Good mix of results with new people emerging

February 9, 2013

Established rowers took victory in all five disciplines of the GB Rowing Team Second Winter Assessment trials at Boston, Lincolnshire, today but newer names also made their mark.

As expected Olympic medalilst and single scull specialist Alan Campbell won the 5km time trial in the men’s single, with a tight grouping at the top which not only featured the in-form Charles Cousins but also Graeme Thomas, Sam Townsend and Peter Lambert.

Australian Youth Olympic medallist Jack Beaumont, still under 20, showed well with a top-ten finish and Matt Langridge, twice an Olympic medallist, made a good season’s debut after a long lay-off.

2010 World women’s quad gold medallist Beth Rodford won the equivalent women’s event in a time of 18:44.05 with Vicky Thornley taking second in one of her best sculling performances to date.

Another Vicky – this time Meyer-Laker – Kristina Stiller and Polly Swann were ones to watch as they took fourth, sixth and eighth places ahead of longer-term squad members.

“We had a good grouping at the top of this field and the percentage of gold medal times was equivalent to the men’s event, so that is really encouraging”, said Sir David Tanner, Performance Director of the GB Rowing Team.

The Boston show was somewhat robbed of its top billing in the men’s pair contest before it began with the withdrawal of Alex Gregory and Peter Reed from the men’s pair due to Gregory’s overnight sickness.

Everyone had expected a tough tussle between the two Olympic gold medallists from Leander Club and Andrew Triggs Hodge and Mohamed Sbihi, the eventual winners from Molesey BC.

Hodge and Sbihi were light years ahead of George Nash and Rowan Lawson from CUBC with Dan Ritchie and Tom Ransley from the 2011 World Silver men’s eight in third.

Nash, of course, won bronze for Great Britain at the Olympic Games in 2012 with Will Satch who this time round was forced to watch from the comfort of social media, urging his Olympic partner to great things as he continues to recover well from surgery since London.

Jamie Kirkwood, a World U23 lightweight men’s four champion in 2010, crept in amongst the big names in the lightweight men’s single scull with a third place behind winner Richard Chambers and second-placed Adam Freeman-Pask.

Chambers’ younger brother Peter, like him an Olympic silver medallist, was fourth with Michael Mottram and Chris Boddy fifth and sixth respectively.

The women’s event was dominated predictably by Imogen Walsh, the winner in 19:16.75 and second-placed Kathryn Twyman.

“We had nigh perfect conditions for racing today in Boston”, said Tanner. “I would also like to thank Boston Rowing Club for looking after us so well again this year and in such a friendly atmosphere”.

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RESULTS
Top Ten only full results at: /sites/default/files/pages/22613/Results%20Division%201.pdf

Men’s pair

1. Mohamed Sbihi/Andrew Triggs Hodge (Molesey BC) 16:12.76
2. George Nash/Rowan Lawson (Cambridge Univ) 16:34.48
3. Tom Ransley/Daniel Ritchie (Leander) 16:38.85
4. Alan Sinclair/Nathaniel Reilly O’Donnell (Leander/Uni of London) 16:38.78
5. Mat Tarrant/Scott Durant (Oxford Brookes Uni) 16:40.01
6. Karl Hudspith/Paul Bennett (Oxford Brookes Uni/Isis) 16:47.39
7. Matthew Gotrel/Lance Tredell (Leander) 16:52.38
8. Oliver Cook/Fred Gill (Uni of London/Molesey BC) 17:08.09
9. Colin Williamson/Edward Ford (Molesey BC) 17:11.82
10. Timothy Clarke/Thomas Ford (Newcastle Uni) 17:15.78

Men’s single scull

1. Alan Campbell (Tideway Scullers) 17:10.02
2. Charles Cousins (Leander) 17:14.54
3. Peter Lambert (Leander) 17:17.49
4. Sam Townsend (Reading Uni) 17:23.07
5. Graeme Thomas (Agecroft) 17:23.07
6. Matt Langridge (Leander) 17:31.28
7. Jonathan Walton (Leander) 17:37.05
8. Bill Lucas (London RC) 17:43.45
9. John Collins (Leander) 17:51.20
10. Jack Beaumont (Leander) 17:52.57

Women’s single scull

1. Beth Rodford (Gloucester RC) 18:44.05
2. Victoria Thornley (Leadner) 18:55.09
3. Helen Glover (Minerva Bath) 18:55.15
4. Victoria Meyer-Lake (Leander) 18:55.19
5. Frances Houghton (Leander) 19.01.53
6. Kristina Stiller (Tees RC) 19:02.48
7. Katie Greves (Leander) 19:05.35
8. Polly Swann (Leander) 19:06.41
9. Rachel Gamble-Flint (Leander) 19:08.70
10. Olivia Carnegie-Brown (Oxford Brookes Uni) 19:12.16

Lightweight men’s single scull

1. Richard Chambers (Leander) 17:48.14
2. Adam Freeman-Pask (Reading Uni) 17:49.13
3. Jamie Kirkwood (Leander( 17:56.97
4. Peter Chambers (Oxford Brookes Uni) 17:59.97
5. Michael Mottram (Leander) 18:01.11
6. Chris Boddy (Leander) 18:04.80
7. William Fletcher (Leander) 18:05.36
8. Jonathan Clegg (Leander) 18:12.88
9. Sam Scrimgeour (Imperial Coll) 18:12.96
10. Stuart Heap (London RC) 18:12.96

Lightweight women’s single scull

1. Imogen Walsh (London RC) 19:16.75
2. Kathryn Twyman (Wallingford RC) 20:00.06
3. Elizabeth Polgreen (Isle of Ely) 20:11.36
4. Gemma Hall (Newcastle Uni) 20:12.35
5. Francesca Rawlins (Mortlake Anglian & Alpha) 20:14.87
6. Brianna Stubbs (Wallingford RC) 20:16.75
7. Charlotte Taylor (Putney Town RC) 20:23.78
8. Emily Craig (Uni of London – Courtauld) 20:29.03
9. Maxie Scheske (Osiris) 20:35.54
10.Rebecca Humphreys (London RC/UEL) 20:47.73