Shiplake College crews sweep to Tideway success

THERE was success for Shiplake College at the Hammersmith Head of the River last Saturday in the junior events while Leander Club secured runners-up in the women’s eights at the event competed for over two-and-three-quarter miles course between Chiswick and Hammersmith bridges.

Both the Shiplake College girls’ and boys’ first eights produced dominant performances, each winning their J18 category.

Rowing with confidence and composure on the challenging Tideway course, both crews set commanding times that secured Shiplake’s double victory in the top junior event of the day.

The success continued further down the squad with the girls’ second eight finishing as the fastest second eight overall. The boys’ second eight also impressed, finishing as the second fastest second eight.

In the junior ranks, the Shiplake J16 eight rowed a confident and competitive race to finish sixth out of 20 crews.

Leander had two women’s championship eights competing where they delivered a commanding performance to take second and fourth places overall.

The leading crew showed composure and authority from the first strokes, establishing rhythm early and building pressure through the middle of the course.

Clean bladework and disciplined pacing allowed the crew of Grace Richard, Zoe McCutcheon, Lauren Carey, Lucy Stratton, Phoebe Snowden, Daisy Jackson, Annica Ford, Anna Grace and cox Geoerge Farthing maintain speed through the technical sections of the Tideway, handling the good tideway conditions with confidence.

Leander’s second eight of Olivia Caesar, Abby Topp, Jordan Kingston, Charlotte Fennel, Emily Baker, Carys Pryce, Zoe McKellar, Freya Keto and cox Cameron Moffatt also produced a highly competitive row.

The result underlined the depth within the women’s squad and the internal competition driving standards forward.

The Leander men’s eight was largely composed of gap year athletes — known as the “Cuppies” — many of whom were racing their first Tideway head in pink.

The crew of Ben Nathan, Will Wreford, James Arnold, James Purves-Lidelle, Isaac Mono, George Konig, Fin Rhys-Jones, Rowan Irving and cox Alex Erb embraced the challenge of the championship to finish third in the intermediate eights .

Due to the strong stream condition J15 crews were not permitted to race. Henley Rowing Club’s entry was also impacted due to illness and injury with crews having to withdraw and the eight that did race had three substitutions from the younger J16 squad.

Despite the changes the crew of a Molly Hall, Erin Goodall, Polina Bezuhla, Daisy Millard, Holly Jackson, Evie Meeks, Lilly Graham, Issy Hughes and cox Elise Pindoria, raced well and finished a respectable sixth out of the 20 junior girls crews that raced.