Kicking off the 2025/26 head season, the Vesta Scullers Head sees eleven women’s Junior 16 scullers take to the Thames to battle it out for the opening win. At first glance, the draw for Scullers Head looks dominated by powerhouse clubs sending junior scullers to fight it out on the Tideway. Look closer, and we can see many different rowers entered: sweepers trading their oar for two blades, scullers keeping it familiar, girls racing a year up, ready and eager to push into the older ranks, athletes fighting to defend previous favourable results, and juniors ready to make a mark on the autumn-winter junior racing circuit. Let’s dive into the action.
Nottinghamshire County Rowing Association: Elise Stevens
Set to announce herself on the women’s Junior 16 sculling scene this season, Elise Stevens will surely be a strong contender this weekend. After winning Bridgnorth Regatta in the women’s Junior 14 single, Stevens started racing up a year to put herself amongst the top competition across the country. This began with a bronze in the women’s Junior 15 singles at the Junior Sculling Regatta, and was followed by another hard-fought bronze medal at the British Rowing Club Championships – just 0.73 seconds off silver in the women’s Junior 14 category. I believe Stevens has proved to have clear potential this season, and with time to reflect on her regatta successes, she has a very strong chance against the more experienced girls on this iconic course.
City of Cambridge Rowing Club: Lily Margot
After winning the women’s Junior 15 singles at the Junior Sculling Regatta in May, Margot has shown great potential throughout last season. After being entered for The Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup, her crew may not have qualified, but the consideration of racing at Henley Royal Regatta as a Junior 15 is a strong indicator of her talent. Looking forward to this weekend, chilly, wet, and slightly windy conditions seem to encompass the skies of Putney, but with Margot’s previous success in the near-coastal conditions at the Junior Sculling Regatta, I believe that she will be able to use this experience to her advantage on race day.
Bewl Bridge Rowing Club: Mia Prince
Trailing Margot by just 0.8 seconds at the Junior Sculling Regatta, Prince will be looking to seek revenge and turn the tables this weekend. Another Junior 15 racing up, she will be eager to prove herself in this highly competitive field and gain that all-important experience for her season ahead. Prince had a strong finish, finishing just 0.44 seconds behind NCRA’s Martha Stevens at the British Rowing Club Championships – just off the podium – suggesting a stamina that may set her apart from her competitors on this longer head race.
Barn Elms Rowing Club
Having entered a staggering six crews in the event, we can expect a close race between these girls on their home course. With a bronze medal in the women’s Junior 15 coxed four for Hall, Walker, and Lopez at the National Schools’ Regatta, we can expect them to be hungry for more medals in their switch from sweep to sculling. In addition to the coxed four, Barn Elms also saw success in the women’s Junior 14 double at the Junior Sculling Regatta, with Kostiuk and Westoby taking the gold, and later in the season, making a sixth-place finish at the British Rowing Club Championships. Will these younger scullers be able to prove themselves against their older peers?
Tideway Scullers School: Gaia Fritze & Isabel Ogland
Tideway Scullers’ junior girls’ squad is built on strong progression and a culture of excellence. That is evident when we delve deeper into last season’s impressive results, which these two girls achieved – a second-place finish at the National Schools’ Regatta in the women’s Junior 15 coxed four. This begs the question: will Gaia Fritze and Isabel Ogland be able to carry that sweep success across to sculling on the Tideway this Sunday? With the home advantage on their side, as well as age and experience, I am sure the TSS legacy of competitive junior sculling will be held high in these girls.
Prediction
While the scullers from Tideway Scullers and Barn Elms are likely to put up a strong fight for first place, the real battle may come down to Margot and Prince. With Margot’s proven experience in the single scull and success in rougher water, she has the tools to handle the ebb tide. But Prince, moderately fresh off pushing Stevens hard at the Junior Sculling Regatta, will be eager to disrupt Margot’s dominance and stake her claim at the top of the women’s Junior 16 field.
