Shiplake College, Junior Men’s Eight
Finally, they reached the summit. After a decade of concerted effort to build the country’s best junior rowing programme, Shiplake College finally produced a junior men’s eight of suitable quality to topple allcomers in their pursuit of The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup. The way in which they won the Trophy – defeating bitter rivals and holders, St Paul’s School, on the Saturday, before overcoming Radley in the final – was symptomatic of a crew that got stronger as the year went on. They also won the National Schools’ Regatta by clear water and had numerous boys represent Great Britian at both the U19 World Rowing Championships and Coupe de la Jeunesse.
The Windsor Boys’ School, Junior Men’s Quad
Where do we even start with this programme? After a sensational 2024, all eyes were on the Windsor Boys School to see if their seemingly unending production line of talent could produce yet another vintage junior men’s quad. The resounding answer was yes; they won the coveted quadruple of titles, starting in Boston at the Head of the Charles and ending at Henley Royal Regatta as they claimed their third Fawley Challenge Cup in four years.
Headington School, Junior Women’s Eight
Despite a brief wobble at the National Schools’ Regatta, their retention of The Prince Philip Challenge Trophy looked less and less in doubt the closer we got to Henley Royal Regatta. Ryan Demaine and Chris Hermes have built a programme that is the envy of the junior rowing world and all the talk surrounding the big US club programmes coming over and dominating at Henley Royal Regatta has simply not come to fruition so far. This is in no small part to Headington’s unrelenting approach to excellence and collecting the Schools’ Head of the River plus Henley Women’s Regatta titles cemented a stunning year.
Wycliffe College, Junior Women’s Quad
There was a period where Wycliffe were in real danger this year. They seemed unable to get the better of a Tideway Scullers School crew who had bested them at both the Schools’ Head of the River and National Schools’ Regatta. A case could feasibly be made for the latter to feature here instead, but the way in which Wycliffe retained both of their Henley titles and found considerable speed at exactly the right time demonstrates a programme at the peak of its powers. With news slowly filtering through that the school will no longer be offering rowing scholarships, this may be one of the last vintages of world class sculling we see from this institution.
Catherine Gardner, Junior Women’s Single
From the cold climes of Boston, Lincolnshire to the sunny plains of Lithuania, Catherine Gardner’s season has twisted in weird and wonderful ways. She collected her second successive silver medal at U19 level, placing second in the double alongside Emily Nicholas. She was the definitive power in schoolgirl sculling domestically, claiming wins at GBRT Trials and eviscerating the field on her way to the Di Ellis Trophy at Henley Women’s Regatta. Wherever Catherine ends up next, they are lucky to have a sculler of such prodigious skill.
