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First again for Glover

Perhaps fittingly as the first to win gold for TeamGB overall at last summer’s Games, Helen Glover became the first GB rower, with new crew-mate Polly Swann, to reach the finals of the World Cup in Sydney.

The Cornish-Scottish women’s pair combination never looked pressured as they won by a significant margin.

“It’s exciting to be racing again” said Glover. “We know it will be a challenging final though with doubling up in the eight. But I am enjoying racing and this morning was a building block”.

Glover and Swann received a good luck card from Glover’s Olympic gold medal crew-mate Heather Stanning before racing today.

Other strong GB heats performances came from Frances Houghton and Vicki Meyer-Laker in the women’s double with Adam Freeman-Pask and Richard Chambers heading an engaging heat of the lightweight men’s double.

With shallow entries in the men’s four, men’s quad and men’s eight here – all three GB boats “raced for lanes’ today in order to secure a good lane for Sunday’s finals.

The men’s quad of Charles Cousins, Sam Townsend, Bill Lucas and Graeme Thomas won a tight battle with New Zealand to win and the men’s eight looked strong to hold off the USA. The men’s four were second.

Moe Sbihi likened the development of the new British eight to “sharpening a knife out of a blunt stone”. He said: “That’s the way I explained it when we were talking at the training camp. Now we will have to see if all the work we put in there has done the job.

Today it was good to be back racing, to get out on the water and judge ourselves against other nations and it doesn’t feel strange that it’s earlier in the year than usual. There has been a great camaraderie across the team on training camp and throughout the winter and taking us into this event”.

Ruth Walczak rounded off the morning with a heat victory in the lightweight women’s single to bring the tally to eight boats into finals with seven heat or prelim wins. Five GB crews now race repechages tomorrow.

This evening’s session will see the women’s eight heats and preliminary races for the men’s double and light men’s four. Temperatures are due to rise today to over 30 degrees.

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RACE REPORTS

Monica Relph, Zoe Lee, Olivia Carnegie-Brown and Kristina Stiller made a good start to their women’s quad heat tracking New Zealand to 500m and totally in contention. With 800m gone the Kiwis pulled away to a four second lead at halfway and GB could not make up the margin to take second in 6:39.85.

����ڴǰ���’s Katie Greves and Jess Eddie, of Durham, put in a strong second half of their women’s pair heat to overhaul Australia and take second place behind the USA. They race a repechage as only one crew progressed to the final.

It is early in the season to tell but it looks as if the GB Rowing Team has found another quick women’s pair with Olympic champion Helen Glover teaming up here with Polly Swann who missed 2012 through injury.

The Penzance – Edinburgh crew were ahead by 250m and went on to around four lengths.

Glover said: “It obviously feels very different to racing with Heather [Stanning] last year. That includes the race calls and all the stuff that had become unspoken. Racing with someone different means that you have to build all that up again – which is not a problem, it’s just different”.

�ұ��dzܳ�����ٱ��’s Beth Rodford and Wrexham’s Vicky Thornley had to make up ground in their women’s double heat. They moved from fourth at 500m to second at halfway but could not make inroads on the eventual winners New Zealand. So the duo now race e repechage.

Somewhat conversely ����ڴǰ���’s Frances Houghton and Vicki Meyer-Laker who hails from Premnay in Aberdeenshire, found enough steam to come back on China’s Fei Wang and Zhang Xiuyun in the final 500m to win in 7:04.36 and take a place in Sunday’s final.

Houghton last raced on the Penrith course as a young and talented sculler finishing ninth in the women’s double at the 2000 Games in an Olympic career that subsequently included two silver medals and a place in the final at London 2012.

Kathryn Twyman and Inverness’ Imogen Walsh struck up a good rythmn in their heat and even though they did not have sufficient fire-power to topple New Zealand they can take positives before racing the repechage.

Their male counterparts Adam Freeman-Pask, from Windsor, and Richard Chambers of Coleraine, showed their pedigree as seasoned racers to come back on China after 500m and go on to win in 6:41.27. China also made it through to Sunday’s final.

���������ɱ����’s Jamie Kirkwood, the GB lightweight men’s single entry here, was second in his heat to face a repechage tomorrow. He was beaten by Germany’s Jost Schoemann-Fink who has based himself for four months in Australia and who is racing both the open and lightweight single here.

��dz���岹�����’ Ruth Walczak won her heat of the lightweight women’s single by a considerable margin over Canada to book a deserved final slot.

The GB Rowing Team’s men’s eight got its first run-out today in a race for lanes. First impressions are favourable. The crew, coxed by Phelan Hill, looked strong in emerging at 1300m gone to take the lead and then hold off a final surge from the USA to win in 5:40.87 and take pole in Sunday’s final. The crew features Olympic men’s four champions Gloucestershire’s Pete Reed and Alex Gregory with Yorkshire’s Andy Triggs Hodge at stroke as well as a cluster of 2012 men’s eight bronze medalists.

2013 could be the season when Olympians Bill Lucas, from Devon, Charles Cousins, of Cambridge, and Reading’s Sam Townsend make a big step forward. Racing here in the men’s quad with Preston’s Graeme Thomas, they looked strong in holding off the New Zealanders and Australians to win in 5:55.00.

�ٳܰ��󲹳�’s Nathaniel Reilly O’Donnell a World silver medallist in the men’s eight provides the experience within the new-look GB Rowing Team men’s four for this regatta. He and Lancaster’s Scott Durrant, Alan Sinclair, of Inverness, and Shepperton’s Matthew Tarrant will have lapped up the experience this morning of their “race for lanes’. They finished just down on New Zealand in a two-horse race as the two Australian crews decided not to race before the final.

Jonathan Walton was making his senior world cup debut here. His early race effort was rewarded as the remainder of the field dropped back to conserve energy for the repechages. Victory to the Leicester sculler came in 7:24.34 ensuring a place in Sunday’s final.

This evening’s session includes preliminary races for the men’s double and lightweight men’s four as well as a opening heat for the GB women’s eight, coxed by Londoner Zoe de Toledo with all of the rowers having raced in either a pair or double scull this morning.

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RESULTS
(events featuring GB Rowing Team crews only. Full results at www.worldrowing.com)

OPEN

WOMEN

Pair (Winner to Final A, rest to repechage)

Heat 1

1. Meghan Musnicki/Caroline Lind (USA 2) 7:23.50
2. Katie Greves/Jess Eddie (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:29.69
3. Charlotte Sutherland/Alexandra Hagan (Australia 2) 7:33.25
4. Xu Ying/Cui Xiaotong (China 1) 7:47.44

Heat 2

1. Helen Glover/Polly Swann (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:22.85
2. Tess Gerrand/Katrina Bateman (Australia 1) 7:35.67
3. Christine Roper/Sarah Black (Canada) 7:45.64
4. Wang Xiaoqin/Gu Yuanyuan (China 2) 8:02.98

Double scull (winner to final, rest to repechage)

Heat 1

1. Fiona Bourke/Zoe Stevenson (New Zealand) 7:05.72
2. Beth Rodford/Victoria Thornley (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:15.69
3. Jennifer Cleary/Rebekah Hooper (Australia) 7:18.83
4. Tian Liang/Zhang Yangyang (China 1) 7:24.98

Heat 2

1. Frances Houghton/Victoria Meyer-Laker (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:04.36
2. Wang Fei/Zhang Xiuyun (China 3 ) 7:08.97
3. Megan Kalmoe/Esther Lofgen (USA 1) 7:14.81

Quadruple scull (Winner to final, rest to repechage)

1. New Zealand 6:36.94
2. Monica Relph/Zoe Lee/Olivia Carnegie-Brown/Kristina Stiller (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:39.85
3. China 1 6:55.12

MEN

Four

Race for lanes

1. New Zealand 6:09.45
2. Scott Durrant/Alan Sinclair/Matthew Tarrant/Nathaniel Reilly O’Donnell (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:10.82

Eight

Race for lanes

1. Dan Ritchie/Tom Ransley/Lance Tredell/Matthew Gotrel/Mohamed Sbihi/Alex Gregory/Pete Reed/Andrew Triggs Hodge/Phelan Hill (cox) 5:40.87
2. USA 5:42.67
3. Australia 1 5:45.16
4. New Zealand 5:46.26
5. Australia 2 DNS

Single scull (Winner to final, rest to repechage)

1. Jonathan Walton (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:27.34
2. Peter Purcell-Gilpin (Zimbabwe) 7:40.83
3. Jost Schoemann-Fink (Germany) 7:49.85
4. Tuan Dang (Vietnam) 7:51.12

Quadruple scull

Race for lanes

1. Bill Lucas/Graeme Thomas/Charles Cousins/Sam Townsend (GREAT BRITAIN) 5:55.00
2. New Zealand 5;58.56
3. Australia 6:38.62

LIGHTWEIGHT

WOMEN

Single scull (winner to final, rest to repechage)

1. Ruth Walczak (GREAT BRITAIN) 8:02.18
2. Lindsay Sferrazza (Canada 1) 8:19.07
3. Lee Ka Man (Hong Kong) 8:28.18
4. Saiyidah Aisyah (Singapore) 8:48.10

Double scull (winner to final, rest to repechage)

1. Julia Edward/Lucy Strack (New Zealand) 7:07.92
2. Kathryn Twyman/Imogen Walsh (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:11.24
3. Choi Jeong Koon/Kim Myungshin (Korea 2) 7:36.63
4. Yuniarti Yuniarti/Maryam Daimoi (Indonesia) 7:41.60
5. Ng Wing Hei/Lee Yeun Yin (Hong Kong) 7:53.65
6. Tran An/Pham Thi Thao (Vietnam) 8:28.20

MEN

Single scull (Top two to final, rest to repechage)

1. Jost Schoemann-Finck (Germany) 7:21.71
2. Jamie Kirkwood (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:31.09
3. Lee Hakbeom (Korea) 7:40.52
4. Hamzah Nadzrie (Singapore) 8:02.98

Double scull (Top two to final, rest to repehcage)

1. Adam Freeman-Pask/Richard Chambers (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:41.27
2. Wang Jun/Kong Deming (China 1) 6:46.31
3. Tang Chiu Mang/Lok Kwan Hoi (Hong Kong 2) 6:52.17
4. Ihram Ihram/Yakin Muhad (Indonesia) 6:54.16
5. Duong Thanh Binh/Nyugen Van Son (Vietnam) 7:10.58

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GB Rowing Team – Crew List
2013 World Rowing Cup, Sydney

OPEN

WOMEN

Pair – (two boats)

Helen Glover / Minerva Bath / Penzance / 17/06/86
Polly Swann / Leander Club / Edinburgh / 15/06/88

Katie Greves / Leander Club / Oxford / 02/09/82
Jessica Eddie / Univ of London BC / Durham / 07/10/84

Coach: Robin Williams

Double scull – (two boats)

Beth Rodford / Gloucester RC / Gloucester / 28/12/82
Victoria Thornley / Leander Club / Wrexham / 30/11/87

Frances Houghton / Leander Club / Oxford / 19/09/80
Vicki Meyer-Laker / Leander Club / Premnay / 18/03/88

Coach: Paul Thompson

Quadruple scull

Monica Relph / Leander Club / Cambridge / 15/01/88
Zoe Lee / Sport Imperial BC / Richmond, N. Yorks / 15/12/85
Olivia Carnegie-Brown/Oxford Brookes Uni / Oxford / 28/03/91
Kristina Stiller / Tees RC/ Yarm, N.Yorks / 23/06/87

Coach: Nick Strange

Eight

Katie Greves / Leander Club / Oxford / 02/09/82
Jessica Eddie / London RC/ Durham / 07/10/84
Beth Rodford / Gloucester RC / Gloucester / 28/12/82
Vicky Meyer-Laker / Leander Club / Premnay / 18/03/88
Frances Houghton / Leander Club / Oxford / 19/09/80
Victoria Thornley / Leander Club / Wrexham / 30/11/87
Helen Glover / Minerva Bath / Penzance / 17/06/86
Polly Swann / Leander Club / Edinburgh / 15/06/88
Zoe de Toledo (cox) / Leander Club / London / 17/07/87

Coaches: Paul Thompson/Robin Williams

Spares

Erica Bodman / Leander Club / Guernsey / 24/01/1988

OPEN

MEN

Four

Scott Durant / Oxford Brookes Uni BC / Lancaster / 12/02/88
Nathaniel Reilly O’Donnell/ Uni of London BC / Durha m / 13/04/88
Alan Sinclair / Leander Club / Inverness / 16/10/85
Matthew Tarrant / Oxford Brookes Uni BC / Shepperton / 11/07/90

Coach: Christian Felkel

Eight

Matt Gotrel / Leander Club / Chipping Camden / 01/03/89
Alex Gregory / Leander Club / Wormington / 11/03/84
Tom Ransley / Leander Club / Cambridge / 06/09/85
Pete Reed / Leander Club / Nailsworth, Glos / 27/07/81
Dan Ritchie / Leander Club / Herne Bay / 16/01/87
Mohamed Sbihi / Molesey BC / Surbiton / 27/03/88
Lance Tredell / Leander Club / Hale / 25/10/88
Andrew Triggs Hodge / Molesey BC / Hebden, N. Yorks / 03/03/79
Phelan Hill (cox) / Leander / Bedford / 21/07/79

Coach: Jurgen Grobler

Single scull

Jonathan Walton / Leander Club / Leicester / 06/10/90

Coach: Mark Banks

Double scull

John Collins / Leander Club / Twickenham / 24/01/89
Pete Lambert / Leander Club / Johannesburg / 03/12/86

Coach: Mark Banks

Quadruple scull

Charles Cousins / Leander Club / Willingham, Cambs / 13/12/88
Bill Lucas / London RC / Kingswear / 13/09/87
Graeme Thomas / Agecroft RC / Preston / 08/11/88
Sam Townsend / Reading Univ BC / Reading / 26/11/85

Coach: Mark Earnshaw

Spare

Oliver Cook / Uni of London / Windsor / 05/06/1990

LIGHTWEIGHT

WOMEN

Double scull

Kathryn Twyman / Wallingford RC / Oxford / 29/03/87
Imogen Walsh / London RC / Inverness / 17/01/84

Coach: Paul Reedy

Single scull
Ruth Walczak / Molesey BC / Rochdale / 15/09/88

Coach: Paul Reedy

LIGHTWEIGHT

MEN

Double scull

Richard Chambers / Leander Club / Coleraine / 10/06/85
Adam Freeman-Pask / Reading Uni BC/ Windsor / 19/06/85

Coach: Darren Whiter

Four

Chris Bartley / Leander Club / Chester / 02/02/84
Chris Boddy / Leander Club / Thornaby-on-Tees / 16/11/87
Pete Chambers / Oxford Brookes Uni BC / Oxford / 14/03/90
Jonno Clegg / Leander Club / Maidenhead/14/07/89

Coach: Rob Morgan

Single scull

Jamie Kirkwood / Leander Club / Cresswell / 30/08/89

Coach: Rob Morgan

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OUTLINE RACING TIMETABLE
(All times given are local times. Sydney is 11 hours ahead of the UK. Times may be subject to change once all entries and the draw are known)

Friday 22 March

08.00 – 10.00 – heats

First GB race or morning session – women’s quad at 8.00am;
Last GB Race of morning session – lightweight men’s single scull at 9.54am.

17.55 – 18.31 – Heats and Repechages

First GB race of evening session – men’s double at 18.15;
Last GB race of evening session – women’s eight at 18.25

Saturday 23 March
08.00 – 09.30 – Reps and Semi-finals
17.00 – 17.42 – B Finals

Sunday 24 March
09.30 – 12.45 – FINALS

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CONTACT DETAILS

For media enquiries about this event please contact:

Caroline Searle on (01225) 443998 or (NB Sydney is 11 hours ahead of the UK) 07831 755351 (or e-mail [email protected]

GB Rowing Team website, including full rower biogs: www.gbrowingteam.org.uk

Follow us on:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/gbrowingteam
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Youtube: www.youtube.com/gbrowingteam

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The GB Rowing Team is supported by the National Lottery with Science in Sport as its nutrition supplier.