Hampton Small Boats Head 2025 – Rob Roy Performance Squad Report

After an early season marked by repeated race cancellations, the Rob Roy Performance Squad arrived at Hampton Small Boats Head carrying something close to pent-up enthusiasm. With one of the largest trailers on site—eighteen boats packed tightly and precisely—the squad descended en masse, ready to test themselves against some of the strongest junior athletes in the country.

The day began painfully early, with athletes meeting at 7am to rig the entire fleet. Conditions were far from kind: temperatures barely climbed into double digits and a steady curtain of rain hung over the course for the duration of racing.

Morale, however, never faltered. After three months of relentless winter work—ergs, land sessions and technical mileage at the Stretham performance base—the squad were hungry to race and eager to see where their progress now placed them. Every crew was a brand-new combination compared with last season, making Hampton an ideal chance to test pairings, seat orders and rhythms across the programme.

Robs Rowers Punching Above Their Weight

In the words of Head of Junior Rowing Jo Burch:

“The Stretham squad clearly had a fabulous day out at Hampton—what a superb set of results despite grim conditions, top competition and this being the first off-Cam small boats race for most of the squad.

Just look at the numbers:
• 16 crews raced
• 2 SILVER medals
• 3 BRONZE medals
• 14 crews finishing inside the top ten
• the remaining two placing 12th

That’s exciting strength in depth for our squad, and it bodes hugely well for any combinations we put together as the season unfolds.”

That depth showed everywhere: first-time off-Cam scullers, athletes doubling up into both divisions, and margins repeatedly within seconds of the leading crews from some of the largest and most competitive junior programmes in the country.

Conditions were demanding. There were crashes to avoid, clashes of blades for several boats, poor visibility, and the challenge of steering on a fast, unfamiliar Thames course. Despite this, Robs crews demonstrated excellent boat handling with no incidents across the entire fleet—a testament to the club’s longstanding focus on technical quality in small boats.

Standout Performance of the Day – Lucas Goodbrand (OJ15 1x)

Among many strong performances, Lucas delivered an exceptional race in the Open J15 single, taking SILVER and missing the win by just 0.1 seconds—one of the narrowest margins of the entire regatta. A composed, powerful row and a clear marker of his winter progress.

Support Crew

The squad was backed throughout by a formidable group of parents who endured the cold and rain with admirable stoicism. Their support included:

• a well-timed gazebo with sides
• continuous hot food and drinks
• dry kit and spare layers
• first-aid when needed
• full-scale rigging and de-rigging help
• loud, unmistakably Rob Roy cheering from start to finish

Their contribution was crucial to keeping morale high across a long, wet day.

Coaching Thanks

Huge thanks go to Andy and Simon, who coached on the day. Their preparation, tactical guidance, calming of nerves and detailed post-race feedback gave every athlete what they needed to perform, and provided rich insight to take back into training at Stretham. 

Division by division results