Six GB Rowing Team crews win heats
In a buffeting tailwind on Amsterdam’s Bosbaan, the GB Rowing Team produced a solid opening day at the 2014 World Championships including six heat wins.
Those first places went to the men’s four and quad, the women’s and men’s pairs and the lightweight women’s and men’s double sculls.
The margins of victory were strong for the Olympic champion women’s pair of Helen Glover and Heather Stanning and the men’s four of Alex Gregory, Mohamed Sbihi, George Nash and Andrew Triggs Hodge – all of whom are Olympic medallists or champions and World men’s eight champions.
“It was great to get off to a good start”, said Glover afterwards with the Olympic Champions unfazed by the blustery wind. “Yes, there were a few gusts but it didn’t bother us too much in our lane”, added Glover.
“From my seat in the boat it felt great”, said Gregory of the men’s four win. “From our perspective the race was won fairly early so we could enjoy it and there is more juice in the legs to come yet”.
Olympic men’s eight medallists James Foad and Matt Langridge were able to neutralise a Spanish attack and control the race to win their men’s pair heat.
Graeme Thomas, Sam Townsend, Charles Cousins and Peter Lambert came through a testing contest with Poland to take line honours in the men’s quadruple scull heat.
Kat Copeland and Imogen Walsh were also chased but not caught by Poland in their lightweight women’s double scull heat to put down a strong marker for the semi-finals.
To reach that stage, the lightweight men’s double scull of Jamie Kirkwood and Will Flethcer will need to race a quarter-final – such is the depth of entry in this event.
Vicky Thornley who switched to the single scull here after her double scull partner Frances Houghton missed out because of a virus, looked smooth behind Olympic Champion Mirka Knapkova to qualify for the quarter-finals in second place.
Only the women’s quadruple scull and the lightweight men’s single racing reserve, Zak Lee-Green, will now seek to progress through repechages after missing out on qualifying today.
Tomorrow’s race programmes features heats of para-rowing as well as for a mixture of International and Olympic class boats. Racing starts at 10.14 (UK time) and concludes at 16.35 UK time with the men’s eight heats bringing down the curtain on the day.
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For British viewers, the event will be televised by the BBC with two hours of programming on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 August on BBC 2. Transmission times are currently:
Saturday 30 August: BBC2 12.15 – 14.15 (UK time)
Sunday 31 August: BBC 2 11.50 – 13.45 (UK time)
There is a live race-tracker on www.worldrowing.com including video coverage in the latter stages of the event.
GB results and information will be tweeted via @gbrowingteam with the day’s round-ups at www.gbrowingteam.org.uk
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RACE REPORTS
Helen Glover and Heather Stanning had hit the front of their women’s pair heat by the 100m mark. Russia were the closest challenger in the first 500m but by halfway the British duo had a significant clearwater advantage.
Behind the Olympic champions, the Russians faded and Ireland’s Leonora Kennedy and Lisa Dilleen came through strongly to take second with Canada in third. Glover and Stanning’s winning time was 7:04.64.
“It was great to get off to a good start”, said Glover afterwards. “There is a really nice arena feel to the end of the course. You can hear the crowd cheering which is nice”, said Stanning.
They moved safely through to the semi-finals as did the men’s pair of James Foad and Matt Langridge. They had the measure of Spain, their nerest rival by the midway point and from there controlled the race to the finish to win in 6:20.63. The USA were third but only two progressed.
Imogen Walsh and Kat Copeland were matched for boat speed by Poland in the first 650m of their lightweight women’s double scull heat today before pulling away to win in 6:53.21. Behind them Poland were second and the Czech Republic a more distant third. With only one qualifying slot available, though, only the Olympic Champion Copeland and 2013 World finalist Walsh moved safely through.
Germany might have reached the 100m marker by a whisker from GB in the men’s four heats today but the verdict ultimately went by a wide margin to Alex Gregory, Moe Sbihi, George Nash and Andrew Triggs Hodge in their men’s four heat this afternoon.
The British boat scythed through and generated a powerful lead and were not pressured at any stage. They now race a semi-final on Thursday. Meanwhile, this race attracted the biggest peloton of coaches cycling beside the race of the opening day.
Bowman Gregory said: “From my seat in the boat it felt great. I feel the fittest I have ever been and more ready to race than ever. There is more juice in the legs to come.
“Today it was all about concentrating on making powerful strokes under the water and to put into race practice what we have been doing in training and then see where that got us. From our perspective the race was won fairly early so we had the chance to enjoy it”.
Australia were second, coming past France in the later stages to snatch the second qualifying slot.
The men’s quadruple scull of Graeme Thomas, Sam Townsend, Charles Cousins and Peter Lambert were involved in a tighter heat. Although the British boat got its bow ahead in the first half of the race, Poland clung to them quite tenaciously.
Gradually the British moved out to a canvas and then half a length lead and went on to stretch that in the final phases when both crews knocked back the rating as they were sure of one of the two semi-final slots. Thomas, Townsend, Cousins and Lambert won in 5:40.51 to Poland’s 5:43.34 with the Czech Republic in third.
Will Fletcher and Jamie Kirkwood were also involved in a somewhat closer encounter. The USA snapped at their heels through the majority of their lightweight men’s double scull heat. This British double are still learning their trade at international senior level and were able to hold on in style to win in 6:17.51 and lay down a solid opening performance here. They now race a quarter-final. Spain were third and Canada fourth with the top four progressing.
Vicky Thornley is also through safely to the quarterfinals of her event. She was second to Olympic champion and many times Henley Royal Regatta winner, Mirka Knapkova of the Czech Republic. Thornley‘s was a controlled performance which kept Lithuania at bay in third.
The GB Rowing Team women’s quadruple scull were off the pace from the middle part of their heat today which featured defending World Champions Germany and twice world cup 2014 medallists Poland.
With Lucinda Gooderham back in the crew the quartet still seems to be reaching for its rhythm and now has some work to do if it is to reach the semi-final through the repechages. In a close finish Germany took the honours today followed by New Zealand and then Poland.
Earlier the lightweight men’s single scull heat featuring GB’s racing spare Zak Lee-Green was delayed when Hungary’s Daniel Matyasovszki capsized en route to the start. It was a tough opening test for Lee-Green in his first senior Worlds in which he finished fifth and ail now race the repechage to seek a quarter-final place.
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RESULTS
HEATS
OPEN
WOMEN
Pair
1. Helen Glover/Heather Stanning (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:04.64
2. Leonora Kennedy/Lisa Dilleen (Ireland) 7:15.29
3. Jennifer Martins/Kristin Bauder (Canada) 7:16.56
4. Jovana Arsic/Iva Obradovic (Serbia) 7:21.06
5. Liana Gorgodze/Elizaveta Tikhanova (Russia) 7:24.48
Single scull
1. Mirka Knapkova (Czech Republic) 7:27.63
2. Victoria Thornley (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:30.43
3. Lina Saltyte (Lithuania) 7:32.56
4. Nataliya Dovgodko (Ukraine) 7:39.52
5. Gabrlela Best (Argentina) 7:45.23
6. Micheen Thornycroft (Zimbabwe) 7:49.81
Quadruple scull
1. Germany 6:14.66
2. New Zealand 6:15.95
3. Poland 6:20.87
4. Kristina Stiller/Beth Rodford/Victoria Meyer-Laker/Lucinda Gooderham (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:29.02
MEN
Pair
1. James Foad/Matt Langridge (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:20.63
2. Alexander Sigurbjonsson Benet/Pal Vela Maggi (Spain) 6:27.71
3. Glenn Ochal/Chalres Cole (USA) 6:31.75
4. Adrian Juhasz/Bela Simon Jr (Hungary) 6:34.56
5. Ante Janjic/Vjekoslav Kolobaric (Croatia) 6:59.90
Four
1. Alex Gregory/Mohamed Sbihi/George Nash/Andrew Triggs Hodge (GREAT BRITAIN) 5:45.79
2. Australia 5:50.03
3. France 5:52.01
4. Germany 5:58.35
5. Russia 5:58.94
Quadruple scull
1. Graeme Thomas/Sam Townsend/Charles Cousins/Peter Lambert (GREAT BRITAIN) 5:40.51
2. Poland 5:43.34
3. Czech Republic 5:51.33
4. Slovenia 5:53.09
5. Italy 5:55.29
LIGHTWEIGHT
WOMEN
Double scull
1. Imogen Walsh/Katheine Copleand (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:53.21
2. Joanna Dorociak/Weronika Deresz (Poland) 6:57.20
3. Ricky Nencini/Daniel Nachazelova (Czech Republic) 7:06.32
4. Karina Wilvers/Lucia Plamero (Argentina) 7:09.88
5. Iryna Liaskova/Alena Kryvasheyenka (Belarus) 7:18.12
MEN
Single scull
1. Lars Hartig (Germany) 6:56.00
2. Milos Standojevic (Serbia0 6:59.37
3. Daniel Matasovszki (Hungary) 6:59.57
4. Damien Piqueras (France) 6:59.92
5. Zak Lee-Green (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:00.40
Double scull
1. William Fletcher/Jamie Kirkwood (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:17.51
2. Joshua Konieczny/Austin Meyer (USA) 6:19.71
3. Omar Aymerich/Daniel Sigurjorsson Benet (Spain) 6:24.57
4. Nicolas Pratt/Alexander Walker (Canada) 6:35.41
5. Vasiliy Stashkov/Jury Shchelokov (Russia) 6:41.18
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CREW LISTS
World Rowing Championships 2014
(listed bow to stroke with cox)
Amsterdam, 24-31 August
OPEN
WOMEN
Pair
Helen Glover (Minerva Bath RC/Penzance/17.06.86)/
Heather Stanning (Army RC/Lossiemouth/26.01.85)
Coaches: Robin Williams & Paul Thompson
Eight
Rosamund Bradbury (Leander Club/Banstead/17.12.88)/
Louisa Reeve (Leander Club/London/16.05.84)/
Katie Greves (Leander Club/Oxford/02.09.82)/
Donna Etiebet (Sport Imperial BC/London/29.04.86)/
Jessica Eddie (London RC/Durham/07.10.84)/
Zoe Lee (Imperial College BC/Richmond, N. Yorks/15.12.85)/
Polly Swann (Leander Club/Edinburgh/15.06.88)/
Caragh McMurtry (Reading Univ BC/Southampton/22.08.91)/
Zoe de Toledo (cox) (Leander Club/London/17.07.87)
Coach: James Harris
Single scull
Victoria Thornley (Leander Club/Wrexham/30.11.87)
Coaches: Paul Thompson/Robin Williams
Quadruple scull
Kristina Stiller (Tees RC/Yarm/23.06.87)/
Beth Rodford (Gloucester RC/Gloucester/28.12.82)/
Victoria Meyer-Laker (Leander Club/Premnay/18.03.88)/
Lucinda Gooderham (Leander Club/Norfolk/09.06.84)/
Coach: Nick Strange
Open women spares:
Monica Relph (Leander Club/Cambridge/15.01.88)/
Olivia Carnegie-Brown (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Oxford/28.03.91)/
Jessica Leyden (Hollingworth Lake RC/Burnley/22.02.95)
OPEN
MEN
Pair
James Foad (Molesey BC/Southampton/20.03.87)/
Matt Langridge (Leander Club/Northwich/20.05.83)
Coach: Rob Dauncey
Coxed Pair
Alan Sinclair (Leander Club/Inverness/16.10.85)/
Scott Durant (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Lancaster/12.02.88/
Henry Fieldman (cox) (Molesey BC/London/25.11.88
Coach: John West
Four
Alex Gregory (Leander Club/Wormington/11.03.84)/
Mohamed Sbihi (Molesey BC/Surbiton/27.03.88)/
George Nash (Molesey BC/Guildford/10.02.89)/
Andrew Triggs Hodge (Molesey BC/Hebden, N. Yorks/03.03.79)
Coach: Jurgen Grobler
Eight
Nathaniel Reilly-O’Donnell (Univ of London BC/Durham/13.04.88)/
Matthew Tarrant (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Shepperton/11.07.90)/
Will Satch (Leander Club/Henley-on-Thames/09.06.89)/
Matthew Gotrel (Leander Club/Chipping Campden/01.03.89)/
Pete Reed (Leander Club/Nailsworth, Glos/27.07.81)/
Paul Bennett (Univ of London BC/Leeds/16.12.88)/
Tom Ransley (Leander Club/Cambridge/06.09.85)/
Constantine Louloudis (OUBC, London, 15/09/91)/
Phelan Hill (cox) (Leander Club/Putney & Bedford/21.07.79)
Coaches: Christian Felkel & Jurgen Grobler
Double scull
John Collins (Leander Club/Twickenham/24.01.89)/
Jonathan Walton (Leander Club/Leicester/06.10.90)
Coach: Mark Banks
Quadruple scull
Graeme Thomas (Agecroft RC/Preston/08.11.88)/
Sam Townsend (Reading Univ BC/Reading/26.11.85)/
Charles Cousins (Leander Club/Willingham/13.12.88)/
Peter Lambert (Leander Club/Henley-on-Thames/03.12.86)
Coach: Paul Stannard
Open men’s spares
Oliver Cook (Univ of London BC/Windsor/05.06.90)/
Phil Congdon (Molesey BC/Bury St Edmunds/06.06.89)
Jack Beaumont (Leander Club/Maidenhead/21.11.93)
LIGHTWEIGHT
WOMEN
Double scull
Imogen Walsh (London RC/Inverness/17.01.84)/
Kat Copeland (Tees RC/Ashington/01.12.90)
Coach: Paul Reedy
Quadruple scull
Ruth Walczak ((Molesey BC/Rochdale/15.09.88)/
Eleanor Piggott (Wallingford RC/Olney/16.05.91)/
Brianna Stubbs (Wallingford RC/Headington/13.07.91)/
Charlotte Taylor (Putney Town RC/Bedford/14.08.85)
Coach: Tom Evens
MEN
Pair
Jonathan Clegg (Leander Club/Maidenhead/14.07.89)/
Sam Scrimgeour (Imperial College BC/Kirriemuir/28.01.88)
Coach: Rob Morgan
Four
Mark Aldred (London RC/London/18.04.87)/
Peter Chambers (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Coleraine/14.03.90)/
Richard Chambers (Leander Club/Coleraine/10.06.85)/
Chris Bartley (Leander Club/Chester/02.02.84)
Coach: Rob Morgan
Lightweight men’s spare:
Zak Lee Green (Agecroft RC/Cardiff/05.02.91)
Double scull
William Fletcher (Leander Club/Chester-le-Street/24.12.89)/
Jamie Kirkwood (Leander Club/Creswell/30.08.89)
Coach: Darren Whiter
PARA SQUAD
Arms & Shoulders Men’s Single Scull
Tom Aggar (Royal Docks RC/Maidenhead/24.05.84)
Coach: Nick Baker
Arms & Shoulders Women’s Single Scull
Rachel Morris (Guildford RC/Farnham/25.04.70)
Coach: Nick Baker
Legs-Trunk -Arms Mixed Coxed Four
Grace Clough (Nottingham RC/Sheffield/ 21.06.91)/
Pamela Relph (Leander Club/Aylesbury/14.11.89)/
Dan Brown (Upper Thames RC/Reading/29.11.82)
James Fox (Univ of London/Peterborough/02.05.92)/
Oliver James (cox) (Leander Club/Henley-on-Thames/05.10.90)
Coach: Tom Dyson
MANAGEMENT AND TEAM SUPPORT
Performance
Sir David Tanner, Performance Director / Team Manager
Jürgen Grobler, Chief Coach Men
Paul Thompson, Chief Coach Women & Lightweights
Louise Kingsley, ATM – Para
Medical & Science
Ann Redgrave, Doctor
Liz Arnold, Physiotherapist
Roz Brawn, Physiotherapist
Sally Brown, Physiotherapist
Pat Dunleavy, Physiotherapist
Mark Homer, Physiologist
Media & Logistics
Maggie Netto, ATM – Admin
Maurice Hayes, ATM – Resources
John Tetley, Boatman
Caroline Searle, Press Officer
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EVENT INFORMATION
The outline racing schedule is as follows. NB – rowing is an outdoor sport and timetables may change at the last minute due to weather conditions. For updated information please visit: www.worldrowing.com or follow us on twitter: @gbrowingteam.
Listed below in potential order of racing each day.
SUNDAY 24 August
13.30 – 18.00: Heats of the:
Lightweight men’s and women’s single scull (LM1x, LW1x)
Men’s and women’s pair, (M2-, W2-)
Lightweight men’s and women’s double scull (LM2x, LW2x)
Men’s four (M4-)
Men’s and women’s quadruple scull (M4x, W4x)
Men’s single scull
MONDAY 25 August
11.14 – 12.40 Heats of the:
Arms-only men’s and women’s single scull (ASM1x, ASW1x)
Trunk and arms double scull (TA2x)
Leg Trunks and Arms double scull (LTA2x)
Leg trunks and arms coxed four (LTA4+)
14.05 – 17.45 Heats or reps of the:
Lightweight men’s pair (LM2-)
Lightweight men’s and women’s single scull (LM1x, LW1x)
Lightweight men’s and women’s quadruple scull (LM4x, LW4x)
Lightweight men’s double scull (LM2x)
Men’s and women’s double scull (M2x, W2x)
Lightweight men’s four (LM4-)
Women’s eight (W8+)
Men’s and women’s single scull (M1x, W1x)
Men’s eight (M8+)
TUESDAY 26 August
13.20 – 14.20 Repechages of the:
Arms-shoulders men’s and women’s single scull (ASM1x, ASW1x)
Trunk and Arms double scull (TA2x)
Legs Trunk and Arms double scull (LTA2x)
Leg trunk and arms coxed four (LTA4+)
15.22 – 15.45
Repechages of the:
Lightweight women’s single scull (Lw1x)
Women’s and men’s pair (W2-, M2-)
Lightweight women’s double scull (LW2x)
Men’s four (M4-)
Women’s and men’s quadruple sculls (M4x, W4x)
WEDNESDAY 27 August
11.44 – 12.10 B finals of:
Arms-shoulders women’s single scull (ASW1x)
Trunk-arms double scull (TA2x)
Leg trunk and arms double scull (LTA2x)
Leg trunk arms coxed four (LTA4+)
and: Semi-finals of:
Arms-shoulders men’s single scull (ASM1x)
14.18 – 17.45 Repechages or quarter-finals of:
Lightweight men’s pair (LM2-)
Lightweight men’s single scull (LM1x)
Lightweight men’s and women’s quadruple scull (LM4x, LW4x)
Lightweight men’s double scull (LM2x)
Men’s and women’s double scull (M2x, W2x)
Lightweight men’s four (LM4-)
Women’s eight (W8+)
Men’s and women’s single scull (M1x, W1x)
Men’s eight (M8+)
THURSDAY 28 August
14.15 – 16.50 Semi-finals of:
Lightweight men’s and women’s single scull (LM1x, LW1x)
Women’s and men’s pair (W2-, M2-)
Lightweight men’s and women’s single scull (LM2x, LW2x)
Men’ four (M4-)
Men’s quadruple scull (M4x)
17.30 – 18.40 Para-rowing FINALS
B final, arms shoulders men’s single scull (ASM1x)
followed by A Finals:
Arms shoulders women’s and men’s single scull (ASW1x, ASM1x)
Trunk Arms double scull (TA2x)
Leg, Trunks Arms double scull (LTA2x)
Leg trunks arms coxed four (LTA4+)
Friday 29 August
13.30 – 14.00 B finals of:
Lightweight men’s pair (LM2-)
Lightweight men’s and women’s single scull (LM1x, LW1x)
Lighwteight men’s and women’s quadruple scull (LM4x, LW4x)
14.15 – 15.45 Semi-finals of:
Men’s and women’s double scull (M2x, W2x)
Lightweight men’s four (LM4-)
Men’s and women’s single scull (M1x, W1x)
16.00 – 17.45 FINALS of:
Women’s four (W4-)
Men’s coxed pair (M2+)
Lightweight men’s pair (LM2-)
Lightweight men’s and women’s single scull (LM1x, LW1x)
Lightweight men’s and women’s quadruple scull (LM4x, LW4x)
Lightweight men’s eight (LM8+)
SATURDAY 30 August
10.33 – 11.33 B Finals of:
Women’s and men’s pair (M2-, W2-)
Lightweight men’s and women’s double scull (LM2x, LW2x)
Men’s four (M4-)
Women’s and men’s quarduple scull (M4x, W4x)
13.33 – 15.03 FINALS of:
Women’s and men’s pair (W2-, M2-)
Lightweight men’s and women’s double scull (LM2x, LW2x)
Men’s four (M4-)
Women’s and men’s quadruple scull (W4x, M4x)
SUNDAY 31 August
10.33 – 11.35 B Finals of:
Men’s and women’s double scull (M2x, W2x)
Lightweight men’s four (LM4-)
Women’s eight (W8+)
Men’s and women’s single scull (M1x, W1x)
Men’s eight (M8+)
13.03 – 14.33 FINALS OF:
Men’s and women’s double scull (M2x, W2x)
Lightweight men’s four (LM4-)
Women’s eight (W8+)
Men’s and women’s single scull (M1x, W1x)
Men’s eight (M8+)
Closing ceremony
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GB ROWING TEAM 2013 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS MEDALS
2013 World Championships Medals, Korea.
Total medals won: 8 (3 golds, 5 bronzes)
Olympic class medals won: 2 golds, 3 bronzes
International class medals won: 2 bronzes
Paralympic class medals won: 1 gold
Women’s Pair – GOLD
Helen Glover, Polly Swann
Men’s Eight – GOLD
Daniel Ritchie, Tom Ransley, Alex Gregory, Pete Reed, Mohamed Sbihi, Andrew Triggs Hodge, George Nash, Will Satch, Phelan Hill (cox)
Men’s Quadruple Scull – BRONZE
Graeme Thomas, Sam Townsend, Charles Cousins, Peter Lambert
Lightweight Men’s Four – BRONZE
Adam Freeman-Pask, Will Fletcher, Jonno Clegg, Chris Bartley
Lightweight Men’s Double Scull – BRONZE
Richard Chambers, Peter Chambers
Legs, Trunk and Arms Mixed Coxed Four – GOLD
Pamela Relph, Naomi Riches, Oliver Hester, James Fox, Oliver James (cox)
Lightweight Women’s Single Scull – BRONZE
Ruth Walczak
Lightweight Men’s Pair – BRONZE
Sam Scrimgeour, Mark Aldred
For further historical medal data: https://www.britishrowing.org/gb-rowing-team/events/world-championships
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CONTACT DETAILS
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