August 26, 2007 News British Rowing NewsBritish Rowing EventsRowing CommunityGB Rowing TeamIndoor RowingRowing & RegattaPartners#YourStoriesArchive Five from six Olympic class boats win heats GB Rowing Team British crews won five out of the six Olympic class heats in which they were involved this morning as the 2007 World Championships got underway in nigh perfect conditions in Munich. Anna Bebington and Elise Laverick were probably the headline-grabbers of the morning because the Siemens-backed double scullers beat the Olympic champions from New Zealand to progress to the semi-finals. Britain’s other winners were the Camelot-backed, reigning world champions in the men’s four – who won despite being pushedall the way by France and Ireland – the men’s pair, men’s double and men’s single – all Siemens-sponsored. "With five from six Olympic boats winning their heats, I can’t complain", said a clearly-pleased GB Rowing Performance Director, David Tanner.ADVERT Britain’s lightweight single scullers and the women’s pair all face repechages on Tuesday – the latter finishing fourth in a very strong heat. The Camelot-backed women’s quadruple scull opens its campaign tomorrow alongside the the lightweight boats that have been winning medals at world cups this season – the lightweight men’s double and lightweight men’s four – backed by Siemens. Tomorrow will also see the men’s quadruple scull, the men’s and women’s eights and the two lightweight quads and lightweight pair in action. Great Britain’s four Paralympic class boats will also race their heats. SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE =============================== =============================== RACE REPORTS Alan Campbell, in the Siemens-backed single scull, opened Britain’s Olympic boat class account today in Munich and won, as expected, at a canter. His victory signalled the start of a good morning for Great Britain. The man from Coleraine was tracked throughout by Austria’s Ralph Heidrich but never lost his rhythm or composure to race maturely to the line. "It was controlled and relaxed today", he said. "I was conserving my firepower for the bigger races to come". Campbell faces quarter-finals tomorrow, semis on Thursday and a final on Sunday if he is to realise his dreams here. His win was swiftly followed by victory for Colin Smith and Matt Langridge in the men’s pair. This Siemens-sponsored duo has had a chequered season but were clearly delighted to win today from a strong, closely-fought field after a poor showing in their last regatta – the world cup finals Lucerne. "Lucerne wasn’t typical", said Matt Langridge. "We didn’t make any significant moves today but just kept up a fast race pace", added Smith. The pair now race next in Thursday’s semi-finals. Quick off the start and smooth in their race pace, Anna Bebington and Elise Laverick were GB’s next winners in the Siemens-backed women’s double scull. They got their nose in front quite early and led until the 1500m mark before being overhauled marginally by Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindells of New Zealand, the Olympic champions. "We were aware that they were there at that stage", said Laverick but the British women had enough to respond and pull away again. Whilst the women’s double only returned to competition last month after a long injury break for Bebington, the equivalent men’s boat, with Matt Wells and Stephen Rowbotham on board has been a consistent presence on the world cup podium this year. The Siemens-sponsored men were well ahead of the field by the 1000m mark and stayed there all the way to the line today. "It’s good to put down a marker", said Rowbotham after the race. "It was a good opener. This is a quality field and it’s going to be tight racing from now on". In one of the session’s final heats, the men’s four went to the start line today in their more accustomed line-up of Steve Williams, Peter Reed, Alex Partridge and Andy Hodge after having raced in Lucerne last month with Tom James as a substitute for the injured Partridge. Pushed all the way by France and Ireland, the Camelot-sponsored quartet did not have the most comfortable of wins but were strong enough to pull through at the end and book their semi-final slot on Thursday. "We always knew it was going to be tough today. Everyone’s moved on in the last six weeks of training", said Reed of the race in which the world champions were tested. "We also knew that many crews would go to the wire to try and make it through today and we saw it with France today". "Steve (Williams) was clear and calm in his calls throughout the race today and that was a huge help", he continued. "And with all the training we’ve put in, we’re very positive". Only the women’s pair, from GB’s Olympic class boats in action today, will now race a repechage on Tuesday. Beth Rodford and Natasha Page have come together here to race for the first time since the April GB Senior Trials. Each has moved into the pair after injuries to team-mates. Neither could have been expected to book passage today because their heat contained the gold, silver and bronze medallists from the Lucerne world cup finals last month. So, happy to have raced, they will now focus on the repechage as a means of moving through. Earlier in the morning, Britain’s first racer today on the 1972 Munich Olympic course – famed for its crystal-clear water – was Andrea Dennis who was fourth in the lightweight women’s single scull, in a race won by Jennifer Goldsack of the USA, a former GB squad member, who has switched allegiances this year. Alasdair Leighton-Crawford, an international debutante this year, was next and gave a good account of himself in the equivalent men’s event, finishing second but still facing a repechage tomorrow. SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE =============================== =============================== RACING TIMETABLE Racing in Munich from now on takes place as follows (full timetable at www.worldrowing.com): Heats 27 August Repechages 28 and 29 August Semi-finals 30 August and 31 August FINALS 1 and 2 September (Full details: www.worldrowing.com and click on media center before selecting events). SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE =============================== =============================== RESULTS – Day one/26 August (races featuring GB crews only. Full results: www.worldrowing.com) HEATS OPEN WOMEN Pair Heat 3 1. Juliette Haigh/Nicola Coles (New Zealand) 7:11.21 2. Georgeta Damian-Andrunache/Viorica Susanu (Romania) 7:11.74 3. Portia McGee/Anna Mickelson (USA) 7:16.60 4. Beth Rodford/Natasha Page (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:23.95 Double scull Heat 1 1. Elise Laverick/Anna Bebington (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:50.45 2. Georgina & Caroline Evers-Swindells (New Zealand) 7:01.41 3. Gabriela Varekova/Jitka Antosova (Czech Republic) 7:01.91 4 Kerry Hore/Amber Bradley (Australia) 7:11.14 5. Ji Yoo Jin/Shin Yeong Eun (Republic of Korea) 7:16.59 6. Olena Buryak/Kateryna Tarasenko (Ukraine) 7:22.66 MEN Pair Heat 1 1. Colin Smith/Matt Langridge (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:37.27 2. Jason Read/Kyle Larson (USA) 6:40.59 3. Daniel Casaca/Chris Jarvis (Canada) 6:43.37 4. Niksa & Sinisa Skelin (Croatia) 6:48.21 5. Ramon di Clemente/Donovan Cech (South Africa) 6:53.00 6. Martin Martini/Alan San Martin (Argentina) 7:09.05 Four Heat 1 1. Steve Williams/Peter Reed/Alex Partridge/Andy Hodge (GREAT BRITAIN) 5:57.01 2. Ireland 5:58.60 3. France 6:00.99 4. Canada 6:05.52 5. Portugal 6:06.86 6. Poland 6:07.61 Single scull Heat 1 1. Alan Campbell (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:04.83 2. Ralph Kreibich (Austria) 7:06.71 3. Bajrang Lai Takhar (India) 7:19.75 4. Shin Eun Chul (Kor) 7:22.96 5. Haydar Rashid (Iraq) 7:26.80 Double scull Heat 5 1. Matt Wells/Stephen Rowbotham (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:25.70 2. Milan Dolecek/Vaclav Chalupa (Czech Republic) 6:29.99 3. Martin & Ivo Yanakiev (Bulgaria) 6:48.07 4. Akos Haller/Tibor Peto (Hungary) 7:10.59 LIGHTWEIGHT WOMEN Single scull Heat 3 1. Jennifer Goldsack (USA) 7:41.61 2. Marit van Eupen (Netherlands) 7:48.37 3. Melanie Kok (Canada) 7:49.11 4. Andrea Dennis (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:51.61 5. Valentina Galmarini (Italy) 7:57.67 6. Latt Shwe Zin (Malaysia) 8:12.68 MEN Single scull Heat 4 1. Grant Duncan (New Zealand) 7:05.63 2. Alasdair Leighton-Crawford (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:11.00 3. Timothy Colson (Canada) 7:13.12 4. Dong Tianfeng (China) 7:23.09 5. Rodrigo Ideus Forero (Colombia) 7:33.93 6. Paul Kondrashov (Israel) 7:41.13 SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE =============================== =============================== 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 SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE =============================== =============================== 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) 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. ADVERT