The dreaded final week of training is upon crews racing at School's Head next week, and Reading University Head's 4.6km course provides an excellent last race to test those race tactics and possibly see how crews will stack up on the Tideway.
Two weeks today the biggest Junior event of the season will hit the Tideway as School's Head will bring more than 300 crews to one of the most challenging courses in the world. Hammersmith Head is an invaluable race for senior crews looking to perform as it's a perfect opportunity to test combinations or gain experience for a set crew. The telemetry and timings will be scrutinised by coaches as the smallest of changes can make a huge difference across the championship course. Last year Hammersmith was cancelled while crews were boating due to deteriorating conditions, so let's hope this year remains calm and rowable.
The Second (and Third!) Eights categories are a fantastic demonstration of inclusion for all athletes. Especially in the younger years, it is great to keep kids in the sport and allow them to continue to develop. Believe it or not, athletes who have gone on to win medals at Junior World Championships and the like started in their J14 and J15 B crews!
With a nine year streak at National Schools in this event, it was beginning to become an assumption that the Oxford school would win the junior girls’ eights, however with Henley RC taking the event by their grasp so far this year, could the possible decade of glory come down in one big race?
