Composed scullers through to semis
Racing "well within" themselves, according to Matt Wells, the British men’s double scull, sponsored by Siemens, of Wells and Stephen Rowbotham won their World Championship quarter-final here in Munich today and will now race in Thursday’s semi-finals.
Alan Campbell, the accomplished single sculler from Coleraine, also in a Siemens-backed boat, joined them by taking second place in his quarter-final behind only world champion Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand.
Gloucestershire duo Beth Rodford and Natasha Page took full advantage of rowing’s "second chance" system by winning their women’s pair repechage today to move into the semi-finals as did Alasdair Leighton-Crawford and Andrea Dennis in the lightweight single scull events alongside Siemens-backed James Roberts and Karen Cromie in the Paralympic double scull boat.
Meanwhile, Helene Raynsford’s repechage win in the Siemens-sponsored women’s Paralympic single scull boat class puts her into Saturday’s final.
"I’m very pleased today that all of our boats have progressed to the top 12, giving the Olympic boats the chance of a Beijing place through their semi-finals", said GB Performance Director David Tanner. "Well done today, too, to Helene Raynsford for booking our first Paralympic quota place".
Tomorrow’s action includes quarter-finals for the Siemens-backed lightweight men’s double scull and four – the two Olympic lightweight classes – as well as crucial repechages for the Siemens-sponsored men’s and women’s eights, quadruple scull and lightweight women’s double scull. Equally, the lightweight men’s quad will be fighting for a place in the final through their repechage of this International boat class.
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RACE REPORTS
Matt Wells and Stephen Rowbotham, the "quiet men" of the British team who have been consistent world cup medallists this season, moved smoothly into the World Championships semi-finals here in Munich today by winning their quarter-final of the men’s double scull.
The Siemens-backed duo ignored the fast-starting Italians, whose early pace proved latterly suicidal, and emerged from the pack around the half-way point. From there they put on the pressure to lead throughout the second half, responding well to any moves from behind.
"It was a big race today for many of the crews because if you didn’t get through to the semi-finals you’re not going to the Olympic Games. That’s why several of the crews went out so quickly to try and qualify. You could see it at the end with the Belgians being so happy but with the Italians and Russians being so down", said Wells afterwards.
"We’re racing well within ourselves here and the big race is now on Thursday with the semi-finals", he added.
Wells and Rowbotham will be joined on Thursday by Alan Campbell, part of a strong British sculling group. The Siemens-sponsored single sculler this morning booked his semi-final place by finishing second to world champion Mahe Drysdale, of New Zealand, in the quarter-finals.
The British and Kiwi scullers, who have been training partners in the past and are still good friends, traded punches in the opening 500m with the lead swapping hands several times before they opened up sufficient gap on the rest of the field to settle into their rhythm and control the race. Both upped the pace a tad towards the finish in order to keep the remainder of the field at bay.
"It was just controlled, relaxed racing again today", said Campbell afterwards. "Yes, there was some jockeying for position with Mahe early in the race, but once we’d opened up the lead I thought I’d just stay relaxed". The comment shows his growing maturity as a racer.
Whilst the focus was on the established men’s crews, Beth Rodford and Natasha Page put in an excellent performance of their own in the Siemens-sponsored women’s pair to win their repechage and move into the semi-finals, also on Thursday.
In a tightly-bunched field, the newly-formed duo were led at first by the Italians, whose coach must take the prize as the regatta’s "philosopher king" for the encouragements he yelled from his bicycle during the race. Then the British took the lead just after the half-way point.
Russia subsequently posed the greatest threat alongside the Dutch, with the Italians falling away. Rodford and Page were able to hold, though, for victory.
"It felt really relaxed and calm out there today", said Page afterwards. "We put in a couple of pushes to get past the Russians and it’s good to get a solid win under our belts", said Rodford.
Alasdair Leighton-Crawford and Andrea Dennis, Britain’s two lightweight single scullers, both moved through to Thursday’s semi-finals by winning repechages in style this morning.
Dennis came past the early Spanish leader as the crews moved through the 600m mark and created the opportunity to watch the field from the front with Finland her nearest challenger in the latter stages.
Leighton-Crawford was first to all four timing points, including the finish line, in a well-controlled and smooth race. Finland’s Matt Jaeaeskelainen was second.
Helene Raynsford looked more her usual self in today’s repechage of the Siemens-backed women’s adaptive single scull which she won comfortably after taking the lead before half-way. By the line she had a two length lead over the field. In yesterday’s heats the reigning world champion had suffered an asthma attack whilst racing and was unable to produce her normal level of performance. By winning she booked a British quota place at the Paralympic Games next year.
James Roberts and Karen Cromie, in the Siemens-sponsored women’s double scull, also upped their game over yesterday’s heats performance to win the repechage today which they led throughout.
The British women’s four were earlier in action in a seeding race for Saturday’s final. They finished fifth.
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RACING TIMETABLE
Racing in Munich from now on takes place
as follows (full timetable
at www.worldrowing.com):
29 August
Repechages & Quarter-finals
30 and 31 August
Semi-finals
FINALS
1 and 2 September
(Full details: www.worldrowing.com and click on media
center before selecting events).
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RESULTS – Day three/28 August
(races featuring GB crews only. Full results:
www.worldrowing.com)
QUARTER-FINALS
OPEN
MEN
Single scull
1. Mahe Drysdale (New Zealand) 7:26.36
2. Alan Campbell (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:29.77
3. Peter Hardcastle (Australia) 7:31.72
4. Valentinos Sofokleous (Cyprus) 7:34.63
5. Dzianis Suravets (Belarus) 7:46.81
6. Gabor Bencsik (Hungary) 7:57.20
Double scull
1. Matthew Wells/Stephen Rowbotham (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:52.23
2. Scott Brennan/David Crawshay (Australia) 6:52.85
3. Stijn Smulders/Christophe Raes (Belgium) 6:57.05
4. Sergey Fedorovtsev/Nikolay Spinev (Russia) 7:02.10
5. Jean Smerghetto/Simone Venier (Italy) 7:04.06
6. Vladimir Chernenko/Rusian Naurzaliyev (Uzbekhistan) 7:27.53
REPECHAGES
OPEN
WOMEN
Pair
1. Beth Rodford/Natasha Page (GREAT BRITAIN) 7;47.85
2. Vera Pochitaeva/Alevtina Podvyazkina (Russia) 7:48.29
3. Nienke Kingma/Helen Tanger (Netherlands) 7:51.01
4. Simona Roccarina/Samanta Molina (Italy) 7:53.27
LIGHTWEIGHT
WOMEN
Single scull
1. Andrea Dennis (GREAT BRITAIN) 8:22.25
2. Ilona Hiltunen (Finland) 8:24.10
3. Maria Lima (Portugal) 8:33.47
4. Lourdes Cruz Guillen (Spain) 8:35.17
5. Ilda Theka (Albania) 9:20.50
MEN
Single scull
1. Alasdair Leighton-Crawford (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:46.10
2. Matti Jaeaeskelainen (Finland) 7:52.26
3. Carlos Fernandes (Portugal) 8:01.31
4. Paul Kondrashov (Israel) 8:06.46
5. Liam Molloy (Ireland) DNS
ADAPTIVE
WOMEN
Single scull
1. Helene Raynsford (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:57.68
2. Martyna Snopek (Poland) 7:02.40
3. Agnese Moro (Italy) 7:14.97
4. Cho Ping (Hong Kong) 7:48.84
5. Fusako Inaishi (Japan) 9:11.51
MIXED
Double scull
1. Karen Cromie/James Roberts (GREAT BRITAIN) 4:42.15
2. Caitlin Renneson/Wilfredo More Wilson (Canada) 4:54.37
3. Igor & Mary Kogan (Israel) 4:54.68
4. Megumi Masumoto/Hideki Yahagi (Japan) 5;54.31
5. Alexey Malyshev/Nadejda Andreeva (Russia) 6:17.10
RACE FOR LANES
OPEN
WOMEN
Four
1. USA 6:59.70
2. Australia 7:03.78
3. Germany 7:06.30
4. China 7:10.52
5. Georgina Menheneott/Rebecca Rowe/Vicky Etiebet/
Vicky Myers (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:15.31
6. Italy 7:32.42
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GB CREWS FOR THE 2007 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
(Munich, August 26 – September 2, 2007)
(NB – listed from bow to stroke with
athlete name followed by club, home town
and date of birth in brackets).
OPEN
WOMEN
Pair
Beth Rodford (Thames RC/Burton-on-Trent/ 28.12.82)/
Natasha Page (Reading Uni/Hartpury/30.4.85)
Coach: John Keogh
Four
Georgina Menheneott (Mortlake, Anglian & Alpha RC/North Bradley,
Wilts/18.12.79)/Rebecca Rowe (Rebecca/Bridgend/16.5.81)/
Vicki Etiebet (Auriol Kensington/Ottowa, Canada/12.2.79)/
Vicky Myers (Leander/Cheshire/31.3.81)
Coach: Nathan Williams
Eight
Carla Ashford (Thames RC/Northallerton/13.3.79)/Baz Moffat
(Thames RC/Bradford/8.4.78)/Alice Freeman (Wallingford RC/Oxford/
6.9.78)/Louisa Reeve (Leander/London/16.05.84)/Natasha Howard (Tideway Scullers/West Runton/3.9.80)/Alison Knowles (Thames RC/
Bournemouth/27.3.82)/Katie Greves (Uni of London/Oxford/2.9.82)
Jess Eddie (Uni of London/Durham/7.10.84)/Caroline O’Connor
(Oxford Brookes/Ealing/25.4.83) (cox)
Coaches: John Keogh
Double scull
Elise Laverick (Thames RC/Poling, W.Sussex/27.7.75)/
Anna Bebington (Leander Club/Leek, Staffs/13.2.83)
Coach: Miles Forbes Thomas
Quadruple scull
Annie Vernon (Thames RC/Wadebridge/1.9.82)/Debbie Flood
(Leander Club/Leeds/27.2.80)/Fran Houghton
(Uni of London/Oxford/19.9.80)/Katherine Grainger
(St Andrews BC/Aberdeen/12.11.75)
Coach: Paul Thompson
MEN
Pair
Colin Smith (Leander/Henley on Thames/23.9.83)/
Matt Langridge(Leander Club/Northwich/20.5.83)/
Coach: Jurgen Grobler
Four
Steve Williams (Leander Club/Cheltenham/15.4.76)/Peter
Reed (Leander Club/Nailsworth, Glos/27.7.81)/Alex Partridge
(Leander Club/Alton, Hants/25.1.81)/Andy Triggs Hodge
(Molesey BC/Hebden, N.Yorks/3.3.79)
Coach: Jurgen Grobler
Coxed four
Oli Moore (Imperial/Burford)/James Orme (Leander Club/
Colchester/1.4.84)/Marcus Bateman (Leander Club/Torquay/
16.9.82)/Tom James (CUBC/Wrexham/11.3.84)/Phelan Hill (London
RC/London/21.7.79) – cox
Coach: Richard Tinkler
Eight
Tom Parker (OUBC/Winchester/24.10.82)/Tom Stallard
(Leander/Welwyn, Herts/11.9.78)/Tom Lucy (Oxford Brookes/
Monmouth/1.5.88)/Tom Solesbury (Molesey BC/Petts Wood, Kent/23.9.80)/Josh West (Leander/Santa Fe/25.3.77)/Richard Egington (Leander/Knutsford/26.2.79)/Robin Bourne-Taylor (Army RC/Oxford/22.7.81)
/Alastair Heathcote (Army RC/London/18.8.77)/Acer Nethercott (OUBC/Harlow/28.11.77) (cox)
Coaches: Mark Banks, John West
Single Scull
Alan Campbell (Tideway Scullers/Coleraine/9.5.83)
Coach: Bill Barry
Double Scull
Matt Wells (Leander Club/Hexham, Northumberland/19.4.79)/
Stephen Rowbotham (Leander Club/Winscombe, Somerset/11.11.81)
Coach: Mark Earnshaw
Quadruple scull
Simon Fieldhouse (Molesey/Thames Ditton/4.9.76)/Sam Townsend
(Reading Uni/Reading/26.11.85)/Alex Gregory (Reading Uni/
Wormington/11.3.84)/Ian Lawson (Leander/Otley, W.Yorks/4.3.77)
Coach: Steve Gunn
LIGHTWEIGHT
WOMEN
Single scull
Andrea Dennis (Wallingford RC/Oxford/03.01.82)
Coach: Rob Dauncey
Double scull
Helen Casey (Wallingford RC/Oxford/6.2.74)/
Hester Goodsell (Rob Roy/Cambridge/27.6.84)
Coach: Robin Williams
Quadruple scull
Sophie Hosking (Durham Uni/Wimbledon/25.01.86)Laura Greenhalgh (Rob Roy/Oxford/2.9.85)/Mathilde Pauls (Imperial College BC/Berlin & Putney/26.09.83)/ Jane Hall (Leander/Caversham/20.10.73),
Coach: Rob Dauncey
MEN
Pair
Matt Beechey (Leander/Worcester/3.4.77)/Daniel
Harte (London/Edinburgh/12.12.75)
Coach: Paul Reedy
Four
Richard Chambers (Oxford Brookes/Coleraine/10.6.85)/
James Lindsay-Fynn (London/Trim/29.9.75)/Paul Mattick
(Wallingford/Oxford/25.4.78)/James Clarke (London RC/
London/13.12.84)
Coach: Robin Williams
Single scull
Alasdair Leighton-Crawford (Tideway Scullers/Richmond-upon-Thames/
09.12.81) – racing spare.
Double scull
Zac Purchase (Marlow RC/Tewkesbury, Glos/2.5.86)/
Mark Hunter (Leander Club/Romford, Essex/1.7.78)
Coach: Darren Whiter
Quadruple scull
Simon Jones (Leander/Henley/8.6.78)Rob Williams (London
RC/Maidenhead/21.1.85)//Chris Bartley (Wallingford/Chester/
2.2.84)/Dave Currie (Leander/Bridgend/10.1.82)
Coach: Rob Morgan
ADAPTIVE CREWS
WOMEN
Single scull
Helene Raynsford (Guildford RC/Frimley/29.12.79)
Coach: Chad King
MEN
Single scull
Tom Aggar (Royal Docks/Barnet, London/24.5.84)
Coach: Chad King
MIXED
Mixed adaptive coxed four
Naomi Riches (Marlow RC/Harrow Weald/15.6.83)/
Alastair Mckean (Herne Bay ARC/Whitstable/14.4.79)/
Alan Crowther (Nottingham BC/Derby/29.7.65)/
Vicki Hansford (Guildford RC/Lewisham/31.10.79)/
Alan Sherman (cox)
Coach: Chad King
Double scull
Karen Cromie (Royal Docks BC/Ballinamalllard, Co.Fermanagh/
24.9.79)/James Roberts (Swansea/11.5.86)
Coach: Chad King
SPARES
Olivia Whitlam (Agecroft RC/Warrington/16.9.85)
Tom Wilkinson (Leander/Henley/4.7.85)
Charles Burkitt (Leander/Reading/28.4.86)
Bill Lucas (Reading Uni/Dartmouth/13.9.87)
Atlanta St John (Reading Uni/North Leigh, Oxon/13.1.87)
TEAM MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT
Team Manager: David Tanner
Assistant Team Manager: Maggie Netto
Doctor: Ali Sanders
Chief Coach Men: Jurgen Grobler
Chief Coach Women and Lightweights: Paul Thompson
Logistics Manager: Maurice Hayes
Adaptive boats coordinator: Louise Kingsley
Lead Physio: Mark Edgar
Physios: Pam Gardiner, Gill Edmondson, Mike Chisholm
Physiologist: Al Smith
Pyschologist: Chris Shambrook
Nutritionist: Wendy Martinson
Sponsorship Liaison Manager: Fran Bullock
Drivers: Phil Tinsley, John Brockway
Press Officer: Caroline Searle
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OLYMPIC AND PARALYMPIC QUALIFYING DETAILS
Each nation competing in Munich will be seeking to
qualify for Olympic Games’ quota places, available for
each event. It is important to remember, though, that
it is the "boats" that qualify in Munich and at the later
regattas (see below). In Britain’s case the individual "rowers’
names" will not be put to the places in each boat
until late June, 2008.
Events (with quota places available in Munich)
MEN
Single scull (11)
Pair (11)
Double scull (11)
Four (11)
Quadruple scull (11)
Eight (7)
WOMEN
Single scull (9)
Pair (8)
Double scull (8)
Quadruple scull (7) – GB qualified (27/08/07)
Eight (5)
LIGHTWEIGHT MEN
Double scull (11)
Four (11)
LIGHTWEIGHT WOMEN
Double scull (8)
If British boats do not gain a quota place in any given
event in Munich, there will be one further chance
via the final qualifying regatta in June of 2008 in
Lucerne, Switzerland where a small number of
further quota places will be available but for which
the competition will be fierce.
ADAPTIVE BOAT CLASSES
Each adaptive boat class has eight spaces
available in Munich for Beijing 2008. For those
who do not qualify in Munich there will be a
second-chances at the world cup from
9-11 May, 2007.
Women’s arms only single scull – qualified 28/08/07
