Poplar Regatta 2025 – Men’s Open Coxless Fours Preview

Racing with the iconic London financial district as a backdrop – and alongside planes taking off and landing at London City Airport – Poplar Regatta offers a unique blend of heritage and modernity. It combines the traditions of a classic British regatta with the dynamism of contemporary urban sport. Poplar is making its debut on the JRN calendar, attracting many crews from Greater London.

University of London Boat Club

Always a standout crew to watch, UL have kicked off their regatta season in blistering form. Their recent BUCS performances have preserved their establishment amongst the elite of university rowing, highlighted by a commanding gold in the men’s coxed and coxless fours. This success isn’t limited to home waters; UL’s prowess was on display internationally at Ghent Regatta, where they placed first in the men’s coxless fours. Adding to their strength, George Lauchlan secured a fourth-place finish during the April GB trials, further proof of their pedigree. Expect UL to continue this momentum at Poplar.

London Rowing Club

London RC are coming into Poplar with impressive results at their back, placing first and fifth in the open challenge coxless fours, and third in the club coxed fours at Wallingford Regatta. These results point to a deep and well-drilled squad. With this early command of fours and taking a clean sweep of first, second and third place finishes for this event last year, London RC will be looking to press their advantage and test UL at the top of the leaderboard.

Vesta Rowing Club

Vesta RC faced tough competition at Wallingford Regatta. They fell short of making the final for the open challenge coxless fours, finishing fourth in their heat, with the calibre of the opposition exceptionally high this year. However, with a tighter field and a more focused approach expected at Poplar, Vesta could well be on the rebound. A cleaner, more powerful row could see them push into the finals and even challenge for a podium finish.

Lea Rowing Club

Lea RC also entered a crew in the open coxless fours at Wallingford and will see familiar faces at the stakeboat for this event. Unfortunately, unable to make it out of the heats at Wallingford, Lea will also be on a redemption arc to regain footing as the regatta season progresses. Missing out on the A-final at Wallingford reflects how fiercely competitive this boat class has become.

Kew House School BC

As the only school crew to enter this event, Kew School brings a different but no less formidable kind of threat. Their current form was also displayed during Wallingford Regatta, where they placed second in the junior/school coxless fours, posting times comparable to top-tier club and challenge-level crews. This comparison shows they can compete beyond the school circuit and will make every effort to spook senior oarsmen in this field.

Prediction

With UL coming into this event on top form, they’ll most definitely be the favourites for this race. However, London RC will be right on their heels and could cause an upset if UL slips even slightly. A fierce battle will be expected for the top. With that being said, Vesta and Kew School shouldn’t be discounted; all is to play for at Poplar Regatta.