Wins and second places in Poznan

Two of GB Rowing’s entries for the final Olympic Qualifying Regatta in
Poznan, Poland, took second place in their opening heats today.  Only
the heat winners qualified for Wednesday’s finals, though, so both GB
boats now race repechages tomorrow whilst the women’s pair – involved
today in an exhibition race as a warm-up – will have a direct final on
Wednesday.

Australia dominated the women’s single scull heat featuring Nottingham
RC’s Tina Stiller, a GB U23 athlete, almost from the outset. Stiller
was left to battle with Belgium for second place.

GB Rowing’s men’s quadruple scull of Simon Fieldhouse, Charles Cousins,
Bill Lucas and Sam Townsend moved up from fourth to second place in the
second half of their race and were just a half-second shy of winners
Canada at the line.

The women’s pair of Olivia Whitlam, graduate of the ARA’s World Class
Start programme, sponsored by Siemens, and world eights bronze
medallists Louisa Reeve were involved in a tight race for honours with
eventual winners France.

Britain’s adaptive class boats, building up to the Paralympic Games in Beijing later this year, are in action later today.

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Results
(races featuring GB crews only)

OPEN

WOMEN

Single scull

Heat 2
1. Australia 7:48.84
2.  Tina Stiller (GREAT BRITAIN) 8:00.61
3.  Belgium 8:02.75
4.  Russia 8:05.93
5.  Finland 8:14.00
6.  Lithuania 8:21.25  

MEN

Quadruple scull

Heat 2
1.  Canada 6:00.70
2.  Sam Townsend/Charles Cousins/Bill Lucas/Simon Fieldhouse
(GREAT BRITAIN) 6:01.26
3.  Argentina 6:09.15
4.  Egypt 6:09.94

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AGGAR LEADS THE WAY

Reigning World Champion Tom Aggar won the heat of the arms-only
men’s single scull by over 30 seconds at the World Cup adaptive
regatta in Poznan, Poland, leading a successful day’s racing for
GB’s adaptive rowing team yesterday.

GB’s new line-up in the adaptive mixed coxed four was also on form,
winning their heat. Stroked confidently by newcomer James Morgan, the
crew finished 11 seconds ahead of Germany, the reigning world
champions. Both Aggar and the coxed four have secured places in Wednesday’s finals.

Meanwhile Helene Raynsford, racing in the arms-only women’s
sIngle scull, dominated her race for lanes, beating scullers from
the Ukraine and Bulgaria. Also racing for lanes were James
Roberts and Karen Cromie, who pushed 2007 bronze medallists
Poland hard but were unable to catch them in the final few
metres. GB finished in second place.

The regatta is the final opportunity that GB’s adaptive rowers
have to race internationally before September’s Paralympic Games.

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RESULTS
(races featuring GB crews only)

AW1x Race for lanes
1.     Helene Raynsford (GREAT BRITAIN) 5:53.46
2.     Ukraine 6:07.78  
3.     Belarus 6:46.15

AM1x Heat 1
1.     Tom Aggar (GREAT BRITAIN) 5:14.82
2.     Ukraine 5:46.13
3.     Hungary 6:23.02
4.     Belarus   6:38.93

TA2x Race for lanes
1.     Poland  4:21.42
2.     Karen Cromie/James Roberts (GREAT BRITAIN) 4:22.75
3.     Ukraine 4:28.31
4.     Germany 1 4:29.44
5.     Israel   4:47.33

LTAMx4+ Heat 2
1.      Vicki Hansford/Naomi Riches/Alastair Mckean/James Morgan/Alan
Sherman (GREAT BRITAIN) 3:29.80  
2.       Germany 3:41.76
3.       Israel 4:04.18

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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