After a long winter season, with a considerable portion spent off the water, the Schools’ Head of the River presents a real chance to test the work that has been done. Those who have trained consistently throughout will be considerably rewarded, and those who have not will be at the mercy of the unforgiving hands of the Tideway. These results will be a true marker for the season we can expect over the next few months. Will there be a showdown at the last point of the head season?
St Paul’s Girls’ School Boat Club
The J16 girls of St Paul’s have proven themselves many times this season, coming up against the fierce competition of Wallingford and continuously managing to just pip them at all events that they have both attended. At Schools’ Head in 2025, they came second in the school Junior 15 first eight event, nearly 30 seconds off the winners of the championship event. Since then, an impressive progression has taken place, with an incredible victory at the National Schools’ Regatta, carrying this path into their J16 season with a win at Junior Fours Head and a second place at Hammersmith Head, five seconds behind Latymer Upper School, a previously middle-ground crew. Given the likely shock of being squeezed out by Latymer, SPGS will be on their toes and nervous to put down a stellar performance to regain their victor position.
Wallingford Rowing Club
Wallingford Rowing Club has come on leaps and bounds over the past few years, and the J16 girls are no exception to that. They have been consistently on the heels of first place since Schools’ Head in 2025, where they were second place to Headington, followed by second place at National Schools’ Regatta, second place at Junior Fours Head, excepting a recent slip to fourth place at Hammersmith Head (barely four seconds behind St Paul’s Girls’ in second). This consistent performance would have put them in a good place for the lead-up to Schools’ Head, but after Hammersmith, podium positions seem to be up in the air for the first time since last year’s National Schools’ Regatta.
Latymer Upper School Boat Club
Having come below fifth place at every major event for the past season, Latymer seems to be peaking at just the right time for a run at the podium at Schools’ Head. They managed to beat the previously unbeaten St Paul’s Girls’ by an impressive six seconds, taking the rowing community by surprise. Was this just a fluke? We cannot know for certain, but it may be that Latymer has grown strong over the extended period of off-water time this winter. All will be revealed this Friday when Latymer race on their home turf.
Surbiton High School Boat Club
Surbiton are set to be first down the course, tracking the path of the greatly successful current J17s, who continuously proved themselves from J14 onwards. This time last year, Surbiton came sixth at Schools’ Head and had a swift change of direction to be hot on the tail of Wallingford at Wallingford Head, even managing to beat them at Hammersmith Head. With so much position shuffling at Hammersmith Head, it cannot be said whether Surbiton will be quite up to a podium position yet, but improvement is coming, and these girls are definitely ones to watch for the next few months!
Predictions:
1. St Paul’s Girls School
2. Wallingford Rowing Club
3. Latymer Upper School
4. Surbiton High School
