54 athletes selected for annual GB vs France Match

The team will will travel to Gravelines, France for the 44th edition of the match this weekend

14 crews have been selected to race for Great Britain in the annual J16 match against France. For the 54 athletes making the trip to Gravelines, this will be their country’s first race in red, white, and blue.

The match is a thrilling head-to-head contest over 1500m, offering young rowers and their coaches the opportunity to compete internationally. With three trophies up for grabs- Men’s, Women’s and Overall- every performance counts in this team competition.

The GB v France J16 Match represents the first step on the British Rowing Olympic Performance Pathway, potentially paving the way for future Olympic champions within the team.

Both Eights have tasted domestic success this season. The Women’s crew, represented by Wallingford Rowing Club, were victorious at the National Schools’ Regatta back in May. They won the Girls J16 Eights by nearly three seconds ahead of second place and will look to carry that momentum across the English channel. Radley College Boat Club will field the Men’s Eight. The NSR silver medallists went one better at the Trials in June to punch their tickets to France.

In the Coxless Fours, Latymer Upper School Boat Club have been selected in both events. The two crews have spent the season racing in the Eights. Both crews made their respective finals at NSR and, where the women’s crew picked up the silver medal behind the aforementioned Wallingford Rowing Club.

Strength continues in the two Quadruple Sculls. After silver at the Junior Sculling Regatta, the Maidenhead juniors would win NSR by clear water over Sir William Perkins’s School Boat Club, who have been selected in the Women’s Coxed Fours. Shiplake College Boat Club, who will race in the Men’s Quadruple Sculls, were involved in a thriller at the end of May on Dorney. After a sensational surge in the final few hundred metres, they were just 0.2s behind The Windsor Boys’ School to claim silver. Fast forward five weeks, and they will take great confidence from that as they fly to France.

The Men’s Coxed Four comes out of Abingdon School Boat Club’s J16 1st Eight.

The team selected stretches all across the British Isles. Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association’s Nicol Martin and Sandy Bain have spent some of this season racing up a category before joining forces and earning the right to be selected in the Men’s Pair. Much like the men from Aberdeen, Shanklin Sandown Rowing Club’s Connie Batley-Smith has spent the season racing against J18s, culminating in an 11th overall finish in the Championship Girls Single Sculls at the end of May. She will be back in the same boat this weekend.

Northern rowing is well represented as Aidan Lawlor races in the Men’s Single Sculls while Cambois Rowing Club’s Sonny Hughes and Harry Shaw will make the trip in the Men’s Double Sculls.

After winning bronze at NSR, City of Cambridge Rowing Club’s Lily Margot and Lena Tyburczy move from their Quad to the Double Scull ahead of the 44th match against France.

For the second year in a row, Bedford Girls’ School Boat Club will have athletes selected for the match. Evie-Rose Wootton and Lily Sonsino will race in the Women’s Pair.

“After some fantastic racing at the trials, I am really excited to see what this GB v France J16 Team can do,” said U19 Programme Manager Dan Cooper.

“This year’s selection came from 251 athletes forming 112 crews across 59 clubs, with a very high standard throughout despite challenging weather conditions.

“It is particularly pleasing to see the breadth of representation, from large rowing clubs and schools through to community programmes such as Cambois Rowing Club and others, all producing outstanding performances. The squad also reflects the depth of performance rowing across Great Britain, with athletes from Aberdeen to the Isle of Wight selected.

“The GB v France J16 Match is the athletes’ first opportunity to represent Great Britain on the GB Rowing Team Olympic Pathway, marking an important step in their development. The fixture also provides valuable international coaching experience, bringing together those new to the environment with more experienced staff, further strengthening the pathway.

“I wish all the crews the very best as they travel to France, and hope they relish the opportunity to race, learn, and deliver strong performances in a GB Rowing Team all in one.”

The Great Britain J16 team to face France

J16 Men’s Eight (J16 M8+)

William Naylor (Radley College Boat Club)
Sebastian Ball (Radley College Boat Club)
Ivo McMyn (Radley College Boat Club)
Joshua Paxman (Radley College Boat Club)
James Thompson (Radley College Boat Club)
Lucius Phillips (Radley College Boat Club)
Frank Edwards (Radley College Boat Club)
Montgomery Arkell (Radley College Boat Club)
Rex Ruddy (cox) (Radley College Boat Club)
Coach: Harry Lyons (Radley College Boat Club)

J16 Women’s Eight (J16 W8+)

Aurelia Alcantara (Wallingford Rowing Club)
Beatrice Arnold (Wallingford Rowing Club)
Tavi Bennett (Wallingford Rowing Club)
Millie Armstead (Wallingford Rowing Club)
Jemma Downs (Wallingford Rowing Club)
Zoe Seymour (Wallingford Rowing Club)
Iona Butterfield (Wallingford Rowing Club)
Jasmine Gibbin (Wallingford Rowing Club)
Lily Quantrell (cox) (Wallingford Rowing Club)
Coach: Geoff Brown (Wallingford Rowing Club)

J16 Men’s Quadruple Sculls (J16 M4x)

Benji Maggs (Shiplake College Boat Club)
Sebastian Lee (Shiplake College Boat Club)
Miles Vann (Shiplake College Boat Club)
Flynn Burrow (Shiplake College Boat Club)
Coach: Ed Dallas (Shiplake College Boat Club)

J16 Women’s Quadruple Sculls (J16 W4x)

Evie Bruce (Maidenhead Rowing Club)
Romilly Haworth (Maidenhead Rowing Club)
Emilia French (Maidenhead Rowing Club)
Chloe Rye (Maidenhead Rowing Club)
Coach: Stephen Hughes (Maidenhead Rowing Club)

J16 Men’s Four (J16 M4-)

Felix Fisher (Latymer Upper School Boat Club)
Orestis Easingwood (Latymer Upper School Boat Club)
Luka Price (Latymer Upper School Boat Club)
Kaya Cetin (Latymer Upper School Boat Club)
Coach: Nick Laws (Latymer Upper School Boat Club)

J16 Women’s Four (J16 W4-)

Isabelle Earl (Latymer Upper School Boat Club)
Emilie Saunders (Latymer Upper School Boat Club)
Isabella Charlton (Latymer Upper School Boat Club)
Sofie Van de Geest (Latymer Upper School Boat Club)
Coach: Nick Laws (Latymer Upper School Boat Club)

J16 Men’s Coxed Four (J16 M4+)

Oskar Thorpe (Abingdon School Boat Club)
Edward Clancy (Abingdon School Boat Club)
Ollie Walmsley (Abingdon School Boat Club)
George Monk (Abingdon School Boat Club)
Harish Sivakumar (cox) (Abingdon School Boat Club)
Coach: Odhran Donaghy (Abingdon School Boat Club)

J16 Women’s Coxed Four (J16 W4+)

Elena Hollingshead (Sir William Perkins’s School Boat Club)
Carla Cambiano (Sir William Perkins’s School Boat Club)
Ashley Sullivan (Sir William Perkins’s School Boat Club)
Rosie Gurney (Sir William Perkins’s School Boat Club)
Florence Foster (cox) (Sir William Perkins’s School Boat Club)
Coach: Michelle De Meillon (Sir William Perkins’s School Boat Club)

J16 Men’s Pair (J16 M2-)

Nicol Martin (Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association)
Sandy Bain (Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association)
Coach: Harris McDonald (Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association)

J16 Women’s Pair (J16 W2-)

Evie-Rose Wootton (Bedford Girls’ School Rowing Club)
Lily Sonsino (Bedford Girls’ School Rowing Club)
Coach: Miles McEwen (Bedford Girls’ School Rowing Club)

J16 Men’s Double Sculls (J16 M2x)

Sonny Hughes (Cambois Rowing Club)
Harry Shaw (Cambois Rowing Club)
Coach: Owen Thornton (Cambois Rowing Club)

J16 Women’s Double Sculls (J16 W2x)

Lily Margot (City of Cambridge Rowing Club)
Lena Tyburczy (City of Cambridge Rowing Club)
Coach: William Schofiled (City of Cambridge Rowing Club)

J16 Men’s Single Sculls (J16 M1x)

Aidan Lawlor (Durham Amateur Rowing Club)
Coach: Wayne Thorton (Cambois Rowing Club)

J16 Women’s Single Sculls (J16 W1x)

Connie Batley-Smith (Shanklin Sandown Rowing Club)
Coach: Lesley Walters (Shanklin Sandown Rowing Club)

Reserves

Boy’s squad: Oliver Ross (Falcon Rowing Club)
Girl’s squad: Vienna Townsend (Milfield School boat Club)

Team Support

CD Riches (Team Manager)
Jordan Durrant (Assistant Team Manager)
Grace Miller (Team Physio)
Oliver Knight (Equipment Manager)