June 9, 2008 News British Rowing NewsBritish Rowing EventsRowing CommunityGB Rowing TeamCompetitions and ClubsIndoor RowingPartners#YourStoriesArchive Entries for Olympic Qualifying Regatta and Pre-Paralympic Regatta named GB Rowing Team 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. ADVERT 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 SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE =============================== =============================== 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 ADVERT