With many of the top junior scullers racing- very successfully- at Munich International Regatta, we didn't see a number of the top crews race their full lineups at Wallingford Regatta at the start of the month. With the standard of sculling nationally constantly pushing upwards in recent times, this will undoubtedly make for a cracking race.
The coxed four is not a championship event, but a popular option for schools who might not have the depth to field a full eight, especially given the rule changes this year that have arguably closed the door somewhat on smaller programmes. With so many entries into School 4+ for the boys, and very few in Non-Champ 8 this is very noticeable. Alongside only two entries into girls' second eights this year, it appears many clubs have opted to field second girls fours.
What can be expected of what once was the Child Beale? If the results from School’s Head are anything to go off, we can expect there to be a spirited fight between four crews for medals, and a significant drop off after that.
With nearly 30 entries, it is necessary to change the way you race. Positions in the AB semi could be separated by less than a second with this proliferation of crews. For many pairs, especially from less established programs, they will have to race the time trial perhaps as if it were their final, if they want a shot at one of the six A final places.
