Juniors Shine at Wallingford Long Distance Sculls

Saturday saw Henley Rowing Club juniors competing at one of the first autumn heads of the season, the Wallingford Long Distance Sculls. This event, raced over a demanding 4,000-metre course with challenging bends in the early stages, is a firm test for local crews.

Conditions could not have been more different from last year, when heavy rain forced the cancellation of the event. This time, following the summer drought, the course ran with virtually no stream. Undeterred, Henley’s boys’ and girls’ squads embraced the opportunity to race, delivering some strong results across three divisions.

Boys’ Squad Success

Henley’s J16 boys celebrated with victory in Division 3’s quadruple sculls. The crew of Diego Petrosillo, Flynn Burrow, Oliver Rowley, and Miles Vann struck a powerful rhythm from the start and pulled clear of the chasing field. Despite a late brush with some overhanging bushes, they secured the win with a three-second margin over the Lea.

Earlier in the day, three members of that crew – Petrosillo, Burrow, and Rowley – had also raced the J16 singles alongside teammate Samuel Byerley. In a large and competitive field of 38 scullers, Henley demonstrated the depth of its year group by taking consecutive places from third to sixth: Petrosillo (3rd), Burrow (4th), Rowley (5th), and Byerley (6th).

Girls’ Squad Achievements

Henley’s girls also impressed. In Division 1, the quad of Evie Meeks, Issy Hughes, Lillian Graham, and Molly Hall not only won the WJ18 category but also finished as the fastest female crew overall, crossing the line 15 seconds ahead of Lady Eleanor Holles School.

Remarkably, this was their first outing together in a quad this season – a promising start.

In Division 3, the younger J16 double of Polina Bezuhlyi and Camilla Barlow dominated their event, finishing nearly a minute clear of the second-placed crew from Reading RC.