With Wallingford Regatta marking the start of the junior regatta season, the Junior Women’s Eights category has 16 entries from across the country. With the crews looking to place a marker down before the National Schools’ Regatta, this should be an exciting event to watch.
Headington School Oxford Boat Club
It wouldn’t be a Junior Women’s rowing event without the formidable Headington School Oxford Boat Club. It should be noted, however, that several of their top athletes are racing for GB at the Munich Regatta this weekend, meaning it may not be their full first eight. Despite this, after their second eight had a dominant win at the National Schools’ Regatta 2023, the Headington crew will still be fighting for a podium finish.
St Edward’s School Boat Club
After coming third at the Schools’ Head of the River Race earlier in the season, St Edward’s School Boat Club (Teddies) will be looking to establish a marker on Sunday. Teddies is a boat club that is rapidly improving their female rowers, with their top athlete, Izzy Johnson, racing at Coupe De La Jeunesse for GB last summer. After coming third at Wallingford Regatta last year and later progressing to second at the National Schools’ Regatta last season, Teddies will be looking to deliver a similar and perhaps an even better performance. For this reason, I predict Teddies to be challenging for the win on Sunday.
Shiplake College Boat Club
With two eights entered into this event, Shiplake College Boat Club are showing the true depth of their squad. A strong second place finish at the Schools’ Head of the River Race places them in a good position, especially given it won’t be Headington’s top crew, who placed first. It will be interesting to see the gaps between St Edward’s and Shiplake, given it was only 0.2 seconds separating them during the Schools’ Head.
Wallingford Rowing Club
Wallingford Rowing Club is another programme that continues to develop year on year and has reached a point where they are now challenging for podiums in the Junior Women’s eights. After coming second in the coxed four at National Schools’ Regatta last year, the Wallingford girls have now entered an even more competitive category and will be hoping to continue on their upwards trajectory.
Lady Eleanor Holles Boat Club
After their National Schools’ Regatta win in 2021, the Lady Eleanor Holles Boat Club (LEH) Senior squad have been missing from podium positions at national events. This cohort of girls seems to be learning from race-to-race and are delivering results that place them at the front of the pack. It won’t be an easy task for these girls to fight for a win, but it is one that I believe is possible – and this weekend could prove pivotal in the National Schools’ Regatta campaign.
Henley Rowing Club
After a perhaps disappointing Schools’ Head of The River Race, with Henley Rowing Club placing 11th, these girls will be back with a vengeance and aiming to hunt down the pack. In true Henley fashion, these girls will go out fighting and I suspect will be an improvement on their Schools’ Head of the River result.
Other notable entries
In a turn of events, Wycliffe Sculling Centre have entered an eight into this event. Whilst there is limited knowledge of this crew, Wycliffe are known to produce wins, so it’ll be interesting to see how they do. There is also Surbiton High School Boat Club, who will be looking to step on from their promising result from the School’s Head of the River Race, as well as Godolphin and Latymer Boat Club.
Prediction
I predict it will be a close battle for first place between Shiplake and Teddies, with the latter taking the win. I imagine Wallingford and Headington will be hot on their heels, with the rest of the pack close behind.
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