The GB Women’s eight find silver lining in Athens’ storm clouds
GB Rowing’s women’s eight found a silver medal lining in the cloudy and rainy conditions of a storm-rescheduled European Championships this morning in Athens when they came home just adrift of Romania but ten seconds ahead of the rest of the field to take second place in the final.
"That was a good performance in every way. I’m extremely pleased with that as our crew here contained none of our Olympic squad", said GB Rowing’s Performance Director David Tanner. "We’ve had a reasonable day overall with six from seven boats finishing in the top seven here".
GB’s lightweight women’s double were fourth – a performance described as "a good step up" – the women’s double scull were both fifth and the men’s eight were sixth. Sam Townsend won the B final of the men’s single scull as did the men’s four whilst the men’s double were fifth in their B final.
Greece topped the table and, as hosts, also shone as organisers. "They’ve done a great job here with quality provision for the athletes and significant investment in the event which took place on the 2004 Olympic Games course", said Tanner of an event which also featured a mix of full-strength and development squads by nation.
FISA and the Greek organisers also made the call to bring racing forward a day with storms forecast this afternoon and tomorrow – the planned finals day.
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RESULTS
FINALS
OPEN
WOMEN
Eight
1. Romania 6:10.22
2. Jo Cook/Vicky Myers/Georgina Menheneott/Emily Taylor/Rachael
Loveridge/Kirsty Myles/Lindsey Maguire/Hannah Elsy/Rebecca Dowbiggin
(cox) GREAT BRITAIN 6:12.46
3. Belarus 6:22.79
4. Italy 6:25.75
5. Poland 6;26.00
6. Ukraine 6:26.70
Double scull
1. Ukraine 6;55.95
2. Poland 6:57.33
3. Italy 6:58.10
4. Greece 7:07.80
5. Tina Stiller/Debbie Flood (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:10.56
6. Bulgaria 7:11.72
MEN
Eight
1. France 5:32.01
2. Russia 5:32.76
3. Poland 5:33.11
4. Germany 5:36.02
5. Croatia 5:37.40
6. Charles Burkitt/Nathaniel Reilly O’Donnell/Phil Turnham /Tom Broadway /Marcus Bateman/James Orme/Tom Burton/Tom Wilkinson /Phelan Hill (cox) (GREAT BRITAIN) 5:39.95
LIGHTWEIGHT
WOMEN
Double scull
1. Greece 7:02.71
2. Poland 7:04.98
3. Hungary 7:08.80
4. Frances Fletcher/Andrea Dennis (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:12.74
5. Austria 7:12.88
6. Germany 7:13.26
B FINALS
OPEN
MEN
Four
1. George Laughton/Will Laughton/Pete Marsland/Tom
Ransley (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:02.54
2. France 6:04.80
3. Serbia 6:05.29
4. Denmark 6:10.12
Single scull
1. Sam Townsend (GREAT BRITAIN) 6;59.27
2. Slovenia 6:59.82
3. Germany 7:02.72
4. Croatia 7:10.90
5. Italy 7:16.55
6. Lithuania DNS
Double scull
1. Slovenia 6:21.35
2. Germany 6:21.51
3. Belarus 6:29.10
4. Lithuania 6:30.25
5. Charles Cousins/Bill Lucas (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:32.94
6. Greece 6:37.54
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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)
