Twenty-two GB medallists at World U23 Championships

There were twenty-two medallists today from the GB Rowing Team’s Under 23s at the World Rowing U23 Championships in Racice, Czech Republic today. The Women’s Eight took Gold while the Men’s Eight and Lightweight Quad each won bronze.[img_assist|nid=3350|title=The GB Rowing Teams’ women’s u23 eight celebrate gold in 2009|desc=Picture: Peter Spurrier|link=none|align=right|width=280|height=420]

"I’m really pleased with the results of our big boats and with the number of GB medallists we’ve had today", said GB Rowing Performance Director David Tanner.

"It’s been a very good end to the day" agreed GB Team Manager Steve Gunn.

"The women’s eight demolished the field in their race, the men had a really gutsy race to secure their bronze and the lightweight men’s quadruple scull also raced excellently against some very strong competition."

The GB women’s eight took gold in style today.

The crew of Vicky Bryant, Jacqui Round, Monica Relph, Victoria Thornley, Michelle Vezie, Emily Taylor, Leonora Kennedy, Rachael Jefferies and cox Zoe De Toledo led the race from the start and held off a charge from the USA crew in the final 300m to cross the line in first place.

Vicky Thornley is the first rowing medalist to emerge from rowing’s Sporting Giants Programme , a nationwide initiative launched by UK Sport just 2 years ago to find future Olympians.

The men’s eight of Kieren Emery, Chris Abraham, Nathaniel Reilly-O’Donnell, Tom Clark, Ben Duggan, Dan Ritchie, Anthony Locke, Matt Rossiter and cox Henry Fieldman also produced a very impressive performance to secure bronze.[img_assist|nid=3351|title=Bronze for the GB Rowing Teams Men’s eight at 09 world u23s|desc=Picture: Peter Spurrier|link=none|align=left|width=388|height=264]

The British crew had a strong start and at half way were in the lead, but tremendous bursts from Germany and Poland in the second half of the race meant GB took bronze in a very tight finish.

 

 

Meanwhile in an extremely fast field, Will Fletcher, David Jones, Jono Clegg and Peter Chambers produced an excellent race to take bronze in the lightweight men’s quadruple scull.

The GB crew finished behind winners Italy – who yesterday set a World Best time in the semi-final – and chased silver medalists Germany right to the line.[img_assist|nid=3352|title=The lightweight men’s quad enjoy their medal moment|desc=Picture: Peter Spurrier|link=none|align=right|width=279|height=358]

GB lightweight women’s single sculler Katherine Copeland narrowly missed out on a medal, finishing fourth overall. This is nonetheless an exceptional result for the 18-year old, who was competing for the first time at this level.

Meanwhile the GB women’s four produced a creditable performance to finish fifth today in a tough race that saw the lead change hands several times.

GB also had several crews racing in the B-finals today.

Mohamed Sbihi and James Foad, racing in the men’s pair, finished second while lightweight men’s double scullers Ben Rowe and John Preston finished third. The men’s coxed four also finished third in their B-final.

Meanwhile the men’s four of Will Satch, Will Laughton, Matthew Tarrant and Scott Durant finished fifth.

RESULTS

A-FINALS

OPEN

WOMEN

Four

1. Belarus 6:48.77

2. Italy 6:49.90

3. New Zealand 6:52.76

4. France 6:54.71

5. Olivia Oakes/Atlanta St John/Jenny Arnold/

Ruth Walczak (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:54.86

6. USA 6:57.21

Eight

1. Vicky Bryant/Jacqui Round/Monica Relph/Vicky

Thornley/Michelle Vezie/Emily Taylor/Leonora

Kennedy/Rachael Jefferies/Zoe De Toledo (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:20.71

2. USA 6:21.80

3. Poland 6:23.16

4. Canada 6:28.67

5. Germany 6:31.41

6. Belarus 6:38.22

MEN

Eight

1. Poland 5:32.77

2. Germany 5:34.11

3. Kieren Emery/Chris Abraham/Nathaniel Reilly-O’Donnell/

Tom Clark/Ben Duggan/Dan Ritchie/Anthony Locke/

Matt Rossiter/Henry Fieldman (GREAT BRITAIN) 5:35.25

4. Australia 5:36.37

5. Canada 5:37.74

6. Estonia 5:40.98

LIGHTWEIGHT

WOMEN

Single Scull

1. Helke Nieschlag (Germany) 7:49.42

2. Hannah Bandarevich (Belarus) 7:51.12

3. Mariann Novak (Hugary) 7:51.60

4. Katherine Copeland (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:52.63

5. Stefanie Borzacchini (Austria) 7:58.07

6. Gabriela Mosqueira (Paraguay) 8:04.09

MEN

Quadruple Scull

1. Italy 5:53.88

2. Germany 5:56.62

3. Will Fletcher/David Jones/Jono Clegg/Peter Chambers (GREAT BRITAIN)

5:57.73

4. France 6:01.19

5. Russia 6:03.36

6. Hungary 6:03.47

B-FINALS

OPEN

MEN

Pair

1. Murray Chandler/Lawrence Brittain (South Africa) 6.37.91

2. James Foad/Mohamed Sbihi (GREAT BRITAIN) 6.41.51

3. William Ader/Robin Cochennec (France) 6:47.39

4. Matevz Kaiser/Andraz Borstnar Vasle (Slovenia) 6:53.77

5. Alexandr Bucico/Dmitri Bezdetnii (Moldova) 7:00.82

6. Erekle Ukleba/Giorgi Sinatashvili (Georgia) 7:01.64

Four

1. Croatia 6:02.23

2. France 6:02.57

3. Serbia 6:05.43

4. Czech Republic 6:05.43

5. Will Satch/Matthew Tarrant/Will Laughton/Scott Durant (GREAT BRITAIN)

6:07.04

6. Denmark 6:11.15

Coxed Four

1. Netherlands 6:21.98

2. Croatia 6:24.64

3. Ryan Bucke/Karl Hudspith/George Nash/Ray Poulter/Max Gander (GREAT

BRITAIN) 6:25.62

4. Brazil 6:32.59

LIGHTWEIGHT

MEN

Double scull

1. Arnau Bertran Sastre/Daniel Sigurboernsson Benet (Spain) 6:22.01

2. Kristoffer Brun/Are Strandli (Norway) 6:22.19

3. John Preston/Ben Rowe (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:27.82

4. Michael Albisser/Simon Schuerch (Switzerland) 6:32.11

5. Andreas Ramboel/Christian Nielsen (Denmark) 6:34.75

6. Yuko Ikeda/Kentaro Yaji (Japan) 6:36.47