Trio of GB Rowing Team para-rowing successes

August 31, 2015

Three of the four GB Rowing Team para-rowing crews in action today will feature in Wednesday’s semi-finals after winning their heats today.

The success of single-scullers Tom Aggar and Rachel Morris, along with the reigning World Champion mixed coxed four, was backed by a heart-warming debut from the mixed double scull of Laurence Whiteley and Lauren Rowles.

Whiteley had trained for months and months in the non-Paralympic trunk-arms single scull category in the hope that a suitably-classified female would emerge. HIs team-mates and the national governing body even resorted to social media to “find Laurence a lady”.

Former wheelchair track racer Lauren Rowles emerged and today, aged just 17, she made her World Championships debut with Whiteley. The duo were fourth and will now need a repechage to progress tomorrow but they were firmly in the mix in a close contest in the world-class field.

“That feels so good”, said Whiteley. “The countdown to the actual race seemed to take so long but then it was over so quickly. I was aware that we had passed the 500m mark but then really don’t remember much until the finish.

“To be within in a hair’s breadth of such world-class crews was fantastic for our first race together. We can learn from that and take it into the repechage”.

Rowles added: “I was a bit nervous at the start but then I remember thinking that we were in France and in a heat of the World Championships and we should just enjoy it. i am really pleased and now let’s see what we can do”.

Earlier Rachel Morris produced one of the gutsiest finishes of the day to pull past her rivals and win her heat having been in third at halfway.

Morris admitted that she didn’t know that she had won until she crossed the line. “I was just focussed on my own boat and in my own race. I didn’t know that I was closing on them nor that I had won”.

Tom Aggar produced an entirely different race pattern as he went out strong and early to dominate a heat in which 2012 Paralympic Champion Huang Chen was seen as the potential danger but who eventually finished fourth.

“i’ve been working on getting out quicker’, said Agggr. “I’m pleased with today. That was a good start but there is still a lot to do”.

A slight delay at the start did not seem to affect the GB Rowing Team mixed coxed four of Grace Cloug,h, Dan Brown, Pamela Relph, James Fox and cox Oliver James. They were away quickly and built a big lead and were chased home by Canada.

“I think we are pleased with that. We certainly went out with the intention to produce a solid first three-quarters of the race and I think we did exactly that. It was solid. No fireworks”.

Tomorrow’s racing programme includes GB crews racing in the repechages of the men’s four and quad, and the para-rowing mixed double.

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RACE REPORTS

Rachel Morris put in a gutsy performance to win her heat of the arms-shoulders women’s single scull and successfully open the afternoon’s session for the GB Rowing Team.

The 2008 Paralympic hand-cycling champion who transferred in 2013 to rowing was in third at halfway but always looked a threat to the leading duo of Lyudmila Vauchok of Belarus and Claudia Santos of Brazil.

Achingly, stroke by stroke Morris reeled them in to take the honours with perfect timing at the line in 5:25.43 to Santos’ 5:26.19 with Vauchok third in 5:30.73. These top three scullers will now feature in the semi-finals on Wednesday.

Tom Aggar was drawn in a very tough heat here. The 2008 Paralympic Champion, 2014 World silver medallist and several times former World Champion faced London 2012 Paralympic Champion Cheng Huang with only one rower progressing to the semis.

Inevitably the duo were the first to show at the head of the field but were also challenged by the German and Argentine scullers. Aggar surged out at halfway to a length lead and then built on that to take a clearwater position at the head of the field.

As the race came along the grandstands it was clear that Aggar was determined to book the lone qualifying semi-final place. He was relentless to the line to win in 5:01.43. Germany took second and Cheng third.

Laurence Whiteley experienced a special moment today when he made his World Championships debut in the mixed trunk-arms double scull. The sculler had trained alone for two years until 17 year-old former wheelchair track racer Lauren Rowles emerged as a potential partner who classified in this event.

Today they were in the mix to the end of their heat which was won by Australia who booked the only qualifying slot for Thursday’s final. They now race a repechage tomorrow.

Paralympic Champion Pamela Relph with Grace Clough, Dan Brown, James Fox and cox Oliver James started as favourites in heat two of the mixed coxed four races today. They are the reigning World Champions and set a world best time when they last raced at the world cup in Italy.

In lane three and flanked by Brazil and the Ukraine, the GB combination got a good start and moved out to an early lead, chased by Canada in lane one. By halfway the British boat had made it safe with a clear-water and three second lead. They went on to win in 3:20.69 to move into the semis.

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RESULTS

(Bow to stroke plus cox)

PARA-ROWING

WOMEN

Arms-shoulders single scull – Heat 1

1. Rachel Morris (GREAT BRITAIN) 5:25.43
2. Claudia Santos (Brazil) 5:26.19
3. Liudmila Vauchok (Belarus) 5:30.73
4. Kim Sejeong (Republic of Korea) 6:13.22
5. Mariana Gallo (Argentina) 7:21.97

MEN

Arms-shoulders single scull – Heat 1

1. Tom Aggar (GREAT BRITAIN) 5:01.43
2. Johannes Schmidt (Germany) 5:13.79
3. Huang Cheng (China) 5:15.16
4. Carlos Vyscoki (Argentina) 5:19.37
5. Jan Klener (Czech Republic) 5:26.20
6. Zsolt Peto (Hungary) 5:33.35

MIXED

Trunk-arms double scull – heat 2

1. Gavin Bellis/Kathryn Ross (Australia) 3:59.36
2. Dmytro Ivanov/Iryna Kyrychenko (Ukraine) 4:01.41
3. Esther Van der Loos/Corne De Koning (Netherlands) 4:02.75
4. Laurence Whiteley/Lauren Rowles (GREAT BRITAIN) 4:03.57
5. Yuliya Chernoy/Reuven Magnagey (Israel) 4:20.49
6. Daniele Sefanoni/Anila Hoxha (Italy) 4:24.57

Coxed four – heat 2

1. Grace Clough/Daniel Brown/Pamela Relph/James Fox/Oliver James (cox) (GREAT
BRITAIN) 3:20.69
2. Canada 3:25.11s
3. Ukraine 3:32.29
4. Brazil 3;34.21
5. China 3:39.04
6. Poland 3:57.48

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CREW LISTS
(bow to stroke plus cox, name, club, hometown)

OPEN

WOMEN

Pair

Helen Glover (Minerva Bath RC/Penzance/17.06.86)
Heather Stanning (Army RC/Lossiemouth/26.01.85)
Coach: Robin Williams

Four

Rebecca Chin (Agecroft RC/Deganwy/11.12.91)/
Karen Bennett (Leander Club/Edinburgh/05.02.89)
Lucinda Gooderham (Leander Club/Garboldisham/09.06.84)
Holly Norton (Leander Club/Johannesburg, SA/01.01.93)
Coach: Jane Hall

Eight

Katie Greves (Leander Club/Oxford/02.09.82)
Louise Reeve (Leander Club/London/16.05.84)
Jessica Eddie (London RC/Durham/07.10.84)
Donna Etiebet (Sport Imperial/London/29.04.86)
Victoria Meyer-Laker (Leander Club/Premnay/18.03.88)
Olivia Carnegie-Brown (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Oxford/28.03.91)
Rosamund Bradbury (Leander Club/Banstead/17.12.88)
Zoe Lee (Imperial College BC/Richmond/15.12.85)
Zoe de Toledo (Cox) (Leander Club/London/17.07.87)
Coach: James Harris

Double scull

Katherine Grainger (St Andrew BC/Glasgow/12.11.75)
Victoria Thornley (Leander Club/Wrexham/30.11.87)
Coach: Paul Thompson

Quadruple Scull

Frances Houghton (Univ of London Tyrian Club/Oxford/19.9.80)
Jessica Leyden (Leander Club/Todmorden/22.02.95)
Kris Tina Stiller (Tees RC/Yarm/23.06.87)
Melanie Wilson (Imperial College BC/London/25.06.84)
Coach: Nick Strange

Sculling Spare

Beth Rodford (Gloucester RC/Gloucester/28.12.82)

OPEN

MEN

Pair

James Foad (Molesey BC/Southampton/20.03.87)
Matt Langridge (Leander Club/Northwich/20.05.83)
Coach: Rob Dauncey

Coxed Pair

Nathaniel Reilly O’Donnell (Univ of London BC/Durham/13.04.88)
Matthew Tarrant (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Shepperton/11.07.90)
Henry Fieldman (cox) (Molesey BC/Barnes/25.11.88)
Coach: John West

Four

Scott Durant (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Lancaster/12.02.88)
Alan Sinclair (Leander Club/Munlochy/16.10.85)
Tom Ransley (Leander Club/Ashford/06.09.85)
Stewart Innes (Leander Club/Henley-on-Thames/25.05.91)
Coach: Christian Felkel

Eight

Matt Gotrel (Leander Club/Chipping Campden/01.03.89)
Constantine Louloudis (OUBC/London/15.09.91)
Pete Reed (Leander Club/Nailsworth/27.07.81)
Paul Bennett (Univ of London BC/Leeds/16.12.88)
Mohamed Sbihi (Molesey BC/Surbiton/27.03.88)
Alex Gregory (Leander Club/Wormington/11.03.84)
George Nash (Molesey BC/Guildford/02.10.89)
Will Satch (Leander Club/Henley-on-Thames/09.06.89)
Phelan Hill (cox) (Leander Club/Bedford/21.07.79)
Coach: Jurgen Grobler

Sweep Spares:

Oliver Cook (Univ of London BC/Windsor/05.06.90)
Callum McBrierty (Leander Club/Edinburgh/13.08.92)

Single Scull

Alan Campbell (Tideway Scullers School/Coleraine/09.05.83)
Coach: John West

Double Scull

John Collins (Leander Club/Twickenham/24.01.89)
Jonny 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, Cambs, 13.12.88)
Peter Lambert (Leander Club/Maidenhead/03.12.86)
Coach: Paul Stannard

Sculling Spare:

Angus Groom (Leander Club/Glasgow/16.06.92)

LIGHTWEIGHT

WOMEN

Single scull

Imogen Walsh (London RC/Inverness/17.01.84)
Coach: Paul Reedy

Double Scull

Charlotte Taylor (Putney Town RC/Bedford/14.08.85)
Kat Copeland (Tees RC/Ingleby Barwick/01.12.90)
Coach: Paul Reedy

Quadruple Scull

Brianna Stubbs (Wallingford RC/Poole/13.07.91)
Ruth Walzcak (Molesey BC/Rochdale/15.09.88)
Emily Craig (Univ of London BC/Mark Cross/30.11.92)
Eleanor Piggott (Wallingford RC/Bedford/16.05.91)
Coach: Ben Reed

LIGHTWEIGHT

MEN

Pair

Joel Cassells (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Coleraine/15.06.94)
Sam Scrimgeour (Imperial College BC/Kirriemuir/28.01.88)
Coach: Rob Morgan

Four

Jono Clegg (Leander Club/Maidenhead/14.07.89)
Peter Chambers (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Coleraine/14.03.90)
Mark Aldred (London RC/Birmingham/18.04.87)
Chris Bartley (Leander Club/Chester/02.02.84)
Coach: Darren Whiter

Single Scull

Jamie Kirkwood (Leander Club/Cresswell/30.08.89)
Coach: Rob Morgan

Double Scull

Will Fletcher (Leander Club/Chester-le-Street/24.12.89)
Richard Chambers (Leander Club/Coleraine/10.06.85)
Coach: Darren Whiter

Quadruple scull

Jamie Copus (Oxford Brookes Univ/BC/Watlington/30.01.93)
Steve Parsonage (Norwich RC/Norwich/16.01.96)
Sam Mottram (Leander Club/Stoke Mandeville/14.11.94)
Zak Lee Green (Agecroft RC/Cardiff/05.02.91)
Coach: Hamish Burrell

PARA-ROWING

MIXED

Coxed four (LTA 4+)

Grace Clough (Nottingham RC/Sheffield/21.06.91)
Daniel Brown (Upper Thames BC/Reading/29.11.82)
Pamela Relph (Leander Club/Aylesbury/14.11.89)
James Fox (Univ of London/Peterborough/02.05.92)
Oliver James (cox) (Leander Club/Henley-on-Thames/05.01.90)
Coach: Tom Dyson

Trunk/-arms double scull (TA2x)

Laurence Whiteley (Tees RC/Northallerton/29.08.91)
Lauren Rowles (Marlow RC/Birmingham/ 24.04.98)
Coach: Nick Baker

MEN

Arms/-shoulders single scull (ASM 1x)

Tom Aggar (Marlow RC/Maidenhead/24.05.84)
Coach: Nick Baker

WOMEN

Arms/-shoulders single scull (ASW 1x)

Rachel Morris (Guildford RC/Farnham/25.04.79)
Coach: Tom Dyson

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OUTLINE TIMETABLE
(all times CET, the UK is one hour behind, key to boat classes is at foot of this section. NB – all times provisional, rowing is an outdoor sport. Please follow www.worldrowing.com for up-to-date schedules).

Tuesday 1 September

10.00 – 11.15

Repechages of the: LM2-, LW1x, W2-, M4-, M4x, W2x, M2x

Race for lanes: LM8+

13:00 – 13:56

Repechages of the: ASW1x, ASM1x, TAMix2x, LTAMix4+

Wednesday 2 September

10.55 – 13.45

Repechages of the: M2+, LM4x, LW4x, W4x, LM4-, W8+, M8+

Quarter-finals of the: LM1x, M2-, LM2x, LW2x, M1x, W1x

15.55 – 16.51

Semi-finals of the: ASW1x, ASM1x, TAMix2x, LTAMix4+

Thursday 3 September

10.14 – 11.59

Semi-finals of the: LM2-, LM1x, LW1x, W2-, M2-, LM2x, LW2x, M4-, M4x

12.11 – 12.46

Quarter-finals of the: W2x, M2x

16.08 – 17.25

B and A FINALS of the: ASW1x, ASM1x, TAMix2x, LTAMix4+

Friday 4 September

09.41 – 10.16

B Finals of the: M2+, LM2-, LM1x, LW1x, LM4x, LW4x

10.23 – 11.40

Semi-finals of the: W2x, M2x, LM4-, M1x, W1x, M8+

11.50 – 13.36

A FINALS of the: W4-, M2+, LM2-, LM1x, LW1x, LM4x, LW4x

Saturday 5 September

12.00 – 13.00

B Finals of the: W2-, M2-, LM2x, LW2x, M4-, W4x, M4x

13.15 – 14.45

A FINALS of the: W2-, M2-, LM2x, LW2x, M4-, W4x, M4x

Sunday 6 September

12.00 – 13:00

B Finals of the: W2x, M2x, LM4-, W8+, M1x, W1x, M8+

13.15 – 14.45

A FINALS of the: W2x, M2x, LM4-, W8+, M1x, W1x, M8+

Key:

M1x, M2x, M4x – men’s single, double and quadruple sculls
M2-, M4-, M8+ – men’s pair, four and eight
W1x, W2x, W4x – women’s single, double and quadruple sculls
W2-, W4-, W8+ – women’s pair, four and eight
LM1x, LM2x, LM4x – lightweight men’s single, double and quadruple sculls
LM2-, LM4-, LM8+ – lightweight men’s pair, four and eight
LW1x, LW2x, LW4x – lightweight women’s single, double and quadruple sculls
ASW1x, ASM1x – arms-shoulders women’s and men’s single scull (para-rowing)
TAMix2x – Trunk-arms mixed double scull (para-rowing)
LTAMix4+ – Legs-trunks-arms mixed coxed four

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CONTACT DETAILS

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GB Rowing Team website, including full rower biogs: www.gbrowingteam.org.uk

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