GB Rowers put to the test on Olympic course this weekend

February 8, 2011

Britain’s Olympic and world rowing medallists will be put to the test this weekend on the Olympic course at Eton-Dorney in the final GB Rowing Team Winter Assessment.

They will be amongst hundreds of triallists taking part as aspirants to the national squad take on their already-established peers for places in the invitation-only GB Rowing Team Senior Trials in April.

Three of Britain’s six Beijing gold medallists – Andrew Triggs Hodge, Peter Reed and Mark Hunter will be in action on Saturday and Sunday (12 and 13 February). Tom James, who won gold with Hodge and Reed in Beijing is back in training but not yet race-ready after injury ruled out his return from a post-Beijing lay-off last year. Zac Purchase, winner of 2008 gold with Hunter, has been sidelined by a bad cold.

The Beijing golden trio will be joined by all six of Britain’s female current world champions – Katherine Grainger, Anna Watkins, Debbie Flood, Frances Houghton, Beth Rodford and Annabel Vernon.

Dorney will also play host to three of the GB Rowing Team’s four lightweight men’s four world champions – Paul Mattick, Rob Williams and Richard Chambers. Chris Bartley, from this crew, has picked up a recent injury in training.

“This is a good opportunity for us to see how effective winter training has been”, said GB Rowing Performance Director David Tanner who will be watching closely alongside Jurgen Grobler and Paul Thompson, the two GB Head Coaches. “It will also offer newer rowers the chance once more to get used to the Olympic course”.

Heats and semi-finals will take place on Saturday with finals on Sunday morning on the 2000m course. A full entry list will be posted on www.gbrowingteam.org.uk on Friday.

SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE
=============================== ===============================
RACING TIMETABLE AND PRESS OFFICE DETAILS

Saturday 12 February

11:00 – 12:30 Time Trials (1900m course)
14:00 – 16:45 Semi-finals (2000m course)

Sunday 13 February

09:00 – 11:45 FINALS (2000m course)

PRESS OFFICE

A press office, for the use of bona fide members of the media, will be available in the Board Room of the Boat-House at Eton Dorney from 10:00 – 17:45 on Saturday and from 08:00 – 13:45 on Sunday.

Media wishing further information about the GB Rowing Team should contact: Caroline Searle on (01225) 443998 or (07831) 755351 or [email protected]