year. I believe that Hampton School Boat Club’s victories at some of the major head races earlier this season, including School’s Head of the River Race and Hammersmith Head, are key indicators that they are a likely bet to win – and the organisers of the event think so too, as Hampton will be setting of first in the time trial this weekend.

Notable Mentions

Several other crews also deserve a mention, however, notably St Edward’s Boat Club, who finished in third place at the Schools’ Head of the River Race, definitely classing them as a potential contender to make the A-final this weekend. Other crews who have the potential to cause some real damage this weekend include Shiplake College Boat Club, and Bedford School Boat Club, who achieved sixth and seventh places at the Schools’ Head of the River Race respectively, with Bedford School Boat Club having also taken to the mountains of Switzerland during their training camp to hone their regatta skills in preparation for their season ahead.

Prediction

Although the margins between crews this weekend will undoubtedly be thin and brutal for those on the wrong end, the clear victor seems to be Hampton School Boat Club, whose blisteringly fast time at the prestigious Schools’ Head of the River Race will likely fuel them to an impressive performance this weekend. I think they will be closely followed by some other titans of schoolboy rowing, notably King’s College School Boat Club and Eton College Boat Club. However, one of the most passionate bits of racing this weekend will undoubtedly be the showdown between Radley College School Boat Club and St Paul’s School Boat Club, as each of them looks to prove their superiority over the other after their unbelievable joint place finish back in March.