In conversation with the GB Rowing Team: Lauren Henry
The Olympic Champion talks to BBC Radio Berkshire’s Tim Dellor about switching boats to the women’s single sculls.
Credit: Benedict Tufnell
You had a magical summer in Paris winning gold in the women’s quad, so what’s the reason for changing into the single?
Last summer, and actually the last two years have been amazing in the quad and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Before that, through my whole rowing career, I’ve very much been a single sculler, racing it at under 23 level at two World Championships. It’s a boat class that I’ve been very drawn to, so once Paris finished, I had my sights set on being selected in the single for this year. So I’ve been very focused on wanting to race the single and thankfully it’s worked out that way for me!
It must be very different and could potentially be a bit lonely without your crew mates around?
It is different but I’m quite comfortable in my own company which probably helps with the single. Although I’m rowing on my own, I don’t feel like I’m on my own because I’ve still got lots of people around me to offer support. I’ve got the best coach with me (women’s head coach, Andrew Randell) and then all the other girls on the team are so supportive, so when we’re doing pieces and they’re finished but I’m not quite finished yet, they’re always there encouraging and slapping water for me. So it still feels like I’m part of the team.
“I think people view singles as the gladiatorial events of World Rowing”
What about the pressure that being in the single brings, it’s all on you when you race?
In some ways it’s more controllable, because rather than relying on three others in the case of last summer, it’s all down to you. I really do enjoy the challenge of being on my own because I know that what I do has a very direct impact on boat speed and I think allows me to see direct feedback and learnings. So if you’re having a bad day it tells you that but if you’re having a great day and rowing the single goes well, you know that you did that. It’s a pretty incredible feeling!
Is it physically harder than racing in the quad, or are they both as tiring as each other?
I would say in some ways it is harder as I think people view singles as the gladiatorial events of World Rowing. When you think about the standout athletes like Karolien Florijn, Emma Twigg or Tara Rigney who have all raced in the single. They’ve come through the ranks and established themselves as the best of the best in their respective nations – and won many medals between them.
It is definitely a very different challenge and I think when you are having a bad day in the single, it is probably a much worse day than when you’re having a bad day in a quad, because you don’t have three other people there to support you, and of course, you have to race it differently as it’s a longer, slower race.
I imagine after becoming Olympic Champion it’s also good to freshen up mentally with a different challenge?
Definitely. We’ve all moved on since the Summer and have new aims and challenges. Georgie got married and is expecting twins, so we couldn’t come back together this season. I am excited to see and support the quad this season though. It’s great that there’s some continuity and new athletes coming in and who knows maybe we will be back together in LA!
“This is something that I’ve been absolutely bursting to do for years!”
What can we expect in Plovdiv at the European Championships?
Well, this is something that I’ve been absolutely bursting to do for years so I’m very excited to get out there and have my first race of the season! Of course, I don’t know what the rest of the continent has in store, but It’ll be very interesting and exciting! I feel pretty confident that I’ve had a really cracking winter of training and I’m going as well as I could really be hoping to at the moment, but we’ll see what people throw at us!
