Medallist Flood Back in Top Action

September 15, 2008

Debbie Flood becomes the first Beijing Olympic rowing medallist to get back into top action this coming week when she teams up with Olympic reserve Tina Stiller to contest the women’s double scull at the European Championships, taking place from Friday onwards (19 – 21 September) in Athens.

"I just love racing", said Flood of the decision to get back in a boat so soon after the Games. "I always said I wanted to do the Europeans", she added.

The move means she returns to the Athens 2004 course at Schinias on which she won Olympic silver four years ago to match the silver she won in the same event, the women’s quadruple scull, in Beijing.

Flood heads a list of GB rowers for the event which includes world U23 champions, Bill Lucas and Charles Cousins, in the equivalent men’s boat.

Sam Townsend, who narrowly missed out on a place at the Olympic Games in the men’s quadruple scull, competes in the men’s single scull in Schinias.

Senior world cup level rowers also feature in the men’s and women’s eights with the former boat including Nathaniel Reilly O’Donnell who took Australian Youth Olympic Games gold two years ago.

"Our team for the Europeans includes some established senior rowers as well as some emerging talent", said David Tanner, GB Rowing’s Performance Director. "It’s a good test for the newcomers. The competition is likely to be tough and this recently re-established event offers a step on the competitive ladder".

GB ROWING
CREW LISTS European Championships 2008, Schinias (with clubs/home towns/dates of birth) (listed from bow to stroke)

OPEN WOMEN

Eight:

Jo Cook (Leander / Nottingham / 22.03.84) Vicky Myers (Leander / Cheshire/ 31.03.81) Georgina Menheneott (Mortlake / North Bradley / 18.12.78) Emily Taylor (Durham University / Lincoln / 28.06.87) Rachael Loveridge (Leander / 05.07.80) Kirsty Myles (Oxford Brookes / Edinburgh / 24.02.86) Lindsey Maguire (Wallingford / Oxford / 15.01.82) Hannah Elsy (Durham University / Twickenham / 28.12.86) Rebecca Dowbiggin (cox) (CUBC / Cambridge / 11.04.83)
(cox)

Coach: Nick Strange

Double scull

Tina Stiller (Nottingham RC / Yarm / 16.05.84) Debbie Flood (Leander/ Guiseley / 16.09.85)

Coach: Ade Roberts

OPEN MEN

Four

George Laughton (Leander / Douglas, Isle of Man / 21.04.85) Will Laughton (University of London BC / Northwick / 17.06.87) Pete Marsland (CUBC / Hampton /06.03.85)/Tom Ransley (CUBC/Ashford / 06.09.85)

Coach: Peter Sheppard

Eight

Charles Burkitt (Leander / Newark / 28.04.86) Dan Ritchie or (Reading University / Herne Bay / 06/01/87) Nathaniel Reilly O’Donnell ( University of London BC / Durham / 13.04.88) Phil Turnham (Reading University / Stanmore / 13.09.81) Tom Broadway (Leander / ) Marcus Bateman (Leander / Torquay / 16.09.82) James Orme (Leander / Colchester / 01.04.84) Tom Burton
(Leander / 24.05.80) Tom Wilkinson (Leander / Reading / 04.07.85 ) Phelan Hill (Leander / Bedford / 21.07.80)

Coach: Jonny Singfield

Single Scull

Sam Townsend (Reading University Boat Club / Reading / 26.11.85)

Coach: Adrian Cassidy

Double Scull

Charles Cousins ( Reading University Boat Club / Willingham / 13.12.88) Bill Lucas ( Reading University Boat Club / Kingswear / 13.09.87)

Coach: Adrian Cassidy

LIGHTWEIGHT

WOMEN

Double scull

Frances Fletcher (Durham Uni/Chester-le-Street/2.8.87) /Andrea Dennis (Wallingford/Oxford/3.1.82)