The Head of the Nene marks one of the first big events of the 2026 head racing season and always brings an exciting mix of rising talent, established school programmes and club scullers eager to set early benchmarks. After a winter of head races and early-season fixtures, the entries here offer a chance to see how crews are shaping up before the spring regattas. With Quintin Head being called off last weekend, we will see the first of the larger schools and clubs field their first-look top boats. From clubs’ single scull speed to developed school programmes, there’s plenty to watch across every category as juniors look to make their mark on what’s sure to be a competitive day on the Nene.
Open Junior Single
The open junior single is often decided as much by race sharpness as raw speed, and that gives Rob Roy BC a clear edge. Rob Roy scullers have been among the most active on the junior circuit over the winter, with regular appearances at major junior sculling heads and early-season races, building both technical consistency and confidence under pressure. That form is backed up by a third-place finish at the Hampton Head, a strong benchmark result in a deep field and clear evidence of competitive pace over a head course. Shanklin Sandown should not be discounted either. Their strong coastal rowing background may prove valuable on a course where endurance, boat handling and resilience in potentially tricky conditions are at a premium, and they look well placed to contest the win. Peterborough City, meanwhile, could use their local knowledge to good effect, with familiarity with the Nene’s bends, stream and typical conditions allowing them to race aggressively and efficiently against crews for whom this course will be less familiar. Nonetheless, over the full distance, Rob Roy’s combination of recent racing and proven results gives them the edge, with Shanklin likely to apply the closest pressure.
Open Junior Double
In the open junior double, Shanklin Sandown RC looks well placed to come out on top, with a combination of historic results and recent race evidence giving them a clear early-season advantage. The club has a strong track record in junior doubles, with success at British Rowing Club Championships, Junior Inter-Regional Regattas and across the head season in recent years, and that pedigree counts for a great deal in a technically demanding boat class. More recently, Shanklin posted an encouraging performance at the Isle of Wight time trials last weekend, used as preparation for this head, where their scullers recorded particularly strong percentage performances relative to the division as a whole, a useful indicator of underlying speed and fitness. While Shanklin is predominantly a coastal rowing club, that background may again prove valuable this season, with extended periods of unrowable river conditions in recent weeks, their continued access to open water has allowed them to maintain consistency when others have been disrupted. St Peter’s School, York, are likely to provide the closest challenge, bringing depth and continuity that regularly sees their smaller boats perform well at spring regattas, while Bedford adds further quality with a programme that has shown promising early-season speed in singles and small boats through racing and trials. Expect a tight contest, but with greater recent water time and clear recent indicators of form, Shanklin Sandown appears best placed to edge ahead on the day.
Open Junior Quad
The open junior quad looks set to be led by Star, who arrives with the strongest recent credentials in the field. They were the only crew entered here to qualify for Henley Royal Regatta last season, a clear marker of top-end speed, and that success was backed up by the club also fielding a junior eight, highlighting real squad depth. That combination of national-level racing experience and proven sculling ability makes Star particularly well-suited to an early-season head race. St Peter’s School are likely to provide the closest challenge, having shown consistent strength across junior sculling boats through the winter, with quads featuring at regional head races and junior fixtures. Oundle School add further quality to the event, with their leading quad expected to sit around the podium positions, while additional second and third entries underline the scale of their programme this year. With several strong crews involved, this should be a competitive contest, but Star’s recent results give them the edge heading into the race.
Open Junior Eight
The open junior eight looks set to deliver one of the most competitive races of the day, with Bedford School’s first eight entering as deserved favourites. Both Bedford and St Paul’s featured at the earlier BASHER Head, where Bedford held the upper hand, and that result provides a strong early-season indicator of speed. Bedford’s programme has built steadily through the winter, and their first eight appear well prepared for head racing, combining physicality with growing cohesion over longer courses. St Paul’s School’s second eight are expected to be Bedford’s closest challengers. While their first eight is racing in Open Eights, the depth of the Paul’s squad means this second boat is anything but an afterthought. With several athletes pushing hard to stake claims for seats in the top eight later in the season, expect a committed and aggressive performance. Norwich School also brings a solid crew with competitive experience through 2025, adding further quality to the field. While St Paul’s depth and internal competition should keep the race tight, Bedford’s proven edge from earlier season racing makes them the crew to beat on the Nene.
