Wallingford Long Distance Sculls is back after cancellation last year, and 193 junior female crews are set to race on Saturday. Within this cohort, we have a new cycle of young rowers ready to prove themselves as they tackle the narrow course spanning roughly 4000m. For many, this will be the first race of their 2025/26 season, so it will be exciting to see how crews fare against one another as they take to the waters of Wallingford.
Women’s J18 Quads
The largest sculling boat class, comprised of the most mature junior rowers, will host the likes of Henley Rowing Club and Surbiton High School competing for first place. The recent successes of both programmes in the J16 category (of which some graduates will now be competing) mean that it will be exciting to see how the race unfolds, especially considering that some of these girls tussled for the Steve Gunn Bowl for WJ16 First Eights at National Schools’ Regatta last May. An additional two entries from Lea Rowing Club, who flourished in last year’s regatta season, may also shake things up. Ultimately, with Henley set to be the fastest according to the draw, it is difficult to predict whether or not first place will go to someone else.
Women’s J18 Doubles
Home favourites Wallingford Rowing Club are drawn to start first, and with the advantage of this being their home race, it is up to Dowman (who took bronze in the WJ16 quad at the British Rowing Club Championships) and her partner to live up to that first-place draw. However, Headington School Oxford, with four doubles entered, will be hoping to cross this stretch of the Thames in the fastest time: with the number of Headington athletes competing in this category alone, Wallingford will likely be worried about how well their competitors’ pre-season training has gone. Additionally, Stratford-Upon-Avon Boat Club have been drawn quite high in the list, but with two boats competing, it could be assumed that these doubles are composed of the girls racing in the WJ18 quads, so their legs will be tired. If the athletes are able to overcome this fatigue, then it is difficult to predict where they will finish.
Women’s J18 Singles
With a staggering 42 entries in this category, the results for these singles are set to be of great interest. Sir William Perkins’s School will lead the pack, with Nicholas (who took home a silver medal in the U19 women’s double from Trakai, Lithuania, just over a month ago) setting off first. Behind her will be Al Qahef, who bowed her crew to victory in the WJ18 quad at the 2025 British Rowing Club Championships. Nicholson, Yap and Duxbury have been entered by Headington. These three girls, who took victory together in the Prince Philip Challenge Trophy at Henley Royal Regatta last season, will set off together in hopes of chasing down the competitors that come before them. Considering that Yap won gold in the eight at the U19 World Rowing Championships in Lithuania, I think that the top two spots will be taken by her and Nicholas of Perkins, with a crewmate of either of the girls taking third.
Women’s J16 Quads
Headington has three crews entered in this category – a testament to the sheer depth of their younger programme. The crew under Dodds will set off first, with Foster following shortly after. Behind them will be Henley’s crew, bowed by Barlow. Given the repeated success of the J16 programme at Henley in recent years, and a first-place finish in the B-final of WJ15 coxed quads at the British Rowing Club Championships in July, they are not to be counted out. However, Henley will not be excited to have Wallingford as one of their competitors, as they took fourth place overall in the same category. Headington’s confidence in success may shine through, however with Wallingford showing quicker speeds than Henley in the past, the order of the podium places is left to be decided on the Thames.
Women’s J15 Coxed Quads
As is becoming a running theme, Headington’s entries dominate this category, with four out of nine of the crews racing in light blue. It would be unjust not to predict that they will take one of the top spots when only three other clubs stand in their way. Wallingford’s two entries will be hoping to use their experience of the course to claim first place, while Sir William Perkins’ School will certainly provide good competition, given the success of the programme in recent years. However, Thames Scullers, who have prospered over the summer at small regattas, may stand a chance at a top spot on the podium.
Women’s J14 Coxed Quads
The sheer depth of Headington’s programme will be on full display at Wallingford, as once again nearly half of this category’s competitors hail from the school. Lady Eleanor Holles’ School has entered three quads, and will be vying for first place alongside Stratford-upon-Avon BC and Thames Scullers. Based on the number of entries from Headington and the fact that many of their rowers already have a couple of years of experience, I would be surprised if they do not place first; however, the efforts of the other clubs are not to be discounted. Additionally, for athletes as young as these, the experience they gain from racing a course such as Wallingford’s will be vital, and the knowledge of racing they will obtain will certainly benefit them later in their season. It will be exciting to see how these young crews cope with such a distance, and with what may be, for some, their very first race.
