World and British records obliterated at the British Rowing Indoor Championships 2025
World Records smashed, and British records fall at day 1 of the largest indoor rowing competition in the world
All sports have their grand arenas for heroes to showcase their talents. Stadiums, fields, and courses around the world are backdrops for masterpieces to be created, and the British Rowing Indoor Championships鈥 pantheon of performance anointed a new generation of champions.
Carving his name into the history books is Jeremy Martin. Racing in the Masters Open 75-79 2000m, he stormed into a lead that he held as he crossed the finish line. His time, 7:07.3 broke the previous World Record by 0.6s, a performance worthy of the gods. In the process, he also broke the previous British Record, held by Durham ARC鈥檚 Roger Stainforth.
This year, Stainforth was racing in the Masters Open 80-84 2000m, and much like previous outings at BRIC, he left with the gold medal.
Joining Martin in the pages of history is Stratford-upon-Avon BC’s Edward Owen Smith. He broke not one but two World Records, the 13-14 PR3-ID聽 500m and 1 minute with a time of 1:34.2 and a distance of 319m. Concept 2 have also verified that he holds the overall PR3 records for his age group. Outstanding.
In front of a raucous crowd, the 500m efforts saw noise levels tick up and up on the decibel meter. One of the standout performances came from Lakeland RC鈥檚 Samantha Ayers. The Brit set a new national record with a time of 1:43.5, 1.4s better than the previous best.
鈥淚t鈥檚 somewhat of a surprise, but it鈥檚 lovely to be able to do it in this atmosphere, and I鈥檇 love to thank everybody behind the scenes who put on all the hard work. A couple of weeks ago, I went slightly faster, but I鈥檓 now in an older age group so I鈥檇 like to beat my own record in a few months鈥 time,鈥 said Ayers.
The Open 500m was a special showdown. Featuring some of the finest sprinters across the globe, this year鈥檚 crop was one of the finest vintages we鈥檝e seen. World Record holder Phil Clapp clocked 1:12.2 to win, one second quicker than last year鈥檚 winning time. Anders Edquist also went below 1:13 to take silver, while 100m World Record holder Lo茂c Schalbetter took bronze in a time of 1:13.2.
For the Women鈥檚 event, V谩r Guriard贸ttir Hansen proved why she is one of the queens of sprinting. After conquering BRIC 12 months ago, the 100m World Record holder went four seconds better than last year to lift the crown once more. Alexia Palmer won silver while Eva Barrellon-Kendall, who was second last year, was third.
This year鈥檚 BRIC allowed spectators to peek through the looking glass into life as a member of the GB Rowing Team. 21 men and 13 women made the pilgrimage north for their all-important December 2000m tests alongside some of the greats of indoor rowing.
Olympic Champion Lauren Henry won the Women鈥檚 2000m for the second year in a row, breaking her own Championship Record in the process and sneaking under the 6:40 barrier with a time of 6:39.8. Becky Wilde, from the silver medal winning Women鈥檚 Quadruple Scull in Shanghai, took silver, while Olympic bronze medallist Lauren Irwin was third.
Speaking after the event, Henry said, 鈥淚t probably gives me bragging rights, but beyond Monday, not so much! I didn鈥檛 actually realise it was a Championship Record until I was told afterwards, so I鈥檓 really pleased with that. It鈥檚 a big marker going through 6:40, and to that after five weeks of training back, I鈥檓 really pleased about that.鈥
In the Open 2000m, 16 athletes went below the six-minute wall. Leading the pack and winning in a time of 5:47.9 was Tobias Schr枚der, 1.4s ahead of Archie Drummond, with Callum Dixon rounding off the podium.
Across the Sixth Form races, Thomas Pakulis won the Boys 2000m, clocking 6:09.6, while Canford School BC鈥檚 Freya Coupe won the Girls 2000m in 7:09.7
鈥淚t鈥檚 really special. BRIC is a unique event for us, and it鈥檚 not every day you get to do an erg test in front of this kind of crowd. It felt very similar to being out on the water and doing a good race. I鈥檝e never really had that feeling on the erg where you can see you鈥檙e ahead and moving through the middle. It gave me a lift and a bit of confidence through the middle,鈥 said Schr枚der, who raced at his first Senior World Championships back in September.
The Adaptive racing provided some of the most memorable moments of the event. After winning the PR1 Open 2000m, just outside of his World Record time, Paralympic Champion Benjamin Pritchard galvanised the crowd as he roared on his fellow competitors in the PR2 Women鈥檚 2000m.
In the IAR7 Open 2000m, Aidan Leverage won in a Championship Record time. This was the first of two 2000m events within an hour for Aidan, as he looks to raise money and awareness for Epilepsy Action UK.
鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing, and it鈥檚 so accessible, that鈥檚 what鈥檚 great about our sport,鈥 said Pritchard.
鈥淭he indoor sport is super accessible, and BRIC shows you can row from a very young age to a much older age with any impairment. It was really important for me to get amongst the community of adaptive rowing and race with them. BRIC has had adaptive racing for a very long time, and it鈥檚 great to see it grow from strength to strength.鈥
More British Records have also been rewritten throughout the day. In the fifth race of the morning, Doncaster RC鈥檚 Val Jones set a new British Record in the Masters 75-79 Women 2000m, knocking more than 11s off the previous best, held since 2016.
In the Masters 65-69 Lwt Women 2000, Fiona Jamie can also say she is the best there ever has been in Britain after beating the previous record by upwards of five seconds.
Racing commenced with Toby Clay, current British Record holder in the half-marathon and 60 minutes, winning the Masters 50-54 Open 2000m. In the process, he beat last year鈥檚 winner Freid Eggum, into second place. Ulf Herzog, racing at his first ever BRIC, placed 11th in a field of 33 rowers.
Just one race later, the result was decided by the closest of margins. American Joey Wurtz showed his unbreakable spirit coming from more than five seconds down with 500m to go to win by 0.1s ahead of Team Oarsome鈥檚 Adrian Peel.
Those in the grandstand for the first wave of races were treated to a third peach of race on the bounce. Southampton Coalporters RC 鈥榮 Kirsty Joisce went back-to-back in the Masters 50-54 Women 2000m, winning by four seconds. Following her was Helen Pearce, who won the Masters 60-64 Women 2000m on her first outing at BRIC.
During today鈥檚 racing, a medical emergency took place on the race floor. This resulted in a delay in racing. Our thoughts are with the competitor and their family. Thank you to our medical team, the emergency services and paramedics for their quick response and expert attention.
