National Schools Head of the River 2006

Posted on March 13, 2006 | Filed under Rowing

Evesham’s junior women rowers are the best in the country having trounced all-comers at the National Schools Head on Thursday 9th March with a fantastic win in the Junior Women’s coxed four.

The National Schools Head attracted 231 crews from around the country battling for the top spot over the traditional 4.25 mile course down the Thames from Chiswick Bridge to Putney.

The crew of Cherie Gayton, Emma Woodedd, Sara Howe and Chloe Farrar (coxed by Rachel Hegarty) knew that they’d have a tough race on their hands facing nine women’s crews from the country’s top rowing schools, including George Heriot’s - last year’s national championship gold medallists.

Conditions on the day were normal for the Thames at this time of year - wet and windy. The Thames course has several sections of ‘dead’ water where rowers often feel as if they’re rowing through treacle. At these sections the skill of the cox in steering around dead water and finding the current is essential and it’s a tribute to Rachel Hegarty - coxing the Tideway for the first time - that she managed to steer the boat around these hazards. The junior women completed the course in a time of 21.37 minutes, beating their nearest rivals, George Heriot’s, by two seconds.

The Junior 16 eight also competed, rowing the course in a time of 21.34. The majority of the boys are J15 and are using this year to build up experience of sweep oar. This race will have given them good experience of Tideway conditions that will stand them in good stead.

Emma Woodedd was back on the Thames two days later rowing as part of a junior GB women’s eight in the Women’s Eight’s Head. The crew, made up of Britain’s top 16 and 17 year old rowers, had never rowed together before. They managed a creditable 23rd place out of 265 crews and were the sixth placed Elite crew having rowed the course in 20.38 minutes.

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