The largest head race in the North of England returns this weekend, with Rutherford Head having rolled around once more. Attracting some of the top rowing talent in the region, here we see the season debut for three of the UK’s premier rowing universities: Newcastle, Edinburgh, and Durham. With none of these crews having made the journey down to London for the Fours Head of the River, all eyes are now on the Tyne at Newburn, and this weekend provides an important opportunity for each to make their mark early on the coming season.
Newcastle University Boat Club
NUBC feels like a club that’s continuing on an upward trajectory, with 2025 being the first time in the club’s history that two crews featured in the semi-finals of events at Henley Royal Regatta – a feat that they’ll no doubt be looking to replicate or better in 2026. Similarly, the Blue Star also scooped both the women’s and overall Victor Ludorum at both BUCS Head and BUCS Regatta in 2025, demonstrating that they may well be a force to be reckoned with should this momentum continue to build. We’ve already seen this year’s men’s captain Ed Ridley finish in the fastest U23 pair at GBRT trials with regular partner Gwilyn Johnson, as well as an impressive second place overall. This, combined with returning to Rutherford Head to defend the 2024 Open Coxed Fours title, and losing out to Edinburgh University in the semi-final at Henley Royal Regatta, should light a fire under the boys of the Blue Star this weekend. With a home course advantage too, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them come out on top.
Edinburgh University Boat Club
The coxed four is the bread and butter of Edinburgh University‘s men’s program, and this was no better demonstrated than by their appearance in the final of the Prince Albert Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta in 2025. Now at the dawn of a new season, EUBC stands in good stead, but having only dispatched Newcastle’s PA crew by a third of a length in the HRR semi-final last year, they’ll have to be on top form to come out on top at Rutherford this weekend. Having entered just one crew into this top band and outnumbered by Durham and Newcastle, Edinburgh came in third here last year, and will be looking to improve and put themselves in the mix this time around, arguably with more firepower than before. The stage is set for a dogfight, and those in baby blue will be hoping to come out on top.
Durham University Boat Club
Another club racing on their home water, Durham University Boat Club will be looking to turn the Tyne palatinate this weekend. With an impressive eighteen athletes having raced at the GBRT November Trials in Boston, Lincolnshire, at the beginning of the month, DUBC will be carrying momentum with them into this side of Christmas. Just shy of 10 seconds off the pace of Newcastle at this event last year, Durham will need to be on top form to challenge the likes of the Blue Star and Edinburgh to be in with a chance of topping the ranks in this event, with two crews entered this time around. With plenty of new intake, including Oregon State University graduate, Matty Shepherd, racing in Palatinate for the first time, Durham have all to play for this weekend.
Leeds Rowing Club
The only open club in Yorkshire to consistently qualify crews for Henley Royal Regatta, Leeds Rowing Club is one to watch on the domestic rowing scene. After seeing success across local regattas and at the likes of the British Rowing Club and Masters Championships, their crews will have been training hard over the winter and will be looking to set the stage for the rest of their season. Although off the pace of the top universities, Leeds RC will be looking to battle it out for the win in the band two category, and I look forward to seeing them go up against the likes of Tyne Amateur and St Andrews University in what will be an important marker for their men’s squad at this time of year.
University of St Andrews Boat Club
Another club that made strides of progress is that of St Andrews University, with 2025 being the first year that they qualified a women’s crew for Henley Royal Regatta, as well as picking up medals at both BUCS Head and BUCS Regatta. Familiar with success on the Tyne, they’ll be making the journey down to Newburn this weekend to test their mettle against some of the strongest university crews out there. With two crews entered into the band two event, the Saints men’s squad will be looking to set out a strong early-season marker, with eyes on further success into next year. After missing out on qualification for the Temple Challenge Cup by less than a second last year, I hope to see them at the top of their band and pushing for times competitive with those of their band one counterparts.
Notable Mentions
Despite the top band being made up entirely of the university powerhouses of Edinburgh, Newcastle, and Durham, bands two and three present the depth and breadth of Northern rowing, as well as those from further afield. Tyne Amateur Rowing Club will know this course like the back of their hands. Racing above their years are the crew from Queen Elizabeth High School, and perhaps the furthest travelled are Abingdon School, also with an entry into this open fours event. The Durham Colleges of St John’s, Van Mildert, University, and Collingwood will be battling it out for the fastest college of the day in band three, accompanied also by the University of Leeds and York St John University, who both make the journey north for a rehearsal on the Tyne before BUCS Head in the New Year.
Prediction
Among the three Northern powerhouse universities in competition for the band one win, I’m finding it difficult to look past Newcastle University to take the win on this occasion. With the strength of their squad and the momentum built over the past couple of seasons, I imagine that they’ll return their title, but not without Edinburgh and Durham nipping at their heels, and ready to capitalise on any mishaps.
