Across The Line: A rumble at Rutherford Head and dispatches the Wallingford stretch
Your weekly roundup of all the racing action across the UK
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We’re Across The Line! Join us to look back on a thrilling weekend of rowing as Rutherford Head welcomes the north and Wallingford Head returns for the first time since 2022.
Winter is coming as rain envelopes Rutherford Head
‘Can they do it on a cold, rainy afternoon in Newcastle?’ was a question many were asking at about 14:45 on Saturday. The Tyne God awoke on Saturday feeling mischievous. Competitors and spectators could only watch on at Rutherford Head with an impending sense of doom as blackened clouds rolled over the hills, transforming the pristine racetrack into a scene that conjured up images of Tim Robbins standing bare-chested after escaping Shawshank State Prison.
It was wet. But in adverse conditions, character is tested, and certain crews thrive. Edinburgh University BC and Durham University BC were imperious across the Eights. Will Fletcher‘s palatinate fleet clocked the fastest time of the day, putting nearly six seconds into Edinburgh University. Their enviable depth was on display for all to admire as their second Eight finished third overall.
Edinburgh University BC travelled down the A1 and took some serious scalps. The Baby Blue Army, stroked by Irish U23 Izzy Clements, beat Durham University BC by 0.6s. Newcastle University BC, back-to-back finalists in The Island Challenge Cup, were third. With more than half of their top 16 athletes graduating from last season, the gauntlet has been thrown to the feet of whichever honorary Geordies are prepared to seize it and write the next chapter of the Blue Star folklore.
At their own event, the men of Tyne ARC won Band 2 Eights, while Glasgow University BC won the women’s event. The next time Glaswegians travel to the Tyne, they’ll be racing in the BUCS Head, and this show will stand them in good stead ahead of racing in two months’ time.
The Tyne God is a mysterious deity and conjured up trouble for the home crews. Durham University BC would have its top Coxless Four disqualified for going through the wrong arch of a bridge. This meant the Blue Star would claim the fastest time of division one in the Open Coxed Four, led by Ed Ridley and Gwilym Johnson, who recently returned from Boston as the fastest U23 Pair at November Trials. The winners of the Open Quadruple Sculls also fell victim to navigation guidelines. After racing at Fours Head, Ben Parsonage and Ash Cowley ventured north and teamed up with former U23 World Champion Ollie Varley and Tyne ARC’s Will Shaw. The quartet were given a 30 second penalty, but a dominant row saw them running out winners, just over a second ahead of the Leeds University BC composite crew. This opened the door for George Watson’s College BC to step up and not only win the Open J18 Quadruple Sculls but head home as the fastest quadruple scull of the day, a bonnie St Andrew’s day indeed.
It continued to be a belter of a day for the Scots. Notable wins came from St Andrew BC who won Open Masters D-F Coxed Four, while George Heriot’s School BC won the Women’s J18 Quadruple Sculls. Perhaps making the longest journey were Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association. ASRA picked up wins in the Women’s J18 Eight as Band 2 Women’s J18 Quadruple Sculls, and Band 2 Open J18 Eight. Abingdon School BC won the Band 1 category.
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While Newcastle University BC won Women’s band 4 Eights, it was Leeds RC who won the Band 3 event. Sheffield University BC took home the pots for Band 5. For the Open Eights, St Cuthbert’s College BC won Band 3, and Sheffield University BC, Bands 4 and 5, rounding off their hat trick of wins.
Rutherford Head is also a key milestone in the calendar of Durham College Rowing. Collingwood College BC were the fastest College Eight on the women’s side, but the same could not be said for their men. Step forward, Trevelyan College BC, beating Collingwood by 1.3s, setting up a compelling narrative for the rest of the season.
Oxford Derby Day at Wallingford Head
For the first time in three years, Wallingford Head took back its rightful place in the British Rowing Calendar. Momentum is a powerful thing, and Oxford University BC are building some for the first time in a while. Since roaring into life at The Head of The Charles, the Dark Blue women have continued to ooze class, and more of that was on display on their home stretch. Led by President Heidi Long, they won the Women’s Band 1 Eight, more than 20s ahead of Oxford Brookes University BC, who are now being steered by Bodo Schulenburg.
Results would flip in Open Eights, as Oxford Brookes University BC would set the fastest time of the day, beating The Dark Blue men by more than 20 seconds. Oxford University BC will now gear up for their Trial Eights, taking place Friday 19 December.
Across Division 1, there were plenty of Schoolboys in action. The pick of the racing came in the Open J18 Band 1 Eights. Westminster School BC put together a statement performance to beat St Paul’s School BC by 0.5s. For Westminster, this adds to their second-place finish in Op Senior Academic Coxless Fours. 10 years ago, Westminster and St Paul’s School had a rivalry that reached its crescendo in the final of the Princess Elizabeth Final, and perhaps we’re starting to see flashes of that during the early stages of this season. Radley College BC rounded off the podium. Elsewhere, St Edward’s were in action, winning Open Band 2 Eights, with a time that would have placed them less than two seconds back on Radley College BC.
In Division 2, the fastest Women’s J18 crew was Wallingford. The home club were seven seconds ahead of Headington School BC and comfortably ahead of Shiplake College BC. Interestingly, Headington School BC were also in action in the morning, racing in the Women’s U23 category. The Oxfordshire School placed third, behind a Brookes 1-2, five seconds back on second place.
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Check out last week’s results
- Hampton Small Boats Head
- Liverpool Victoria Head of The Float
- Cambridge University Clare Novices Regatta
- Liverpool University Novice Race Day
“I wash windows for my day job, and now I’m commentating alongside Olympic medallists:” Jon Goodall’s volunteer tales
Fergus Mainland spoke with the runner turned rower as she gets ready to race in Birmingham at the British Rowing Indoor Championships
Social Spotlight: Thank you, Tom Barras!
After a rowing career spanning 9 years, Olympic silver medallist and two-time Olympian Tom Barras has announced his retirement from the GB Rowing Team.
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That’s all from Across The Line this week!
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