No head racing season is complete without the Schools’ Head of the River, and at last, we are in the run-up to it. That said, the event happens this year about ten days earlier than usual, so it will be interesting to see which clubs have been able to get ahead of the game. With the cancellation of Quintin Head earlier this year, we don’t have much to go on other than the recent Hammersmith Head when proposing the potential podium on Friday. As usual, the second eights field is excitingly close, with Hammersmith Head showing seven crews within ten seconds of each other, at least until Hammersmith Bridge.
Eton College Boat Club
It would be impossible to talk about this category without referencing Eton College, who have won this event for the past two years, with their 2024 win including a course record. Whilst they have struggled to take their speed into the summer racing season, it is clear that the Tideway is their forte, and they will be keen to accomplish the three-peat. However, the crew is much changed from last year’s entry and struggled to stay competitive at Hammersmith Head, where they found themselves in the slower half of the top group. This crew is mostly made up of rowers from last year’s third eight and Junior 16 squad, so only time will tell if they can put together a strong performance on the day. Another victory is certainly possible, but they will need to have stepped on strongly by Friday.
St Paul’s School Boat Club
Another staple of the junior rowing circuit, St Paul’s School, like a few other entries in this category, has the huge advantage of racing on its home waters. The most successful junior rowing programme in recent years, the stiff competition for this year’s first eight will trickle down to the lower crews, making for a fast Second Eight. Though last year saw a bit of a drop-off in this crew’s performance, especially considering their National Schools’ Regatta win and Temple Challenge Cup qualification in 2024, they are undoubtedly back in form, having been bolstered by a strong group of Year 12 athletes. This was clear at Hammersmith Head, where St Paul’s took the victory from Shiplake by around four seconds. I must also note that this crew is filled with strong performers at the GB U19 February trials, so the class is undeniable.
Shiplake College Boat Club
As seen with St Paul’s School, a successful first eight almost always results in a quick Second Eight, and Shiplake College over the last couple of years has been no exception. Finishing second at the National Schools’ Regatta over the last two years proves this. Hammersmith Head had them second only to St Paul’s, but starting sixth in the order may make winning difficult. Despite this, being close to the top of the pile could give us an early indicator of even more speed to come in the spring.
Hampton School Boat Club
Hampton School is a rising force in junior rowing, with last year one of their strongest seasons ever. The Second Eight in particular were very strong, podiuming at National Schools’ Regatta, qualifying for The Temple Challenge Cup, and winning the schools’ first eights category in a time that put them ten seconds clear of Eton. They will be looking to keep their spot cemented at the top of the Second Eights on the Tideway. Hampton were not as impressive as hoped at Hammersmith Head; however, some odds are now against them as they will set off in seventh this Friday.
Radley College Boat Club
After St Paul’s School, Radley had the strongest performance at the GB U19 February trials, and this talent will raise the entire boat club up a level. Radley’s speed in the summer is well established, but their Tideway performances seem somewhat hit-and-miss. Perhaps an upgrade to their racing line is in store this year, in which case they will be challenging for some of the top spots in the category. After last year’s victory at the National Schools’ Regatta, Radley will be hoping to prove their speed on Friday.
Prediction
As I can only mention so many candidates for Friday’s top spot, some schools will inevitably be left out. However, the nature of this category is that the margins are razor-thin and the winner is sometimes unexpected. Both the King’s College School, who are going off second, and Bedford School are additional strong contenders and are certainly in the running. St Paul’s School seems best placed to take the victory, considering their recent results and the composition of their crew. I will predict Shiplake College to take silver and Radley College to take bronze. As I’ve said time and time again, this category is highly competitive, and if any one of these crews has a bad race, their spot will be up for grabs.
