Women’s eight and quadruple scull through to finals

The GB Rowing Team’s women’s eight and quadruple scull both qualified from today’s repechages at the world championships in Poznan, Poland, to reach Sunday’s finals.

Britain now has three Olympic class, two international class and three Paralympic class boats already through to the weekend’s finals with ten more crews featuring in semi-finals tomorrow and Friday.[img_assist|nid=3385|title=Natasha Page (left) and Lindsey Maguire at the start of the eights repechage|desc=Picture: Peter Spurrier|link=none|align=left|width=476|height=304]

Today’s other qualifiers were the lightweight men’s pair who came through a tight race with Switzerland to claim the second progression place behind Serbia.

Disappointment came, though, for the lightweight men’s four. This young combination were edged out of a semi-final place by the USA.

GB Rowing withdrew its men’s quadruple scull before racing began because of injury to Charles Cousins.

Tomorrow sees the start of semi-final racing and the programme includes seven British crews.

Olympic men’s four champions Andy Triggs Hodge and Pete Reed race in the men’s pair with Olivia Whitlam and Louisa Reeve in the equivalent women’s event.

Alan Campbell races Olympic champion Olaf Tufte in the men’s single scull but has avoided world champion Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand.

Katherine Grainger faces Zhang Xiuyun of China in her single scull semi-final in a favourable draw which sees three potential medal contenders in the opposing semi.

New Zealand and Great Britain’s Pete Reed and Andrew Triggs Hodge are the favourites in the men’s pair and have been drawn in separate semi-finals.

Slovenia and Germany look set to be strong challengers to the GB men’s four of Matt Langridge, Ric Egington, Alex Gregory and Alex Partridge.

Matt Wells and Stephen Rowbotham will be seeking a better start to their semi-final than their heat in the men’s double scull and they are definitely a crew who should progress and be in the medal zone on Saturday.

Anna Bebington and Annabel Vernon, Beijing medallists in separate crews, have come together in 2009 once more to form a strong women’s double scull. They have drawn Australia, Germany and Belarus amongst their semi-final line-up.

Olivia Whitlam is back focussing on the pair alone after doubling up into the GB eight earlier in the week. Whitlam races here with Louisa Reeve. They have been drawn in a strong semi-final which includes New Zealand and Germany who beat the GB duo at the world cup finals in Lucerne.

The semi-final racing programme begins at 12.30 and concludes at 15.30 British time.

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RACE REPORTS

Katie Greves stroked the GB women’s quadruple scull into Sunday’s finals here on Poznan’s Lake Malta today with a second-placed repechage finish in 6:28.59 behind winners Germany.

The GB quartet, including Ro Bradbury, Beth Rodford and Sarah Cowburn, were slower
in the first phase of the race today than in the heats. Germany took advantage and created an early lead with Russia second and Italy third. By 1300m Great Britain had begun to pick up the pace and came back up through the field shrugging off some pressure by New Zealand on the far side.[img_assist|nid=3386|title=The GB women’s quad in action in the repechages|desc=Picture: Peter Spurrier|link=none|align=right|width=352|height=190]

"We were a bit disappointed with the first half of our race today", said Greves. "It was pretty poor and we know we will need to move up on Sunday. Still, it’s good to qualify, though".

"Anyone can get a medal on Sunday", added Rodford, "I think we will be in with a good chance".

With 900m gone of the women’s eight repechage today, Great Britain had found a place in the racing pack behind leaders Germany from which they could begin to organise their second half campaign after a disappointing first phase of the race.

Gradually the field of six had already dropped Poland on the outside and Belarus on the inside began to find the pace tough. That left Canada, the Netherlands and GB dicing for a psychological lift going into Sunday’s final.

Past the Grandstands the GB crew drew closer and closer to second-placed Netherlands and consolidated their edge over Canada. At the end they ran out of room to overhaul the Dutch but took third place in 6:12.04

"We were disappointed with our first 500m today", said Jess Eddie, one of the more experienced members of this developing crew. "We weren’t with it at the start but then we got into our rhythm. Now we’re looking forward to Sunday".

GB Rowing’s lightweight men’s four were the first crew from the GB squad to miss out on a semi-final place in Poznan. In a well-contested repechage today the quartet of Chris Bartley, Chris Boddy, Stephen Feeney and Bob Hewitt were third in 6:03.67 behind winners France and second-placed USA.[img_assist|nid=3387|title=Disappointment for the lightweight men’s four|desc=Picture: Peter Spurrier|link=none|align=left|width=351|height=184]

In a tense first half of the race, GB jousted with the USA and New Zealand behind the race leaders France. For the final 800m the battle boiled down to GB v the USA with the Americans always slightly ahead but with the British closing. The USA held on to take the verdict by just under a second.

The lightweight men’s pair of Oli Mahony and Ross Hunter needed to corner one of the top two finishing positions in their repechage this morning. At 500m Serbia had the lead with Switzerland, on the far side, in second.

Serbia gradually pulled away leaving a battle royal between Switzerland and the British – with the Swiss crew being cheered on by British Olympic gold medallist Tim Foster, now heading the Swiss coaching programme, and the British duo by Steve Trapmore, also a British Olympic gold medallist from Sydney 2000.

With 600m to go, the British got their bowball ahead and held on to the line to take second and qualify for Sunday’s final in 6:39.53.[img_assist|nid=3388|title=The lightweight men’s pair held off Switzerland to make the final|desc=Picture: Peter Spurrier|link=none|align=right|width=251|height=152]

Later the lightweight women’s quadruple scull led their seeding race throughout to win in 6:35.94 and take the prime lane for Sunday’s final.

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RESULTS
(Races featuring GB crews only. For full results
log onto www.worldrowing.com)

REPECHAGES

OPEN

WOMEN

Eight

1. Germany 6:09.49
2. Netherlands 6:11.28
3. Jo Cook/Melanie Wilson/Michelle Vezie/Jess Eddie/
Tina Stiller/Alison Knowles/Natasha Page/Lindsey
Maguire (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:12.04
4. Canada 6:13.54
5. Poland 6:19.85
6. Belarus 6:24.93

Quadruple scull

1. Germany 6:22.22
2. Ro Bradbury/Beth Rodford/Sarah Cowburn/Katie Greves
(GREAT BRITAIN) 6:28.59
3. Italy 6:29.27
4. Russia 6:30.83
5. New Zealand 6:35.81
6. Belarus 6:40.54

MEN

Quadruple scull

GB withdrew prior to racing because of injury to Charles Cousins.

LIGHTWEIGHT

WOMEN

1. Stephanie Cullen/Laura Greenhalgh/Andrea Dennis/
Jane Hall (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:35.94
2. Canada 6:38.25
3. Germany 6:38.29
4. Poland 6:40.62
5. USA 6:40.78[img_assist|nid=3389|title=Laura Greenhalgh – a study in concentration|desc=Picture: Peter Spurrier|link=none|align=right|width=314|height=282]

MEN

Pair

1. Nenad Babovic/Milos Tomic (Serbia) 6:37.65
2. Ross Hunter/Oliver Mahony (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:39.53
3. Simon Niepmann/Oliver Angehrn (Switzerland) 6:39.96
4. Kenta Tadachi/Hidenori Daida (Japan) 6:49.33

Four

1. France 6:00.83
2. USA 6:02.93
3. Chris Bartley/Chris Boddy/Stephen Feeney/Bob Hewitt
(GREAT BRITAIN) 6:03.67
4. New Zealand 6:05.82
5. Russia 6:15.72
6. Indonesia 6:24.13

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RACING TIMETABLE

Events featuring GB crews
Times given are Polish time (one hour ahead of the UK).

L=Lightweight
M= Men
W=Women
-=Coxless
+= With cox
x=Sculling boat

(nb – subject to change. For up-to-date information
please see www.worldrowing.com).

THURSDAY 27 AUGUST

Semi-finals: 10.55 – 15.20

W2-, M2-, W2X, M2X, M4-, W1X, M1X

FRIDAY 28 AUGUST

Semi-finals: 13.30 – 15.20
LM1X, LW2X, LM2X, M4X

B finals: 11.25 – 12.15
ASM1X, TA2X, LTA4+

SATURDAY 29 AUGUST

Finals: 10.00 – 13.10

W2-, M2-, W2X, M2X, M4-, W1X, M1X
ASM1X, TA2X, LTA4+

B Finals: 14.30 – 16.30

LM2-, LM1X, W2-, M2-, W2X, M2X, M4-, W1X, M1X, LW4X, LW2X, LM2X, W4X, M4X, W8+, M8+

SUNDAY 30 AUGUST

Finals: 09.30 – 13.10

LM2-, LW4X, LM1X, LW2X, LM2X, W4X, W8+, M8+

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CREW LISTS
2009 World Rowing Championships, Poznan, Poland.
AUGUST , 2009
(Listed as bow to stroke plus cox unless otherwise indicated)

FULL BIOGS AVAILABLE AT: www.gbrowing.org.uk

OPEN

WOMEN

Pair

Olivia Whitlam (Agecroft/Warrington/16.09.85)/Louisa Reeve (Leander
Club/London/16.05.84)

Coach: Miles Forbes-Thomas

Eight

Jo Cook (Leander Club/Nottingham/22.03.84)/
Melanie Wilson (Molesey BC/London/25.6.84)/
Michelle Vezie (Molesey BC/London/30.11.87)/
Lindsey Maguire (Wallingford RC/Edinburgh/15.01.82)/
Jess Eddie (Uni of London BC/Durham/07.10.84)/
Tina Stiller (Nottingham RC/Yarm/23.06.87)/
Alison Knowles (Thames RC/Bournemouth/27.03.82)/
Natasha Page (Reading Uni BC/Hartpury/30.04.85)/

Caroline O’Connor (Oxford Brookes Uni BC/Ealing/25.04.83) (cox)

Coach: Miles Forbes-Thomas

Single scull

Katherine Grainger (St Andrew BC/Aberdeen/12.11.75)

Coach: Paul Thompson

Double scull

Anna Bebington (Leander Club/Leek, Staffs/13.02.83)/Annabel Vernon
(Marlow RC/Wadebridge/01.09.82)

Coach: Paul Thompson

Quadruple scull

Rosamund Bradbury (Westminster School BC/Banstead/17.12.88)/
Beth Rodford (Gloucester RC/Burton-on-Trent/ 28.12.82)/
Sarah Cowburn (Durham Uni BC/Redditch/01.02.89)/
Katie Greves (Leander Club/Oxford/02.09.82)/

Coach: Ade Roberts

MEN

Pair

Pete Reed (Leander Club/Nailsworth, Glos/27.07.81)/Andy Triggs Hodge
(Molesey BC/Hebden, N.Yorks/03.03.79)

Coach: Jurgen Grobler

Four

Alex Partridge (Leander Club/Alton, Hants/25.01.81)/Richard
Egington (Leander Club/Knutsford/26.02.79)/Alex Gregory (Reading
Uni BC/Wormington/11.03.84)/Matt Langridge(Leander Club/Northwich/20.05.83)

Coach: Mark Banks

Eight

Tom Broadway (Leander Club/Newport Pagnell/21.08.82)/
Tom Burton (Leander Club/Barton-le-Clay, Beds/24.05.80)/
James Orme (Leander Club/Colchester/01.04.84)/
Tom Solesbury (Isis BC/Petts Wood, Kent/23.09.80)/
Tom Wilkinson (Leander Club/Reading/04.07.85)/
Dan Ritchie (Reading Uni BC/Herne Bay/06.01.87)/
Tom Ransley (Cambridge University BC/ Ashford, Kent/06.09.85)/
James Clarke (London RC/London/31.12.84)/
Phelan Hill (cox) (Leander Club/Bedford/21.07.79)

Coach: Christian Felkel/John West

Single scull

Alan Campbell (Tideway Scullers/Coleraine/09.05.83)

Coach: Bill Barry

Double scull

Matt Wells (Leander Club/Hexham, Northumberland/19.04.79)/
Stephen Rowbotham (Leander Club/Winscombe, Somerset/11.11.81)

Coach: Mark Earnshaw

Quadruple Scull – WITHDRAWN ON WEDS 26 AUGUST DUE TO INJURY

Brendan Crean (Agecroft/Manchester/07.02.85)
Marcus Bateman (Leander Club/Torquay/16.09.82)/
Charles Cousins (Reading Uni BC/Cambridge/13.12.88)/
Sam Townsend (Reading Uni BC/Reading/26.11.85)

Coach: Mark Earnshaw

LIGHTWEIGHT

WOMEN

Double scull

Hester Goodsell (Reading Uni BC/Cambridge/27.06.84)/
Sophie Hosking (London RC/Wimbledon/25.01.86

Coach: Paul Reedy

Quadruple Scull

Stephanie Cullen (London RC/Putney, London/27.11.80)Laura Greenhalgh (London RC/Oxford/02.09.85)//Andrea Dennis (London RC/Oxford/03.01.82)/Jane Hall (Leander Club/Caversham/20.10.73)

Coach: Don McLachlan

Racing Spare

Single Scull
Elaine Johnstone (Tideway Scullers)

MEN

Pair

Ross Hunter (Leander Club/Romford, Essex/13.07.81)/
Oliver Mahony (London RC/London/21.10.83)

Coach: Steve Trapmore

Four

Chris Bartley (Leander Club/Chester/02.02.84)/
Chris Boddy (Tees RC/Stockton-on-Tees/16.11.87)/
Stephen Feeney (London RC/Coleraine/12.05.85)/
Bob Hewitt (Tees RC/Scarborough/27.04.87)/

Coach: Robin Williams

Single scull

Adam Freeman-Pask (Imperial College BC/Windsor/19.06.85)

Coach: Steve Trapmore

Double scull

Rob Williams (London RC/Maidenhead/21.01.85)/Paul Mattick
(Leander Club/Frome, Somerset/25.04.78)

Coach: Darren Whiter

ADAPTIVE (Paralympic classes)

Men’s Arms-only Single Scull

Tom Aggar (Royal Docks RC/Barnet, London/24.05.84)

Coach: Tom Dyson

Trunk and Arms Double Scull

James Roberts (City of Swansea RC/Prestatyn/11.05.86)/
Samantha Scowen (Dorney BC/Wokingham/29.10.87)

Coach: Tom Dyson

Mixed Adaptive Coxed Four

Vicki Hansford (Uni of Surrey BC/Farnborough/31.10.79)/
James Roe (Stratford-upon-Avon BC//Stratford-upon-Avon/
28.03.88)/Dave Smith (Reading Uni BC/Aviemore/21.04.78) /Naomi
Riches (Leander/Harrow, London 15.06.83)/Rhiannon Jones
(Reading Uni BC/Hereford/16.09.87) (cox)

Coach: Stuart Whitelaw

RESERVES

Men’s sweep

Nathaniel Reilly-O’Donnell (Uni of London/Durham/13.04.88)
Peter Marsland (Cambridge Uni BC/Hampton, Mx/06.03.85)

Women’s sweep

Reserve: Jacqui Round (Nottingham RC/St Neots/01.07.87)

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Management and Support Staff:

Performance Support Team:

David Tanner, Performance Director and Team Manager
Jurgen Grobler, Chief Coach (Men)
Paul Thompson, Chief Coach (Women & Lightweights)

Medical and Science Support:

Dr Ann Redgrave, Doctor
Mark Edgar, Physiotherapist
Karen Burn, Physiotherapist
Lilly Devine, Physiotherapist
Dr Chris Shambrook, Psychologist
Mark Homer, Physiologist
Wendy Martinson, Nutritionist

Adaptive Team Staff:

Louise Kingsley, Selector
Tom Dyson, Lead coach
Dr Lucy Free, Doctor
Chris Price, Physiotherapist

Logistics and Office Support:

Rachel Simon, Assistant Team Manager
Maurice Hayes, Resources Manager
Judi Read, Logistics Coordinator
Fran Bullock, Sponsorship Liaison
John Tetley, Boatman
John Brockway, Driver
Caroline Searle, Press Officer