All eyes are on Peterborough City RC as they get set to host the 2026 edition of the Head of the Nene. It’s a cracking event, offering something for everyone across three racing divisions. Divisions one and two are held over 2600m, while the third and final division sees crews racing over the longer 5000m course.
Division One
Kicking off at 10:00, Division One has the open crews in small boats. Leading them off will be the Band 2 open pairs, and bow number one belongs to Bedford School BC and their vice-captain this season, Owen Payne. With GB Rowing Team Trials just around the corner, it’s no surprise to see Bedford School and a plethora of other junior programmes floating their small boats on the Nene ahead of the annual pilgrimage to Boston. The Band One opposition comes from the hosts featuring the likes of Chris Elder and Tom Calver, who were part of Peterborough City RC’s crew that missed out on qualifiers for last year’s Thames Challenge Cup. They’ll go up against two pairs fromBroxbourne RC, but the schoolboys will be favourites ahead of this weekend.
The flotilla of Peterborough City RC boats continues in the open double sculls. Three more combinations will take to the water, going against Leicester RC’s combination featuring Viren Mangharam, who’s been racing in British Rowing’s University Indoor Series towards the end of last year. Doncaster RC, Deben RC, and Bedford RC also have entries, with Deane of Bedford RC getting home racing under his belt on home water in the later months of 2025.
In the open single sculls, six scullers from six different clubs will be jostling it out over the 2600m course. Star Club, Wallingford RC, Broxbourne, Peterborough City RC, Deben RC, and Doncaster will all be represented. Lawrence of Deben RC took the Masters A Single Scull title at Norwick SBH last year, while Peterborough’s Toby Ray steered his crew down the Championship course at Fours Head to a 21st place finish in open club quads.
Division Two
Four open eights will be racing over Division Two when it kicks off at 12:00. First out of the blocks will be St Peter’s School, York BC, followed by Leicester RC, Lincoln RC, and they’ll be chased hard by the plucky J15s from Bedford School. It looks like there’s some great work going on in Leicester as the club and university come together to combine resources, as their crew features another student racing in the University Indoor Rowing Series, Thomas Dean.
All three crews in the open coxless four will come from Nottingham RC, while the coxed fours will see the Trent-based club’s depth tested as their combination does against Bedford Modern School BC and Leicester University BC. While some courses are prime for a cox, the Head of the Nene isn’t one of them. It’s clear why clubs will be using it for Trials preparation, as straights with only a smattering of small bends make for a great simulation of the Boston course.
In the open quads, it’s a battle of the schoolboys. Two crews from Norwich School BC will flank an entry from St Peter’s School BC. Looking back at Junior Fours Head, Norwich School had a great innings, winning the open coxless fours, and their quad finished in the top half of their event. It’s an exciting season for Norwich, and I expect to see them pick up this win.
Division Three
I suspect the starting order, certainly the top two, will be the finishing order come the finish. Bow one is St Paul’s School BC, racing under the name Jonathan Miles. In the absence of a full crew list, we can offer up some column inches for the winner of the junior single scull at Scullers Head. Miles continued a strong tradition of St Paul’s fielding some fine single scullers over the Scullers Head course, and seventh overall after starting 76th, was a cracking day out at the races. A few weeks later, Miles swapped two blades for one and stroked the St Paul’s crew that won in Boston at the Head of the Charles. Chasing St Paul’s will be Nottingham RC, who are starting 2026 with a win in their sails. The club had a successful trip to London for Fours Head and recently returned for prizegiving, having won the club coxed four. It looks like they’re combining that winning crew with their club coxless four, which finished fifth and best of the rest behind two London RC and Thames RC crews. Peterborough City BC, Bedford RC, and a second crew from Nottingham RC will round off this category.
St Paul’s will also carry the favourite tag as they line up against a pair of Broxbourne crews in the open coxless fours.
Of the seven crews that are racing open coxless quads, four of them will be representing Loughborough Student Rowing. It’s been a fruitful trip in recent years, with the club winning medals on the previous two occasions. Across the board, they are sending six senior and four novice crews to the Nene and using it as a great opportunity to fine-tune ahead of BUCS Head at the end of the month. Leicester RC, Northampton RC, and Nottingham Trent University BC will provide the opposition.
