The beginning of a new season is always exciting; J16 athletes start to merge with older members of their squads, while crews look to set the tone for the year ahead. At 4.5km, this head race offers the perfect stage for crews to showcase all the work they will have been putting in over the summer. Pairs are notoriously one of the most unforgiving boat classes – every stroke exposes technical flaws, making success a true test of synergy and resilience. With twenty-one crews entered this year, I suspect there will be some tight margins to decide those podium finishes.
Latymer Upper School Boat Club
After ending last season in style, Latymer Upper School Boat Club are dominating the field for this years’ Pairs Head. With six crews entered, it underlines the strength of their sweep program, proving that they are surely a club to keep an eye on. Composed of athletes holding onto a fourth in Championship Eights, and a sixth in Junior 16 Eights at National Schools’ Regatta 2024, their remarkable talents when it comes to sweeping are sure to be of an asset this weekend. Chavchanidze/Smith look to be a strong contender, with Sofia Chavchanidze making an appearance at GB U19 Boston trials in 2024, whilst Gilberti/Speight and Denham-Davis/Grant will be hungry after narrowly missing out on a medal at NSR. As a result, I expect these girls to be fighting for the win.
Sir William Perkins School Rowing Club
Few would argue against Sir William Perkins School Rowing Club being a force this season. With just one crew entered, we can safely assume they have high expectations for this race. After their outstanding performance at Henley Royal Regatta last season – making it through to the quarterfinals in The Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup and also qualifying a crew into The Prince Phillip Challenge Trophy – their elite coaching by Chris Boddy has proven to be second to none. Emily Nicholas headlines the entry; in a glittering 2024/25 season, she achieved sixth in Championship Quads at NSR, second at GB U19 Boston Trials, and international appearances at Munich Junior Regatta and World U19 Championships. Partnered with Jasmine Irvin-Sellers, who looks to be following in her footsteps, who achieved fourth in Junior 16 Fours at NSR, second in Junior 16 Pairs at British Championships, and competed for GB at the GB versus France J16 Match. This pair combines experience, speed, and proven composure – all the ingredients needed to challenge for the top spot. With talent and pedigree in equal measure, they are primed to contest for the win.
Kingston Grammar School Boat Club
Kingston Grammar School Boat Club sends 2 entries who could make waves this weekend. Looking to build on an outstanding National Schools’ Regatta, this club will be aiming to continue its success into this season. After claiming gold in both the Women’s Championship Fours and the Junior 16 Fours, their high-calibre sweeping looks set to deliver more standout performances this season. Sophie Kelly gained valuable experience in the GB U19 Boston Trials last year, which I am sure will help give her pair the confidence to excel. With proven speed and technical consistency, the Kingston girls can expect to challenge for a podium finish this weekend.
St Paul’s Girls School Boat Club
Further adding to this array of talent are the well-polished girls of St Paul’s Girls School Boat Club. They are fielding three crews in this event, signifying real depth in the squad. Each pair features members of the bronze medal Junior 16 Eight from last season’s NSR, including Mia Tans, who attended the GB J16 Development camp, and Ruby Wattenburg, who participated in the GB U19 Boston Trials. The girls here at St Paul’s clearly have every reason to aim for another top three finish, and I believe they’ll be real contenders at this year’s competition.
Prediction
Considering their success last year, it is hard to imagine anyone other than the Sir William Perkins’ pair ‘Irvin-Sellers/Nicholas’ at the top of the podium. With the exciting display of talent this year, what remains to be seen is which crews can convert their speed into silver and bronze.
