Entries for Olympic Qualifying Regatta and Pre-Paralympic Regatta named

Great Britain has entered three boats – the women’s single scull and
pair and the men’s quadruple scull – for the Olympic qualifying regatta
in Poznan, Poland, from Sunday 15 – Wednesday 18 June, although the
men’s quad will be subject to a final fitness test.

GB Rowing qualified its priority boats for the Games last year at the
World Championships in Munich. The Olympic Qualifying Regatta – which
has attracted a bumper entry – is the final chance to qualify
additional boats but the competition for places is likely to be a hard
fight.

Tina Stiller, a world u23 bronze medallist in the women’s quadruple
scull last year, will race the women’s single after some solid recent
performances at world cup level. Olivia Whitlam, a former world u23
women’s pair champion who came through rowing’s world class start
programme, sponsored by Siemens, and Louisa Reeve, a world bronze
medallist in the women’s eight last year, will contest the women’s
pair. They came together competitively for the first time in Lucerne at
the world cup ten days ago and reached the B final there.

The men’s quadruple scull will consist of a blend of youth and
experience with seasoned campaigner Simon Fieldhouse at stroke
alongside Bill Lucas, Sam Townsend and Charles Cousins – all three of
the latter having come through the world class start programme in the
past few years. Alex Gregory, part of the quadruple scull over the past
two seasons, has missed out on the regatta because of injury.

"There is a massive entry for this year’s Olympic qualifying regatta",
said GB Performance Director, David Tanner, today. "We’re pleased to
enter three boats which are development boats for us to see if they can
join the 11 priority boats we qualified for Beijing through last year’s
World Championships in Munich. We know that the competition will be a
tough one".

The Olympic qualifying regatta programme, which begins on Sunday 15th,
includes semi-finals and repechages for some boat classes on Monday
16th and Tuesday 17th with finals on Wednesday 18th.

A similar programme applies to GB’s adaptive crews who will be
participating in the pre-Paralympic regatta at Poznan as part of their
build-up to Beijing and who start with heats on Sunday 15th.

Tom Aggar, current world champion, will compete in the men’s single
scull and Helene Raynsford, who has had a better winter of training
than last year, will race the women’s single scull.

There is a new-look GB adaptive coxed four with James Morgan, former
captain of Deal Rowing Club, joining the crew since last year to join
Vicky Hansford, Naomi Riches and Alastair Mckean. GB were silver
medallists in this event at the 2007 world championships. Meanwhile
Northern Ireland’s Karen Cromie and Welshman James Roberts will contest
the mixed adaptive double scull.

Full results: www.worldrowing.com

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GB CREW LISTS (with clubs/home towns/dates of birth)
Poznan World Cup 2008

OPEN

WOMEN

Pair

Olivia Whitlam( Agecroft/Warrington 16.09.85)/Louisa
Reeve (Leander/London/16.05.84)

Coach Rob Morgan

Single scull

Tina Stiller (Nottingham/Yarm, N.Yorks/23.6.87)

Coach: Miles Forbes-Thomas

Quadruple scull

Sam Townsend (Reading Uni/Reading/26.11.85)/Charles Cousins (Reading
Uni/Cambridge/13.12.88)/Bill Lucas (Reading Uni/Dartmouth/
13.09.87)/Simon Fieldhouse (Molesey/Thames Ditton/04.09.76)

Coach: Adrian Cassidy

ADAPTIVE CREWS

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

Vicki Hansford )Guildford RC/Lewisham/31.10.79)/
Naomi Riches (Marlow RC/Harrow Weald/15.6.83)/
Alastair Mckean (Herne Bay ARC/Whitstable/14.4.79)/
James Morgan (Deal RC/Dover/Deal Walmer & Kingsdown)/
Alan Sherman (Thames Tradesmen/London/22.10.51) (cox)

Coach: Chad King

Double scull

Karen Cromie (Royal Docks BC/Ballinamallard, Co.Fermanagh/
24.9.79)/James Roberts (Swansea/11.5.86)

Coach: Tom Dyson