2010 World Rowing silver medallists win gold 16 years later at the British Rowing Masters Championships

The ‘Red Express’ of Matt Wells and Marcus Bateman are back in action, and recounts their journey rowing together from talent-spotted beginnings to beautiful Lake Bled and finally to Nottingham

2010 was a year of medals for the Men’s Double Sculls crew of Marcus Bateman and Matthew Wells. Winning gold in World Rowing Cup I and II and silver in World Rowing Cup III, they ended the season with silver just behind New Zealand, after conquering the French who snatched their World Cup hat-trick from them.

“It’s all for fun – we’re enjoying what we’re doing. Just taking each little challenge as it comes and enjoying it.”

The Double moved into the GB Rowing Team Quad together in 2012, and Marcus finished his season in the eight at World Rowing Cup III, whilst Matthew went on to race the London 2012 Olympics Men’s Quadruple Sculls, finishing fifth alongside British Rowing’s CEO Tom Solesbury.

Now 16 years after their last international as Double, Marcus and Matthew were back in the boat to race at the British Rowing Masters Championships in the Open C Double Sculls representing Avon County RC. The crew won both their eliminator and their final on day one of the competition.

“We last raced together in Bled in 2011,” said Marcus. “We didn’t have a great final, and I think that’s part of the reason we’d like to have another go. We’ve both got into this fitness journey following on from our individual sports. We did a couple of HYROX events, and then we thought, oh, should we give it a go at rowing?”

Marcus learned to row at the South West GB Performance Development Academy, based in Bath, in 2005. Matt started rowing in 1993 (“a ridiculously long time ago”, he joked) as a junior at Queen Elizaabeth School in Hexham. He raced for University of London Boat Club, before both rowers moved to Leander and into the GB Rowing Team.

“We did the Heineken Cup and it was a good laugh,” added Matt. “We just got together, got two eights out that kind of matched, one eight beat the other. But now it’s good to meet up and kind of talk about old stories about Caversham – how we hated it but actually loved it at the same time.”

The Double have certainly had much less time in a boat together this time around. “We’ve done four outings,” admitted Marcus. “We’ve rowed in our singles a couple of times. It’s just hard – one of us lives in Bath and one of us in Henley. We both have families, full-time jobs. It’s not like the old days where we could just do three sessions a day!”

Credit: AllMarkOne

“We’ve borrowed a boat from Swift and WinTech who’ve been very generous and lent us some oars as well. So it’s all coming together in a good way.”

“Yeah, it’s a project with a lot of backing, actually,” Matt laughed as Marcus joked: “We’ve got all the sponsors.”

Marcus and Matt earned the nickname ‘The Red Express’ whilst racing together in the GB Rowing Team.

“Everyone else goes with Hogwarts Express,” said Marcus. “At the start of Lake Bled, when we were trying to qualify for the 2012 Olympics, the whole GB eight was lined up on the balcony yelling, “Go on, Hogwarts Express!” And we were like… oh, thanks, guys.”

Marcus called the experience ‘character building’. “You’ve got to take it on the chin,” Matt said. “Being ginger.”

How does the double feel about racing in Nottingham? “There’s a headwind forecast, so we think we can be a little bit more competitive in those conditions because we don’t have to be as skilful,” said Marcus.

“I want to go out at 36 – Matt wants to go at 32. So if we can settle at 34 in the middle, great.”

Matt and Marcus were victorious in their A Final, finishing ahead of Rob Roy RC and Ardingly RC.

“It’s completely different from last time, you know,” said Matt. “It’s all for fun – we’re enjoying what we’re doing. Just taking each little challenge as it comes and enjoying it.”