Intro

Tokyo Olympian Emily Craig is reigning European champion in the lightweight double sculls.

She started rowing at Bewl Bridge RC aged 12 after winning a silver medal at British Indoors and deciding she wanted to try the real thing.

After representing GB twice at U23 level in 2013 and 2014, she made a stunning senior team debut at the World Championships in 2015, winning the silver medal in the lightweight quad, this was followed by gold in 2016, still in the quad.

In 2017 she won a bronze medal in the lightweight double sculls at the European Championships, and finished fifth at the Worlds with Kat Copeland. Emily came fifth at the World Championships again in 2018, this time with Ellie Piggott.

Having started the 2019 with Ellie Piggott, she was joined in the lightweight double by Imogen Grant for the World Championships, where they won  the bronze medal. Emily and Imogen have continued to scull together since then, taking silver at the European Championships in 2021 before finishing fourth, just 0.01 seconds off third place, at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

They dominated their finals at the European Rowing Championships and World Rowing Championships in 2022, winning gold on both occasions by clear water. Emily and Imogen continued this successful partnership in 2023, retaining their European title.

 

On The Water

Rio 2016 Olympiad: 2013 – 2016

After finishing sixth in the GB Rowing Team Trials in 2016, Craig was selected alongside Ellie Piggott in the lightweight women’s double scull for the World Cup in Varese where they placed ninth overall. They were then joined by Brianna Stubbs and Imogen Walsh in the lightweight women’s quad scull for the World Rowing Championships in Rotterdam. After winning their race for lanes, the GB quartet showed their quality once again in the final to win gold in impressive style.

Craig’s senior GB Rowing Team debut proved to be a memorable one as she combined with Stubbs, Ruth Walczak and Piggott to win lightweight women’s quad scull silver at the 2015 WorldRowing Championships in Aiguebelette. The same crew had won gold earlier in the season at the Essen Regatta in Germany, with Craig and Walczak also claiming bronze in the lightweight double.

Craig made her first appearance in GB colours at the 2013 World Rowing U23 Championships in Linz, stroking the lightweight quad to a fine bronze medal.

She competed in the lightweight single sculls at the following year’s World Rowing U23 Championships in Varese, finishing sixth, and then won an impressive gold at the World University Rowing Championships in Gravelines, France, before completing 2014 with victory in the 5km GB Rowing Team Assessment in Boston, Lincs.

GB Competitive Record

Year	Event	Position	Boat
2019	World Rowing Championships Linz Ottensheim, AUT	Bronze	LW2x
2019	World Rowing Cup III Rotterdam, NED	6	LW2x
2019	World Rowing Cup II Poznan, POL	3 (FB Final)	LW2x
2019	European Rowing Championships Lucerne, SUI	3 (FB Final)	W2x
2018	World Rowing Championships Plovdiv, BUL	5	LW2x
2018	World Rowing Cup I Belgrade, SRB	Bronze	LW2x
2017	World Rowing Championships Sarasota-Bradenton, USA	5	LW2x
2017	World Rowing Cup III Lucerne, SUI	6	LW2x
2017	World Rowing Cup II Poznan, POL	4	LW2x
2017	European Rowing Championships Racice, CZE	Bronze	LW2x
2017	World Rowing Cup I Belgrade, SRB	Bronze	LW2x
2016	World Rowing Championships Rotterdam, NED	Gold	LW4x
2016	World Rowing Cup I Varese, ITA	3 (FB Final)	LW2x
2015	World Rowing Championships Aiguebelette, FRA	Silver	LW4x
2014	World Rowing U23 Championships Varese, ITA	6	BLW1x
2013	Under 23 World Rowing Championships Linz Ottensheim, AUT	3 (F Final)	BLW4x

More Info

Club: University of London Boat Club
Boat: Lightweight Women’s Squad
Role: Rower
Coaches: Brian Young, Phil Gray
Learnt to Row: Bewl Bridge RC
Original Club(s): Bewl Bridge RC
Original Coach(es): Ian Harlow, Lene Northwood, Helen Taylor

Beyond The Boat

Tell us a fact about you that would surprise people… I used to work in a milliners

What’s the most played song in your library? Låpsley ‘Hurt Me’

Favourite film / TV show? 10 Things I Hate About You

If you weren’t a rower, what would you be? Asian Art Specialist (I studied History of Art at the Courtauld Institute and did an MA in East Asian Art at Sotheby’s Institute)

What do you do in your spare time? Walks and coffee with friends, play my flute, baking, galleries and exhibitions

Which sports teams do you follow? None… I’m not really that into sports….

If you could compete in a different Olympic sport, what would it be? Open water swimming

Who would be your four famous dream dinner party guests? Maggie Smith, Morgan Freeman, Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry