Jamie Copus Archives - 91��ɫ

Olympic superstars to race at Senior Championships

91��ɫ — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 19:52:27 +0000

A host of reigning World Champions, at both senior and U23 level, will also be representing their clubs when the two-day competition is staged at the National Water Sports Centre, Holme Pierrepont.

“I love racing at the British Championships”, Scott Durant, Olympic champion

The last time Durant raced, he was part of the Team GB men’s eight that stormed to gold in memorable style on the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas. Two months later, and at the end of a week when the Rio 2016 heroes were celebrated in Manchester and London, he will line up in an Oxford Brookes University eight looking to retain the British title they won last year.

“I’m looking forward to this weekend, I love racing at the British Championships and it should be good fun as always,” said Durant.

“It’s always good to get back into an Oxford Brookes boat and race with the students coming through. Brookes played such a huge part in my rowing development – I was there for six years between leaving school and joining the GB Rowing Team, and I owe so much of my rowing success to them.

“It should be a good competition. There are a lot of guys coming into the GB team who will be racing for the likes of Leander this weekend, so it will be tough but we are hoping to retain our title.”

Also representing Oxford Brookes are double Olympian Peter Chambers, twice World Champion Mat Tarrant, who was a men’s heavyweight spare in Rio, and Joel Cassells, a European Champion and World bronze-medallist in the lightweight men’s pair this year.

Sam Scrimgeour, Cassells’ partner in the boat for both of those races and the lightweight men’s spare at the Olympic Games, races for Imperial College BC this weekend.

The men's eight from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

Bennett’s last competitive outing was with the GB women’s eight that won a historic silver medal in Rio. She returns to action as part of a strong Leander Club squad looking to once again secure the Victor Ludorum accolade for top performing club.

“I’m excited to kick-start the season at the British Championships,” said GB Rowing Team Start graduate Bennett, who will compete in a women’s eight field that has attracted an impressive 31 crew entries.

“It’s great to see so many women getting involved and racing. The eight is a very fast but fun boat because you can share all the moments with eight other people.

“It will be the first time I’ve raced since my Olympic final and the scenery will be a bit different but I’m really looking forward to it.

“It’s great to have the opportunity to represent my club. They’ve given me a lot of help over the years so when I was offered the chance to race for them this weekend I couldn’t turn it down.

“It will be tough after the post-Rio break I’ve had but I’m going to go out there and give it my best shot.”

Other rowers with senior GB experience include Becca Chin, Caragh McMurtry, Jamie Copus, Zak Lee-Green and Nick Middleton, who won both the double scull and quadruple scull titles at last year’s British Championships.

There will be plenty of potential Tokyo 2020 stars for rowing fans to look out for this weekend, including several who shone at this year’s combined Senior, U23 and Junior World Championships in Rotterdam.

“It’s fantastic to see such a strong and diverse line-up”, Jim Harlow, Regatta Chairman.

Ollie Cook (University of London BC) and Callum McBrierty (Leander), powered to gold alongside cox Henry Fieldman in the senior men’s coxed pair, while three of the women’s four that won in Rotterdam – Fiona Gammond, Holly Nixon and Holly Norton – will race in Leander colours this weekend.

Lightweight women’s quadruple scull World Champion Emily Craig will represent University of London BC, while Ellie Piggott and Brianna Stubbs – her team-mates in Rotterdam – will race for Wallingford RC.

All six of GB’s reigning U23 World Champions will be in action – Jess Leyden (Leander) and Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne (Reading RC) were emphatic winners of women’s double scull gold, while Hugo Coussens (Durham University BC), Ollie Varley (Newcastle University BC), Matthew Curtis and Gavin Horsburgh (both Edinburgh University BC) took the lightweight men’s quadruple scull title in fine style.

Eleven other U23 medallists and eight World Junior medallists will also take their place among the 1,004 rowers from 100 clubs – 19 of which are composites – who have signed up for this weekend’s championships.

Jim Harlow, Chairman of the Regatta added: “It’s fantastic to see such a strong and diverse line-up at this year’s Senior Championships. It is testament to the strength and depth of senior rowing across the UK. Rowing is one of those rare sports where club rowers have the chance to compete alongside GB rowers including returning Olympic champions. After so many inspiring performances on the Lagoa in Rio it is set to be a hotly contested championship.”

Races will take place in nine categories – men’s and women’s double sculls, men’s and women’s fours, men’s and women’s quadruple sculls, men’s and women’s eights, and mixed para-rowing.

Racing is scheduled to begin at 9am on both days and conclude around 4.30pm on Saturday and 4.10pm on Sunday. This year’s championships are the first-ever to include prizes for non-high performance programme clubs and universities.

For more information about the 91��ɫ Senior Championships, visit .

SCHEDULE FOR A FINALS (ALL SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

Saturday

15:30 – men’s double scull

15:48 – women’s double scull

16:06 – men’s four

16:24 – women’s four

Sunday

13:40 – para-rowing

15:06 – women’s eight

15:24 – men’s quadruple scull

15:42 – women’s quadruple scull

16:00 – men’s eight

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Treble triumph as GB top Senior World Champs medal table

91��ɫ — Sat, 27 Aug 2016 13:29:54 +0000

Ollie Cook, Callum McBrierty and cox Henry Fieldman successfully defended GB’s title in the men coxed pair with a storming victory, while the lightweight women’s quadruple scull of Brianna Stubbs, Emily Craig, Imogen Walsh and Ellie Piggott powered away from Germany to upgrade on last year’s silver medal.

The women’s four of Fiona Gammond, Donna Etiebet, Holly Nixon and Holly Norton also went one better than the silver won by GB in 2015 as they recorded an emphatic clear-water victory, while Joel Cassells and Sam Scrimgeour were edged into bronze-medal position during a thrilling lightweight men’s pair final.

Sir David Tanner, 91��ɫ’s Performance Director and Overall Team Leader in Rotterdam, said: “We have had a really good day for our senior boats, with three golds and a bronze medal improving on the good results from last year’s World Championships.

“Our rowers have sent out a strong message for next season and beyond – well done.”

Ellie Piggott, Imogen Walsh, Emily Craig and Brianna Stubbs © Peter Spurrier/Intersport Images

McBrierty said: “If we had to define our perfect race, we almost had it down to a tee today. We were relentless with every stroke.”

Walsh, who repeated her 2011 success in the lightweight quad, added: “I have so much trust and respect for these girls and I never doubted we could do it. This is a fitting end to what has been a really fun and exciting project.”

Norton said: “It’s great to be on the podium with these girls, representing this programme and the next generation of rowers coming through.”

Callum McBrierty, Henry Fieldman and Ollie Cook

Sam Scrimgeour and Joel Cassells

The four medals continued a successful week for Britain at the combined World Championships and added to the two gold, three silver and one bronze won by the U23s in their competition.

An action-packed regatta concludes on Sunday with the finals of the Junior World Championships – click here to see how three more GB crews made progress through their semi-finals on Saturday afternoon.

Click on the expander boxes below for full race reports, reaction and results from the Senior World Championships finals

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Seven more finalists as next generation shine in sun

91��ɫ — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 18:04:14 +0000

All six of the GB crews racing in Tuesday afternoon’s U23 semi-finals went through, four of them recording eye-catching victories, while the morning session saw the senior lightweight men’s quadruple scull progress through their repechage.

Three single scullers – Tom Barras, Sam Mottram and Gemma Hall – also booked semi-final spots on a day blessed by ideal racing conditions.

Pete Sheppard, Chief Coach for U23s and Juniors, said: “It’s been a very good day, one of the best semi-final days we’ve ever had.

“Everyone stepped up and to have seven more crews through to finals is very pleasing.”

Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne and Jess Leyden

The senior lightweight men's quad

The morning session saw the senior lightweight men’s quad of Charles Waite-Roberts, Jamie Copus, Jamie Kirkwood and Zak Lee-Green finish runners-up in a thrilling repechage to book their place in Saturday’s final.

Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne and Jess Leyden then set the tone for a fantastic afternoon of U23 semi-finals by winning their women’s double scull race by clear water, a feat matched by the men’s four of James Johnston, Tom George, James Rudkin and Lewis McCue.

The lightweight men’s quad of Hugo Coussens, Oliver Varley, Matthew Curtis and Gavin Horsburgh led from start to finish before the men’s eight produced a powerful performance to win the last race of the day by a length.

The men’s quad and lightweight men’s four also progressed to take the number of GB U23 finalists up to ten – the women’s four, women’s eight, men’s coxed four and lightweight women’s quad having booked their places earlier in the week.

The U23 lightweight men's quad

The U23 men's four

U23 men’s single scullers Tom Barras and Sam Mottram will be looking to join them after reaching their respective open-weight and lightweight semi-finals, taking place on Wednesday afternoon.

Wednesday also sees the Junior World Championships get under way, with seven GB crews taking to the Willem-Alexander Baan course for their heats.

Click on the expander boxes below for reports, reaction and results in full.

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Defending champions make winning start to Senior Worlds

91��ɫ — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 17:13:27 +0000

Joel Cassells and Sam Scrimgeour made light of the choppy conditions to continue their unbeaten record in the lightweight men’s pair with a composed display.

The men’s coxed pair of Ollie Cook, Callum McBrierty and cox Henry Fieldman – a gold-medallist in the boat last year – also looked strong as they won their heat by clear water.

They progress to Thursday’s semi-finals, while the women’s four of Fiona Gammond, Donna Etiebet, Holly Nixon and Holly Norton booked their place in Saturday’s finals with an impressive win.

Callum McBrierty and Ollie Cook

Henry Fieldman

The lightweight women’s quadruple scull of Brianna Stubbs, Emily Craig, Imogen Walsh and Ellie Piggott – all World silver-medallists in 2015 – also laid down a marker by winning their preliminary race in fine style.

Gemma Hall, in the lightweight women’s single, and the lightweight men’s quad of Charles Waite-Roberts, Jamie Copus, Jamie Kirkwood and Zak Lee-Green will look to progress through the repechages on Tuesday morning.

The U23 World Championships continue either side of those races, with single scullers Tom Barras and Sam Mottram competing in the open and lightweight quarter-finals respectively first thing.

The women's four

The lightweight women's quad

The afternoon session sees six GB crews racing in semi-finals – the women’s double, men’s quad, lightweight men’s quad, men’s four, lightweight men’s four and men’s eight.

They will be looking to join the four crews who have already progressed to the U23 finals – the lightweight women’s quad, women’s four, women’s eight and men’s coxed four.

More than 100 GB rowers are competing on the Willem-Alexander Baan rowing course this week as Rotterdam hosts the combined Senior, U23 and Junior World Rowing Championships. The juniors start their racing on Wednesday.

Click on the expander boxes below for reports, reaction and results from this afternoon’s racing.

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Women’s four and lightweight men’s quad added to Worlds team

91��ɫ — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 11:48:04 +0000

Fiona Gammond, Donna Etiebet, Holly Nixon and Holly Norton will make up the women’s four, while Jamie Kirkwood, Charles Waite-Roberts, Jamie Copus and Zak Lee-Green will contest the lightweight men’s quadruple scull.

Their selections take the number of GB rowers competing on the Willem-Alexander Baan course from 21-28 August up to 113 rowers, with the World U23 and World Junior Championships taking place at the same time.

Norton was in the women’s four that won silver at last year’s World Championships in Aiguebelette, France. Etiebet and Nixon both have senior experience, in the women’s eight and quadruple scull respectively, while Gammond – a double World U23 silver-medallist in the eight – will make her senior debut.

Waite-Roberts is also making the step up having won two World U23 silver medals in 2013 and 2014. Copus and Lee-Green narrowly missed out on a medal in the quad in Aiguebelette last year, while the experienced Kirkwood will be competing at his fourth successive World Championships.

They will join three other senior boats in Rotterdam. Joel Cassells and Sam Scrimgeour will be looking to defend their lightweight men’s pair title; Ollie Cook, Callum McBrierty and cox Henry Fieldman go in the men’s coxed pair; and Brianna Stubbs, Emily Craig, Imogen Walsh and Ellie Piggott will contest the lightweight women’s quad.

Injury has forced a change to the GB women’s quadruple scull for the World U23 Championships, with Ruth Siddorn being replaced by Flo Pickles. She will be line up alongside Lucy Burgess, Georgia Francis and Kyra Edwards.

Reginald Mitchell has also been forced to pull out of the World Junior squad. Matthew Rowe has moved into the men’s coxed four, while Alexander Wythe – part of the GB Juniors team that won the Coupe de la Jeunesse last month – has been called into the men’s pair.

Click here to see the World U23 team announcement and here for the World Juniors team.

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GB rowers among the winners at Henley Royal Regatta

91��ɫ — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 09:05:50 +0000

It was a particularly notable occasion for Jack Beaumont, who claimed a fifth successive Henley title when he teamed up with Leander and international colleague Nick Middleton to win the Doubles Sculls Challenge Cup.

“I couldn’t be happier with how that race went,” said Beaumont after Sunday’s four-and-a-half length win over Gasper Fistravec and Dani Fridman in Sunday’s final.

“We knew we would get a run for our money, but we also knew we could win this. We feel great as a pair and I love rowing alongside my teammate Nick.

“We train on this stretch of the river every single day so to win this cup makes the early mornings and tough training sessions worth it.”

Taking the plaudits in the Princess Grace Challenge Cup were the young GB quartet of Melissa Wilson, Jess Leyden, Holly Nixon and Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne.

Racing as Reading RC and Leander Club, the women’s quad held off a determined challenge from AZS Warszawa & Wisca Grudziadz of Poland – the reigning World U23 Champions – to win by one length.

“That was really good,” said Hodgkins-Byrne, who became the first Reading RC member to win at Henley since 1935. “It was my third time at Henley and the previous two visits were quite stressful but I really enjoyed this one.”

The lightweight GB quad of Brianna Stubbs, Emily Craig, Imogen Walsh and Ellie Piggott – racing as Wallingford RC and London RC – were beaten by the Schuylkill Navy High Performance Center from the United States in the heats.

Both GB development eights reached their respective finals, with the men’s crew – racing as Nautilus RC – pushing the Dutch Olympic eight all the way in an excellent Grand Challenge Cup final, only losing by three-quarters of a length.

It proved a tougher task for the women’s eight in the Remenham Challenge Cup final as GB – racing as a Leander and Tees RC composite – were beaten by four and three-quarter lengths by Princeton Training Centre from the US.

Ollie Cook and Callum McBrierty, racing as University of London BC and Leander, were edged out by French pair Benoit Demey and Edouard Jonville in the semi-finals of the Silver Goblets and Nickalls’ Challenge Cup.

The Leander Club and Oxford Brookes University composite men’s quad of Zak Lee-Green, Charlie Waite-Roberts, Jamie Copus and Jamie Kirkwood – all GB lightweight internationals – also narrowly missed out on a place in the Queen Mother Challenge Cup final as they were beaten by California RC.

The GB development men’s four of James Johnston, Tom George, James Rudkin and Lewis McCue – racing as Newcastle University and Robert Gordon University – also reached the semi-finals of the Stewards’ Challenge Cup, where they lost by a length to eventual overall winners Hollandia Roeiclub of the Netherlands.

You can watch highlights of the finals day below:

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“Real buzz” as GB rowers head to Henley

91��ɫ — Wed, 29 Jun 2016 06:55:34 +0000

Among the record number of entrants for the 2016 regatta are Jack Beaumont and Nick Middleton, who will be racing in the Double Sculls Challenge Cup under the Leander Club banner.

They will be looking to continue the impressive form they have shown on the international stage this season, where they reached the final at the World Cups in Varese and Lucerne.

Beaumont, from Maidenhead, also won silver as a last-minute sub with the men’s quadruple scull in Lucerne and was victorious in the men’s single scull B final at the Poznan World Cup. He is bidding for a fifth successive Henley title this year.

“Being a local lad I have grown up around Henley Royal Regatta – I used to go and watch every year with my family,” he said.

“I love the traditions and the head-to-head racing. It’s also the only race where all of my friends and family can come and watch which makes it extra special.

“To win at Henley for a fifth successive year would be fantastic.”

Contesting the Silver Goblets and Nickalls’ Challenge Cup are Ollie Cook and Callum McBrierty, fresh from their World Cup victory in the men’s coxed pair with Henry Fieldman in Poznan. McBrierty also helped the GB men’s four claim a dramatic gold at the Lucerne World Cup after subbing in for the ill Constantine Louloudis.

The Queen Mother Challenge Cup for the men’s quadruple sculls features the Leander Club and Oxford Brookes University composite of Jamie Kirkwood, Jamie Copus, Charlie Waite-Roberts and Zak Lee-Green.

All four are experienced lightweight internationals, as are Imogen Walsh, Brianna Stubbs, Emily Craig and Ellie Piggott who will race as Wallingford RC and London RC in the Princess Grace Challenge Cup. Each crew member won a silver medal at last year’s World Championships in Aiguebelette – Walsh in the lightweight single and the others with Ruth Walczak in the lightweight quad.

Also contesting the Princess Grace are the open-weight GB quartet of Jess Leyden, Melissa Wilson, Holly Nixon and Mathilda Hodgkins-Bryne.

“Henley time is so exciting, there’s a real buzz around the town and I love it,” said Leyden, who was part of the winning Princess Grace crew in 2015.

“I can’t wait to race there in front of the crowds. The women’s quad event looks really strong this year and I’ll do all I can to try and defend the title.”

Tina Stiller – who rowed alongside Leyden and Nixon in the GB women’s quad that narrowly missed out on Olympic qualification this summer – will race in the women’s single scull event, the Princess Royal Challenge Cup.

Beth Bryan, Becca Chin, Caragh McMurtry, Donna Etiebet, Jo Wratton, Holly Norton, Fiona Gammond and Katherine Douglas make up the Leander and Tees RC composite women’s eight that will contest the Remenham Challenge Cup. All have GB experience, either at senior or U23 level, and will be coxed by Erin Wysocki-Jones.

Henley will also offer potential World U23 and World Junior rowers another chance to impress the GB selectors ahead of this year’s Championships in Amsterdam.

And there will be more GB Rowing Team interest in the historic regatta on Thursday when the ParalympicsGB rowing squad for Rio 2016 is announced at Henley.

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