Juniors head to Poznan for Coupe competition

The GB Rowing Team will once again send a full team to the annual Coupe de la Jeunesse junior competition, which this year takes place in Poznan, Poland, from July 29-31.

Great Britain – who will field 51 rowers in 13 boats – has won the European team competition, with an emphasis on U17s, on 12 previous occasions, the last time being in 2013.

A number of GB’s current Olympians, including London 2012 silver medallist Chris Bartley, cut their teeth at the Coupe as their first international rowing experience.

Last year’s edition in Szeged, Hungary, saw GB win the women’s competition and finish runners-up to Italy in both the men’s and overall standings after claiming an impressive 16 medals in total.

Robin Dowell, Lead Coach for the GBRT Junior Team, said: “I’m looking forward to seeing how this team performs, as for many it is an important stepping stone to an international rowing career beyond the junior level.

“There is plenty of potential within the team and that, combined with the experience of those who have been to the Coupe previously, should lead to some exciting racing.”

Lydia Currie won two silvers and a bronze with the women’s four and eight at the 2015 Coupe, and will once again double up in those boats in Poznan.

She will be joined in the four by fellow Headington School Oxford BC rower Isabel Rundle, Flo Donald (Lea RC) and Lauren Kay (Henley RC).

That quartet will team up with Celia Matthews and Kirstin Giddy (both Lady Eleanor Holles BC), Beth Willford-Dutton (Northwich BC), Danielle Semple (Headington School Oxford BC) and cox Autumn MacKay (Bedford Modern School BC) for the women’s eight final, which will once again provide the traditional Friday evening opening to the regatta.

Giddy and Matthews will also race in the women’s pair, while Semple goes in the women’s double scull with Henley RC’s Lottie Orr.

Hattie Orr (Shiplake Vikings RC), Lottie’s older sister, is named in the women’s quadruple scull along with Meg Saunders (Tideway Scullers School), Lucy Edmunds (York City RC) and Katie King-Smith (Headington School Oxford BC).

Putney High School’s Emma Andrews, who was part of the eight last year, will compete in the women’s single scull this time round.

Two of the 2015 men’s quad will return for this year’s Coupe, with The Windsor Boys’ School BC’s Harry Oliver named in the boat alongside club colleague Tom Smith, Ben Simon (Marlow RC) and Callum Sullivan (Globe RC).

Isle of Ely RC’s Sam Champion moves into the men’s double this year, joining Nottingham RC’s Matt Haywood, while Oliver Costley of Claires Court School BC goes in the single.

In the sweep squad, Westminster School BC’s Will Allen and Alex Williams make up the pair, while fellow rower Henry Jones is named alongside Marcus Jonas (Tideway Scullers School), Callum Urquhart (Glasgow Schools RC) and Alexander Wythe (Winchester College BC) in the four.

Winchester College BC is well represented in the men’s coxed four through Luke Robinson, Dent Goodman and Tobias Schroder. They are joined by Will Carey (Shiplake College BC) and cox Rory Cruickshank (Norwich School BC).

Completing the GB squad is the men’s eight of Henry Blois-Brooke (Shiplake College BC), Tom Long (Hampton School BC), Barney Fox, Paddy George (both Royal Shrewsbury School BC), Tom Wilbin (Abingdon School BC), Thomas Phelps (Latymer Upper School BC), Alfred Jacquemot (St Paul’s School BC), Victor Olsen (King’s College School BC) and cox Charlie Marcus (Hampton School BC).

The competition format sees all boat classes, apart from the women’s eight, race on both Saturday and Sunday.

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