Following last year’s cancellation, Wallingford Long Distance Sculls provides a unique opportunity for scullers to get back out on the water across various boat classes to battle it out for their respective titles over 4000m of racing. Navigating S-bends and narrow sections of the Thames, one major club in particular dominates this year’s entry list, and the start order is certainly reminiscent of a lineup worthy of November Trials: likely the next challenge in sight for up-and-coming GB hopefuls.
Senior Women’s Single Sculls
Now just six weeks out from the first set of trials this season, the likes of Leander Club and Oxford Brookes University appear to be using Wallingford as the first major test for their scullers. With this event having previously been won by the likes of Paris 2024 Bronze medallist, Holly Dunford, it is certainly a test of the mettle of many of these women at this relatively early point in the season.
A strong contingent of Leander Club athletes will kick off the Division 1 Women’s racing, with Freya Keto first out of the blocks. Keto has made the move to the pink palace from Thames Rowing Club, and having placed third across the 5km water trial in November last year, it will be exciting to see what she can pull out of the bag wearing the iconic cerise. With the majority of the top 20 athletes from last year’s trials currently representing GB in Shanghai for the World Rowing Championships, the door is also wide open for the likes of Lauren Carey and Phoebe Snowden to climb the ranks after finishing 19th and 24th, respectively, in November 2024. All talented scullers, I look forward to seeing how they fare across the challenges of the Wallingford course this weekend.
Racing on their home water, several Oxford Brookes athletes switch one oar for two this weekend as they too turn their sights to the upcoming GBRT trials. Former Hartpury athlete, Millie Hurrell, had a storming first season with Brookes last year, picking up wins in the intermediate eights at BUCS Regatta and the Aspirational Academic Eights at Henley Women’s Regatta. Combined with GB representation as a junior, and now well-bedded into the Brookes programme, she’s certainly one to watch and will no doubt be looking to improve on her fifth-fastest U21 finish last year. Hurrell is joined by 2024 Coupe de la Jeunesse teammate Gwennie Hunter, also now studying at Brookes, Henley Royal Regatta Island ‘A’ stroke seat Ella Shaw, and Olivia Hill, who recently returned home from the U23 World Rowing Championships with Gold in the Women’s Eight, backing up the same result from 2024. Hill has seen success at trials as an U23 on multiple occasions, and will be turning her attention to the single this weekend, no doubt with hopes of unseating some of her former Leander teammates to climb the ranks ahead of trials, in what is her final year as a U23 athlete.
Despite racing in the senior category, there are several scullers in their final junior year racing some of the bigger names this weekend. Eva Sartin and Katie Gairdner of Headington School, and Lily Clayton of Wallingford Rowing Club, will take on more senior athletes across the 4000m course, to try and assert their dominance on the single sculling scene. Sartin has raced among some of the best junior scullers for many years now, including at the likes of the Junior Sculling Regatta and the British Rowing Junior Championships. Clayton raced at the GB v France match in 2024, and most recently stroked the Wallingford Rowing Club eight in the Prince Phillip Challenge Trophy at Henley Royal Regatta. This crew raced to the semifinals at Henley Women’s Regatta, too, so after plenty of side-by-side eights racing, it will be interesting to see how Clayton has shifted back to the single for the start of the head race season.
Looking down the start list, there is plenty of talent still to be seen, especially in the likes of Izzy Sellers, Philippa Emery, and Abi Topp – all of whom enjoyed success in sweep crews with Leander last season. Amelia Hempleman-Adams also made the final of the George Innes Cup for Championship Singles at Henley Women’s Regatta, and has previously raced in the C Final at GBRT April Trials. Having spent several months training and racing with Sydney Rowing Club last year, it’ll be exciting to see how this experienced sculler takes on the new season.
With this being the season’s first test, and with so many high-calibre athletes racing, it is difficult to call who might come out on top this weekend. I imagine that Freya Keto of Leander Club will lead the rankings, with Phoebe Snowden and Lauren Carey on her heels. Brookes athletes cannot be written off on their home water either, and I would not be surprised to see Millie Hurrell and Olivia Hill challenging some of the bigger names. This event is shaping up to be a dog-fight for the top spots, and I look forward to seeing the final rankings.
Senior Women’s Quadruple Sculls
The primary reason for the likes of Leander Club choosing to race at Wallingford rather than the Vesta Scullers Head this weekend appears to be the opportunity for doubling up. Leander Club have three quads entered into this event, possibly to start testing out possible combinations before the likes of Fours Head later in the season, and it’s difficult to look past them being dominant in this event. Again, several junior entrants are racing up into the senior category, including Headington School, joined by the likes of Stratford-upon-Avon Boat Club, Abingdon Rowing Club, and Upper Thames Rowing Club. I’d like to see any of these crews challenge Leander Club, but imagine that the pink palace will remain dominant across this event, likely taking home the top three spots.
