Congratulations to all of the below who have been recognised for their performances for the Great Britain Rowing Team in the past year. The following awards were presented in a ceremony held at Caversham after Final Trials last weekend.

The Mark Lees Trophy: Presented to up and coming female and male rowers 

In 2021, Lola Anderson (above) won a bronze medal at World Cup 2 and the Princess Royal Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta. Lola has now joined the senior squad and was the winner in the Women’s Single Sculls (W1x) at the recent April 2022 final trials.

Douwe de Graaf and Calvin Tarczy, pictured above, won a silver medal at World Cup 3 in Sabaudia and became U23 World Champions in the Men’s Pair (M2-). They are both currently studying in the USA.

The Dan Topolski Award: Recognises the work of a leading development coach 

Helen Brown, Start Coach at Twickenham and pictured above, is on UK Sport’s Female Coaches Leadership Programme.�� She is working with a group of athletes with exciting potential, Vwaire Obukohwo and Callum Dixon, the reigning U23 World Champion in the Men’s Double Sculls (M2x).

BOA Athletes of the Year: Awarded to a male and female Olympic athlete who best uphold the BOA values of pride, unity, responsibility and respect 

Imogen Grant (above) came agonisingly close to a medal in Tokyo in the Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls (LW2x). She has shown huge dignity in defeat, appreciates the value of teamwork and is highly motivated to achieve her dreams in Paris. Most recently, you may have seen Imogen stroking the winning women’s Cambridge Blue Boat on the Tideway.

Jack Beaumont (above) represented Great Britain for 11 years since competing at the World Rowing Junior Championships in 2010. He has won many medals throughout his career and raced at two Olympic Games. At the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games he led the Men’s Quad (M4x) to a historic silver medal for GB in this event. He has recently retired from the team, but his love and passion for rowing remain and he is still heavily involved in the sport.

The BPA Athlete of the Year: Presented to a member of our Paralympic team who has upheld the BPA values of excellence honesty and trust

Oliver Stanhope (above) set the standard for the group in terms of quality of training and positive attitude throughout the 2020 cycle. He has made physical and technical progress year-on-year since joining the squad in 2017 and is the only athlete from the squad to win a gold medal at every World Championships and the Paralympic Games in the 2020 cycle.

Thanks to AllMarkOne and Izzy Cooper for photos

The post Athletes and Start Coach recognised for their contributions to the GB Rowing Team appeared first on British Rowing.

The team has been in preparation over the last few weeks off the back of Henley Royal Regatta and is predominantly made up of young athletes and coaches competing in their first international Championships.

There are a few athletes who competed at July’s U23 World Rowing Championships in Racice, Czech Republic and will bring experience to the young team.. This includes three athletes who won gold medals. Joshua Bowesman-Jones returns to race in the men’s eight and Daisy Bellamy & Holly Dunford will race in the women’s pair after their success in the women’s four in Racice.

Peter Sheppard, British Rowing’s Chief Coach for U23s and Juniors said: “This event provides another important Championship racing opportunity in 2021 for our U23 athletes and their coaches at the end of a challenging 12 months for everyone where high level competition opportunities have been limited.”

“T��� majority of the young team will be using this opportunity to make their mark as U23s ready for next season, looking to step up to the U23 World Championships Team in 2022, when they are again eligible as U23s. The team is represented by 14 different clubs and programmes from across the UK including athletes and coaches from the World Class Start TID Programmes and the GBRT funded High Performance Programmes in Clubs.”

Racing at the Europeans in the Men’s and Women’s Double Sculls will be Nathan Hull & Callum Dixon and Cam Nyland & Sarah Ferris. These athletes missed out on the U23 World Championships due to a Covid contact issue and will be using this opportunity to demonstrate their standard as leading U23s and also their potential as scullers towards Paris in 2024.

Sheppard concludes: “Many nations will use this event as a stepping stone to motivate athletes and coaches towards next season, while finishing off the 2021 season on a high. All of our Great Britain crews and their coaches are excited and looking forward to testing themselves on the European stage against their European competitors – some of whom raced recently in Tokyo at the Olympic Games.”

You can follow the GB Rowing Team live from Kruszwica every day on .

GB Rowing crews for U23 European Championships

Men’s eight  (M8+)

• Isaac Workman (Club: University of London BC)
• Theo Darlow (Molesey BC)
• James Forward (Oxford University BC)
• Henry Marles (University of London BC)
• James Doran (Edinburgh University BC)
• Joshua Bowesman-Jones (Oxford University BC)
• Jack Prior (Oxford Brookes University BC)
• Freddie Allinson (Leander Club)
• Wilf Le Brocq (cox) (Leander Club)

Coach: Hugo Gulliver (University of London BC)

Men’s coxed four (M4+)

• Bruce Turnell (Newcastle University BC)
• Tom Shewell (Oxford Brookes University BC)
• Jake Wincomb (Oxford Brookes University BC)
• Josh Burke (University of Surrey BC/Molesey BC)
• Joe Salter (cox) (University of London BC)

Coach: Genevieve Bailhache (University of London BC)

Men’s double sculls (M2x)

• Nathan Hull (Queen’s University Belfast BC)
• Callum Dixon (Twickenham RC)

Coach: Helen Brown (WCS Twickenham)

Men’s pair (M2-)

• Dan Graham (Leander Club)
• Matt Rowe (Oxford Brookes University BC)

Coach: Brian Young (University of London BC)

Men’s quadruple sculls (M4x)

• Matthew Fielding (Edinburgh University BC)
• Peter Morgan (Strathclyde Park RC)
• Joseph Adamson (Newcastle University BC)
• Miles Devereux (Oxford Brookes University BC)

Coach: Tom Young (WCS Strathclyde)

Women’s four (W4-)

• Phoebe Snowden (University of London BC)
• Hannah Cooper (Oxford Brookes University BC/Wisconsin)
• Georgie Robinson-Ranger (University of London BC)
• Isy Hawes (Oxford Brookes University BC)

Coach: Richard Chambers (Oxford Brookes University BC)

Women’s pair (W2-)

• Holly Dunford (Molesey BC/University of Washington)
• Daisy Bellamy (Oxford Brookes University BC)

Coach: Pete Sheppard (GB Rowing Team)

Women’s double sculls (W2x)

• Cam Nyland (Warrington RC)
• Sarah Ferris (University of Worcester RC)

Coach: Jamie Wilton (University of Worcester RC)

Lightweight Women’s single sculls (LW1x)

• Olivia Bates (Nottinghamshire County RA)

Coach: Dec Gamble (Nottinghamshire County RA) 

The post Nine GB crews to compete at 2021 U23 Europeans Rowing Championships appeared first on British Rowing.

1 – How did you get into the sport?

My parents have both rowed since they were at school and university, so they took my siblings and I to our local rowing club in Broxbourne. I was 10 when I joined, so I’ve been a member for 17 years!

2 – How did the volunteers there support your journey into rowing?

When I started at Broxbourne the junior squad was relatively small with only a couple of other kids. It grew and expanded loads when I was there – thanks to the commitment of the volunteer coaches and helpers.

The coaches were really good at letting us enjoy the sport. We trained hard, but they created an environment that meant kids from all walks of life could join the squad, could fit in and have a good time. I think this is one of the reasons I’m still enjoying the sport now, we didn’t put too much pressure and intensity into it when I was a junior.

3 – Any particular memories?

There were volunteer coaches who would run learn to row courses as well as coaching the top crew at the club. It was entirely volunteer led. Even off the water there was a rota for each squad to make breakfast for the other squads, everyone pitched in.

The coaches organised rowing camps in the Easter Holidays at Shiplake College. They dedicated so much time to help us improve and enjoy the sport.

“When you’re a junior you don’t really realise or appreciate how much of a sacrifice people are making… just to help you succeed”

4 – Tell me about your first coach and the impact she had on you?

My first coach was Noelle Stallard. She was in charge of the juniors for the entire time I rowed at Broxbourne and for many years after. Noelle dedicated so many hours to my development as well as to the whole squad.

I think when you’re a junior you don’t really realise or appreciate how much of a sacrifice people are making spending so many hours at the club in the evenings and weekends just to help you succeed.

I really appreciate it now and can’t believe how much time Noelle gave up to help me. She drove me and lots of other kids up and down from Nottingham and Boston and all over the place.

She was at the club helping out every week for years and the junior squad wouldn’t be what it is without her.

Noelle is pictured with Dame Katherine Grainger at the 2017 British Rowing Awards after receiving her Club Performance Coach Commendation

5 – Does Broxbourne have any paid coaches, or are they all volunteers?

When I was training there the club was entirely volunteer-run, however, it now has a couple of paid coaches – but not for the juniors.

6 – Looking beyond your GB career, do you think you will stay in the sport, perhaps as a volunteer?

I’m sure I will. My parents are still training hard at Broxbourne, so I feel like it’s in my genes.

My mum helped Noelle when I was a junior. She would be out coxing and looking after the beginners in order to make sure Noelle, or her husband Matt, were free to coach me.

Once I went to uni, she started rowing again in the women’s squad, so it’s nice for her to get coached now rather than helping everyone else with theirs.

7 – Moving to Tokyo, what are you looking forward to most?

I’m looking forward to the racing, obviously, and seeing how we get on. But I also think being in the Olympic Village will just be so cool. It’ll obviously be different to other Olympics, but it’s always been this sort of elusive place that only so few people get to go to. Being there with all the other athletes will be surreal.

8 – Finally, when the rowing training is done, how do you like to relax and chill out?

I love being in the garden and just relaxing and pottering around outside.

Photos: Nick Middleton

The post ‘Noelle dedicated so many hours to my development as well as to the whole squad’ appeared first on British Rowing.

GB rowers are competing on the water at the European Rowing Championships in Varese this weekend. Read on for our summary!

About Varese

Varese is located in the north-western part of the Italian Lombardy region, on the border with Switzerland. The city rises in the middle of a territory rich in rivers and green hills, large and small lakes with picturesque shores, at the foot of the Campo dei Fiori regional park.

Varese is one of the most popular rowing courses in the world due to its central location in Europe and its fair racing conditions.

The Championships

Marking the start of the 2021 international rowing season, the European Rowing Championships run from 9 to 11 April 2021 in Varese, Italy.

Racing will take place on Lake Varese which last hosted international rowing in 2016 with the World Rowing Cup I. This is the second time Varese has hosted the European Championships.

After a 2020 season that was lean on live rowing events, there are still many precautions in place for 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. But the European Championships looks set to be business as usual on the racing front, with 629 athletes attending from 35 countries. The Great Britain Rowing Team comprises 64 athletes, with 18 boats entered.

How can I watch?

Racing begins on Friday 9 April with heats from 8am BST and progresses through repechages, semifinals and to the A-finals starting at 8.55am BST on Sunday 11 April.

You can watch the GB Rowing Team in Varese live on Sunday, 11 April from 8.55am on the BBC Red Button, iPlayer and BBC website and all the A Finals on BBC2 from 1pm-3pm. The semi-finals will also be shown on the Red Button on Saturday, 10 April from 9.30am.

You can also follow the action on www.worldrowing.com and British Rowing social media channels in the build-up to finals weekend.

British Rowing members can read along with more great content related to the GB Rowing Team on

The GB Rowing Team

Great Britain did not attend the 2020 European Championships last October due to the coronavirus, but they are making up for it this time with a large team of 64 athletes and 18 boats.

The pandemic has opened up some amazing opportunities for athletes, none more so than for double Olympic champion and mother of three, Helen Glover, who will be racing in the women’s pair with Olympic silver medallist, Polly Swann.

The women’s single sculls will be a hotly contested event with entries from 17 countries. Included in the line-up is Great Britain’s Victoria Thornley, who finished in fourth place at the 2019 World Championships.

Later this spring, the GB Rowing Team will have the opportunity to qualify four additional boats for this summer’s Olympic Games – the lightweight men’s double sculls (LM2x), men’s single scull (M1x), men’s pair (M2-) and women’s double sculls (W2x).

All four boats will be racing in Varese as a warm-up to the Final Qualifying Olympic Regatta in Lucerne in May. The crews selected for the Europeans comprise Sam Mottram & Jamie Copus in the LM2x, Matthew Haywood in the M1x, Harry Glenister & Morgan Bolding in the M2- and Holly Nixon & Saskia Budgett in the W2x.

The European Rowing Championships also marks another milestone for British Rowing, being the first time ever that a Para team will be racing at the event. GB Rowing Team will include Benjamin Pritchard in the PR1 M1x, Lauren Rowles & Laurence Whiteley in the PR2 M2x and Ellen Buttrick, Giedre Rakauskaite, James Fox, Ollie Stanhope and Erin Kennedy (cox) in the PR3 Mix 4+.

For the full GB Rowing Team line-up click here.

The post All you need to know about the 2021 European Rowing Championships appeared first on British Rowing.

Back in March as the UK went into lockdown, leading artist was set to create his signature paintings of the GB rowers at the Olympic Trials. But, because of the pandemic, Ben ended up creating his striking artwork from videos instead.

Ben is pictured above with his painting, Rowing for Victory, which depicts Rory Gibbs and Matt Rossiter battling it out with Moe Sbihi and Ollie Wynne Griffith in the men’s pairs A final.

Prints of this painting are now available to buy from the British Rowing shop, including .

Bursting with dynamism and power, Ben’s trademark style reflects the brutal physical demands of competing in sport.

Not one to shy away from pressure himself, he also paints artwork ‘live’ and is one of Britain’s leading live artists. Over the last 10 years, he’s raised a staggering £750,000 for charities by painting live commissions.

His work is extremely popular and includes commissions from Wembley Stadium, Manchester United, McDonalds and The London Olympics, amongst many others.

We caught up with Ben to find out more.

How did you first get involved with rowing?

Ben: “In 2012 I was at the Olympics and I went down to the Olympic Stadium and produced a lot of . I did a huge mural showing the athletes coming from the crowd to convey the special Olympic spirit.

“I did a painting of the men’s four – Andrew Triggs Hodge, Tom James, Pete Reed and Alex Gregory. I finished this painting three to four hours after they won the gold.

“Team GB appointed me as an official artist of the 2020 Olympic Games. I was painting at their HQ and I met Daniela [British Rowing’s Commercial Manager] and we talked about painting at the GB Trials.

“We had to be creative because we weren’t at the Trials, so we studied the videos.”

I think the athleticism and dynamism of rowing suits my style

Thoughts on rowing?

“It’s an endurance sport – I don’t think there’s anywhere to hide – and, as an artist, it’s a great sport to depict.

“T���y’re gladiators but, like cyclists, they have to be team players too. The way they give everything to get over the line, it symbolises life in a way: you have to have pain and hardship to get there.

“I think the athleticism and dynamism of rowing suits my style.

“I like sport because it brings people together. It’s a celebration, but then you also have the skill of the athlete.”

As with the athletes, you and fellow official Team GB artist-in-residence, Max Denison-Pender, should be in Tokyo now…

“T��� postponement of the Olympics was devastating for everyone, but I’m really pleased for athletes to be able to have a break and rest – and at least they can train. It’s a sore blow to have it postponed, but at least we can build up some momentum when the virus leaves us alone – it gives us more time to plan.

“T��� was confirmed in January, so it gives Max and myself more time to build relationships before next year. It’s quite unusual for two artists to be working together, but there’s an element of being in a team.

“I’m 38 and Max is 21, so there’s a different way in which we see the world. We have completely different styles, so we bring different things.”

What does it mean to you to be official Team GB artist?

“It means absolutely everything to me and is the pinnacle of my career. It’s something I’ve been working towards since I completed my fine art degree in 2003.

“Over 16 years there’s been some great moments, but also some difficult moments as well and at times it’s been frustrating because I am so ambitious; so when Team GB made me an official artist it was a 16-year realisation in my career.”

Your job as an artist is to communicate a story of someone’s brilliance and the story of the crowd

How would you describe your signature style?

“My style is expressionistic – I do like strong lines and form, like Picasso, and colour, like Matisse.

“T��� journey is the process – I’m a painter and combine some woodcut and mono printing techniques. I work with acrylic and use precious materials like 24k gold. Prices are astronomical for these precious materials and high-quality acrylic!”

Which painting means the most to you?

“I did a at Barnsley FC celebrating the history of the club, inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry, and it was down one side of the stadium. I enjoyed this because people can see it. It’s my favourite piece.

“But in terms of my painting it’s the because you’ve got the atmosphere of the crowds and the athletes.

“Your job as an artist is to communicate a story – it’s a story of someone’s brilliance and the story of the crowd. You’re communicating your vision.”

Which do you prefer doing – studio or live painting?

“I love the buzz of the live painting because you hear the crowd walk in and their chatter really lifts you and then you think ‘showtime’! Then I think I’m going to show you what I can do!

“Obviously, when I do live painting, I’m under the cosh. There’s a lot of pressure and it’s like the rowers – I have to produce the best work I can, so it’s just letting go and not being afraid, and not being precious.

“But the studio and live are linked. I enjoy both. You have time to reflect in your studio and you can stand back.

“Sometimes it can be a battle, but I always finish it.”

The post Ben Mosley’s exclusive artwork celebrates One Year to Go until Tokyo 2020 appeared first on British Rowing.

By Annabelle Teale

Last year we partnered with British Rowing to be their official sleep partner, designing a nifty sleep sanctuary at the national training ground for the athletes to get top-notch rest at their ‘home away from home’. Because if there’s a bunch of people who love mornings just as much as we do, it’s the GB Rowing Team. From early starts to rigorous training sessions, they have no problem grabbing each day by the coffee beans.

Fast forward to March 2020 and training for the athletes has taken an interesting turn. With our new ‘normal’ lives comes a new routine. So how is this affecting GB’s top rowers? We spoke to Holly Hill, who won a World Cup bronze medal in 2019, and Melissa Wilson, a two-time World under-23 medallist, to find out.

What did your pre-lockdown routine look like?

�ѱ����������:��Normally, Holly and mine’s days and weeks would have a very set routine. Waking around 6.20am, we’d arrive at the training centre for 7.30am, stretching for 10-15 minutes before getting on the water for a long steady paddle. Most days we’d have two more sessions, interspersed by 90-minute breaks when we’d catch up on admin, read a book, see our physio or have a nap in the eve bunk-room before finishing most days around 4pm.

We’ve made a Rocky-style weights circuit out of scrap salvaged from Holly’s neighbour!

Now, you’re sharing a loft at Holly’s family home. What does your new routine look like?

Melissa: Our routine in isolation has been quite a bit less regimented than normal, which we are both really enjoying. We still wake up around 6.30am (the loft we’re sleeping in doesn’t have any blinds!), then between 7-7.30am we’ll go downstairs and make bagels and coffee before getting our kit on for a ride on the rowing machine, roughly the same length as a session we’d have at the training centre. If we’ve got three sessions to do, we’ll try to start the second one by 11.30am and do our second our third session after lunch – we’ve made a Rocky-style weights circuit out of scrap salvaged from Holly’s neighbour!

We’re sure you’re sleeping better than ever now we’ve sent you two eve mattresses to get top-notch rest on. But what challenges are you facing with this new routine?

Melissa: At first, we struggled to make much beyond veggie-burgers in the kitchenette we’ve got, especially given that we don’t want to go to the supermarket any more than necessary! But we’re trying to get into more of a routine and I’m looking forward to spending more time cooking as we get more settled here.

Holly: The main struggle is that no one is making the rules for me anymore! As a bit of a night owl, I’m having to work quite hard to turn the light out by 10pm and get up to start the first session before 8:30am. The second challenge is fitting in three training sessions if I haven’t got up on time… It takes a huge amount of willpower to get the third session started at 5pm when all I want to do is sit down with a cup of tea.

How has the change in routine affected you mentally and how are you dealing with that?

Melissa: My biggest challenge was when the Olympics got postponed. It felt like I had poured so much into training for it this summer, and in the immediate aftermath, I couldn’t see how I could maintain or recreate enough momentum for an additional 12 months. But in many ways, having the freedom of training with just Holly has been a huge help, helping me reconnect with training just for the enjoyment of it.

Holly: Clearly all the right decisions have been taken but it’s been tough to handle the roller coaster of emotions around being selected for the Olympics and then have it taken away until I try again next year. But over the years I have often used exercise to help me think, so actually it’s been quite helpful attempting to stick to the normal schedule of training in order to help me process the loss of the Olympics.

If I don’t sleep properly throughout the week, recovery from training is harder

What gets you going in the morning? Do you have any tips you can share?

��DZ�����:��I’m lucky because sport has played a massive role in my life since I was very young. So in that sense, much of my motivation comes simply from the joy of being active. I’d say always make sure you have a goal. It doesn’t have to be a world record but something that you can aim for that has meaning to you; it could be building up to a running distance that is significant to you, chasing a time on the indoor rowing machine.

Melissa: One of the best pieces of advice I received this year was to work out your “why?” and keep it in mind. By identifying your “why?” you have something powerful to return to when you’re struggling with motivation.

How important is a good night’s sleep for your productivity?

Melissa: It makes a massive difference – now that it’s part of my routine, I hate it when I’ve not prioritised sleep and have to get through days feeling groggy and half-awake. I used to feel like I was ‘missing out’ on a part of my day if I tried to go to bed before 10pm or 11pm, but now I see it as a worthwhile investment to get the most out of the next day.

Holly: Totally essential. Even when I get to bed late, being able to put an eye mask on and get comfy on my nice eve mattress makes an enormous difference to my happiness the following day. If I don’t sleep properly throughout the week, recovery from training is harder and by Saturday I will be totally exhausted and unable to perform in the important pieces.

I fell asleep and started to dream I was in the middle of a Quidditch match

Our recent unwind with eve series looks at how to wind down during life at home. How do you unwind?

Melissa: By reading, going for a walk, chatting on the phone or playing a version of ‘Pictionary’ on the app Houseparty with friends or family.

Holly: I often unwind straight after training with some quiet time lying on the sofa watching comedy TV shows, and when I’ve got some energy back I like to play my guitar and write songs about funny things that have happened.

Now, for a quickfire round. We’d love to know…

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

Melissa: I am more of a morning person, though by the middle of a holiday I can really enjoy lying-in.

Holly: I am 100%, unquestionably, without doubt, a night owl. Although I did see a thing describing a third option… ‘some sort of permanently exhausted pigeon’ which I think I could also fairly strongly identify with! I find the rowing lifestyle helps me to keep to a consistent sleep rhythm; not too late to bed and up pretty early.

I’m really, really trying to ration Nutella-consumption whilst in lockdown!

The weirdest dream you had recently?

Melissa: I have a terrible memory for my dreams, but I sleep talk a bit… Holly now takes the opportunity to have ‘conversations’ with me whilst I’m asleep. I’ve been known to shout random words like “Aubergine!”, to start conversations with the characters of TV shows we’re watching, or start cheering on members of the GB Rowing Team with a gentle “Woooohoooo, gooo Becca….”!.

Holly: It wasn’t that recent, but the most embarrassing dream I ever had was on a bus with lots of friends. I fell asleep and started to dream I was in the middle of a Quidditch match… I only woke up when I stretched my arm right out in real life trying to catch the snitch!

Your go-to snack?

�ѱ����������:��Holly knows all too well that I have a massive weakness for anything chocolate-y. I’m really, really trying to ration Nutella-consumption whilst in lockdown!

Holly: I’ve a real habit of coming straight in from a session and having a mug of tea with a peanut butter and jam bagel. I often have one to warm my stomach up when prepping dinner..!

Your Netflix show of choice?

Melissa: Outlander (I grew up in Scotland and this provides perfect escapism back to some of my favourite places!), or Borgen.

��DZ�����:��Embarrassingly, I recently discovered Gossip Girl on Netflix which has been keeping me busy! But I’m also a huge fan of movies that are based on true stories, so I’ll watch them whenever they appear!

If life at home has made your routine out of whack, use our trusty to help you structure your day and get optimal sleep. Because of all the things to worry about, sleep needn’t be one of them. And for other sleep, relaxation and wind-down tips for life at home, explore the content in our series. Don’t forget to take our !

As part of the partnership, British Rowing members can also benefit from the best in sleep wellness with an exclusive deal at eve sleep providing an extra 10% off the prices on the eve sleep website whether they are already reduced or not. Log into the British Rowing membership portal to access your discount code.

The post Sleep routines: GB rowers give us the inside scoop appeared first on British Rowing.

Since March 2019, Henry Blois-Brooke, 21, has had quite a year. He was part of the crew that won the Head of The River and then went on to win the Temple Challenge Cup at . A former GB junior, he also went on to win a gold medal with the men’s eight at the last year in Sarasota, Florida.

Henry has also completed gruelling personal challenges, including the 192-mile ultra-marathon from Cumbria to North Yorkshire and a double marathon (51 miles) along the Thames Path, finishing in just over eight hours. More recently, in April, he ran seven marathons on seven consecutive days and raised over £10,000 for the NHS.

How did you get into rowing, and then how did you break into GB?

I got into rowing at Shiplake College when I was 12. I loved it after my first session on the water. I am not gifted with height, so I had to work very hard to get myself known in the school. Shiplake really encouraged me and I just thrived on the challenge.

What’s the best part of being in the U23 squad?

The best part for me was winning gold at the U23 World Championships in the men’s eight last year. It was the best year – I won the Head of the River, the Temple Challenge Cup and the U23 World Championships.

It is great being in a team having different universities/clubs coming together to reach the same goal – and winning the World Championships.

After being in the GB junior squad, was it a natural progress to U23s? How did you find it?

In my opinion, it is not a natural progression. I had to train extremely hard to earn myself a place in the U23 team the year after juniors. Oxford Brookes really pushed me physically, but more mentally, meaning I could push myself even harder than when I was a junior.

The training stepped up hugely too – we were completing three sessions a day and this massively helped me step on with my ergo scores.

The GB Rowing Team have been very supportive and have really helped progress my rowing to get to where I am now. I am looking forward to doing some more racing with GB in the near future.

Oxford Brookes really pushed me physically, but more mentally

Tips for juniors aiming to break into GB?

My main tip is to really work hard pushing yourself to your mental limit. Believing in yourself will allow you to achieve so much more than you think you were capable of. Work as hard as you can every session and the results will come.

More generally, how have things been going during lockdown?

I finished my third year at Oxford Brookes a few days ago. I handed my last essay in then, so I should know the result by mid-June.

I did online lectures – it was a bit hard when it was so nice outside! We were left to our own devices, so it was quite challenging. Exercise science is a more course-based degree, so it was just a case of knuckling down and getting it done.

Work as hard as you can every session and the results will come

I finished my dissertation five weeks ago, so I didn’t have to worry about that. My dissertation was on the effects of beetroot juice on rowing performance. My main finding was that it increases power output. It was a small study with only eight participants, but I found that having beetroot three hours before training sessions of between five to 30 minutes really improves your power output. It’s the nitrate in the beetroot that gives you the physical benefit.

Congratulations on raising so much for the NHS last month. Where did the idea to run seven marathons in seven days come from?

My friend Jack and I had a call on the Saturday, and we were talking about and saying that what he was doing was awesome. We thought that doing marathons was as hard for us as him doing laps around his garden on his Zimmer frame – it’s all relative. So, we had a day’s rest on the Sunday and then we started on Monday 20th April and finished on the 26th.

I’m at Oxford Brookes and Jack’s at Newcastle so we relied on our rowing fitness to carry us through the 183.4 miles over the week. Having been an elite rower at Brookes, it really helped me with my mental strength when running.

I averaged 3 hours 40 minutes, so I was very happy with that – 3:34 was the fastest and 3:47 was the slowest.��It was by far the hardest week I’ve ever had to do.

Last year, I ran the Coast to Coast. That was tough and the terrain was a lot more challenging, but this time because the run was relatively flat I was able to run faster, so it was more challenging. On top of this, I started the week with a small injury which was only made worse with each marathon.

We were talking about Colonel Sir Tom Moore and saying that what he was doing was awesome

What’s next?!

The next run is this summer – I’m going to run the whole of the , 87 miles from Avebury to Ivinghoe Beacon; that’s three and a half marathons in one go!

It’s quite undulating and there are some hills which will be a challenging but I am very much looking forward to giving it a go.

I’m doing it on my own to raise money for the Parachute Regiment in the British Army.

I love keeping fit and that’s why I want to join the British Army as an officer. In two weeks I have the Army Officer Selection Board (AOSB) in Westbury, just outside Warminster. It’s normally over two days, but it’s going to be over one day now due to COVID.

I love keeping fit and that’s why I want to join the British Army

My cousin was in the Parachute Regiment, so I’ve been talking to him and he’s helped me a lot. Listening to his experiences, I thought that sounded like the job for me!

I want to start my army career with an eye on the 2028 Olympics. I am fully aware how challenging it is going to be to manage to keep ‘rowing’ fit whilst in the Army, but I am a very motivated and dedicated individual which will help me when training by myself.

You can still donate to Henry’s fundraising for the NHS .��

Follow Henry on Instagram at ����

The post Meet the Team: Henry Blois-Brooke appeared first on British Rowing.

With the sporting world in lockdown due to COVID19, World Rowing were unable to hold the Rowing World Cup series this season. But, in its place they created the .

Over the course of three weekends when the “real” events should have been taking place, World Rowing pitted some of the greatest crews and scullers of recent times against one another, with the public voting for the winner. Last weekend this series culminated with the finals, racing that featured a strong British presence. So, how did GB’s finest get on and where there any surprises? Daniel Spring reviews the results.

Women’s pairs

Great Britain’s double Olympic champions Helen Glover and Heather Stanning squared up against the Romanian duo of Georgeta Andrunache and Viorica Susanu. Between them these two pairs have won the last four Olympics.

Unlike some of the events in the Fantasy World Cup, these two pairs have actually raced each other for real, with the British coming out on top at the London Olympics. With a winning streak of 39-races, the British are undoubtedly the best women’s pair ever, and took the victory in the public vote by a margin of 2852 votes to 2373.

Men’s pairs

This was perhaps the most eagerly awaited event, with four legends of the sport squaring up to each other. Representing Great Britain, with “just” the nine Olympic gold medals between them, was Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Matthew Pinsent. Up against them were the most dominant crew in the history of World Rowing – Eric Murray and Hamish Bond of New Zealand.

I’d still give it to the Kiwis, but I reckon the British would’ve run them close!

The Kiwis never lost a race in the pair at a World Rowing event over an eight-year streak which lasted for 69 races. In the end, the result was a comfortable margin for the Kiwis with a 4874 to 1668 difference. In the race of the “legends”, the legend of the Kiwis was just that bit stronger than the British.

I reckon the result should’ve been close. I’d still give it to the Kiwis, but I reckon the British would’ve run them close!

Men’s eights

This event pitted two old rivals against each other – Great Britain and Germany. The British were represented by the crew that won gold at the Rio Olympics; the Germans were fielding the reigning world champion crew.

We woz robbed!

Personally, I think this match-up should have been no contest – both the British and German crews from the Rio Olympics are, in my opinion, faster than the 2019 German boat. Plus, the Germans may have won the last three world championship titles, but they have yet to win the Olympic gold.

But, in the voting public’s view, the Germans gained the most support though by the narrowest of margins, just 300 votes separating the crews with the Deutschland-Achter polling 3495 votes to 3195 for the British.

We woz robbed!

PR2 para mixed double sculls

The final GB representation in the Fantasy World Cup finals were the mixed double of Lauren Rowles and Laurence Whiteley. They faced off against the crew they beat into silver at last year’s World Championships, Annika van der Meer and Corne de Koning of the Netherlands.

The British are the reigning Paralympic champions, but the Dutch were unbeaten throughout 2017, 2018 and 2019 until they met the British in the final of the World Championships. In the Fantasy World Cup the British took the honours once again with 3146 votes to 2009.

Men’s single sculls

No British representation in this, instead a fascinating virtual showdown between current and potential future legends of the event.

On the one side was New Zealand’s reigning Olympic champion Mahe Drysdale. On the other, the young German wunderkind, Olli Zeidler, winner of the 2019 World Championships. Whilst Zeidler is an outstanding talent for the future, Drysdale in his prime is probably the greatest sculler of all time. The results of the public vote bore this out with Drysdale putting the youngster in his place by 5654 votes to 2273.

Women’s single sculls

Another case of the reigning champion against a true legend of the sport. Sanita Puspure of Ireland won the World Championships in 2019, but she faced Ekaterina Karsten of Belarus. Karsten has been racing internationally since 1991 (when Puspure was just 10 years old). In that time, she’s collected five Olympic medals – including two golds – and an astonishing 16 world championship medals. In the end the result was a comfortable win for Karsten posting 3912 votes to Puspure’s 1836.

Drysdale in his prime is probably the greatest sculler of all time

Women’s eights

One of the surprises in this event was the USA losing in the early rounds – instead it was the Romanian crew of 2004 who took on the 2019 New Zealanders. The Kiwis are an outstanding unit and will very much be in the mix at Tokyo, but against the  Olympic pedigree of the Romanians they were always going to be up against it.

The Romanians ran out 3347 to 2537 winners.

Lightweight men’s double sculls

Earlier in the Fantasy series, the Danes, Mads Rasmussen and Rasmus Quist, knocked out their old adversaries Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter. In the series final they faced the Poles Tomasz Kucharski and Robert Sycz , the Olympic champions from 2004. In the end the Danes, Olympic champions from 2012, ran out comfortable winners by 4013 votes to 1916.

Now I can’t wait for the real thing to start again – whenever that may be!

Lightweight women’s double sculls

Great Britain’s 2012 Olympic champions Sophie Hosking and Kat Copeland were eliminated in round one by the reigning world champions Zoe McBride and Jackie Kiddle of New Zealand– a bit of a surprise as I reckon the Brits are the stronger crew. But the Kiwis progressed to the final where they met the Romanians, Constanta Burcica and Angela Alupei-Tamas.

The Romanians dominated this event at the turn of the century, winning gold in both Sydney and Athens, but somewhat surprisingly it was the Kiwis who emerged victorious by 4187 to 1917 – maybe voters had short memories?

So, overall Great Britain emerged from the series with two golds and two runner-up places. It’s been a fun idea from World Rowing to keep us rowing fans entertained whilst in lockdown.

Now I can’t wait for the real thing to start again – whenever that may be!

Follow Daniel Spring on Twitter at

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Since representing GB in the women’s eight at the Beijing Olympic Games, has experienced highs and lows. The mother of four is a cancer survivor, a business woman and a full-time carer for her sister. She’s also survived the gruelling mental and physical tests that are all part of Channel 4’s . On Sunday, we will learn if she will make the grade.

Carla took time out of her busy schedule to share her thoughts with us.

With one episode to go, we’re really looking forward to the final episode – have you been watching?!
Carla: Yes, I’ve been watching it with my husband Jonno on a Sunday night.

Watching it is quite emotional in a way, because sometimes there’s intricate stories about the other recruits that you didn’t necessarily know about at the time. We all had a really strong camaraderie from the start. So, it’s amazing to watch it back, and relive it, and to share it with Jonno – that was really special – but also just to learn more about the recruits who are now my friends.

What was it like taking part?
I absolutely adored pretty much every moment of it, even the hard bits. It’s almost like being in the middle of 6 x 1,500m, when your legs are burning and you want to stop, but you obviously want to go as fast as you can, and you have that euphoria that you’ve got some more training under your belt and you know that’s going to make you stronger.

Everyone says it must be horrible and I’m like “No!” – it was and it wasn’t – but I revelled in that, just as every rower revels in getting another session under their belt, even if the session is crazy-hard and it’s probably the last thing they want to do. You know it’s another stepping-stone to where you want to get to.

It’s a dichotomy of emotions: loving and hating at the same time, but I definitely never thought at any point about getting out of it – it was amazing.

I absolutely adored pretty much every moment of it, even the hard bits

How did your rowing background help?
Rowing is a massive part of my life and I think I take a lot of lessons learned from my rowing career for granted. What comes naturally to me maybe doesn’t come naturally to other people and I perhaps brush that off.

But when I think about it, on the show I’d constantly be talking about controlling the controllables – because one thing I did know was that we wouldn’t be able to guess what was coming up next. Yet that uncertainly is a controllable.

You can’t second guess. You can’t work out whether you’re going to get one hour’s sleep or four hours’ sleep, you can’t decide when you’re next going to eat, you don’t know if you’re going to be thrown out the helicopter or asked to dive off backwards into the Atlantic.

So, whereas everyone else found it really hard to deal with the uncertainty, I understood that it was out of our control and there was no point wasting any time worrying about it.

And that’s exactly what you do in rowing. I can’t control what the Australians next to me or what the Romanians are doing etc, or the side wind, but I can control how tuned in I am to our race plan and how much I listen to the cox. For me, I was 40 – not broken, but not as physically robust as I would have wanted to be – so it was about controlling how well hydrated I was etc.

It was about being the best at the basics and clinging on for dear life at times, when I was pushed to my physical limits

I’d always be stashing food away and people, would say “Where have you got this from” and I’d stashed it at breakfast and they’d say “Are you allowed to do that?” and I’d say, well no one’s told me not to. It just makes sense – I needed to recover as much as possible because I’m not 20, and I’m not as full of beans as some of the guys around me.

I wasn’t going to be at the pinnacle of my fitness and there were plenty of people around me who were, so it was about being the best at the basics and clinging on for dear life at times, when I was pushed to my physical limits.

So, mentally, the rowing helped massively.

The interrogation sessions must have been horrific…
I have four kids and life at home is pretty manic, so there’s plenty of time when I feel harassed – though not in the same way. But I feel that same sort of push-pull, and don’t know what’s happening.

I wasn’t massively worried about the interrogation, in fact I was kind of looking forward to it and hoping to get that far, because I was pretty sure that family life and just chaos would see me through.

But what I hadn’t anticipated was the pain that I would be in. I had a broken rib – it took me two months to recover – cellulitis in both legs, I’d had lymphedema in my left arm, which I’ve had surgery on, and probably about 50 cuts and bruises across my body.

You know it’s finite – it’s like a 2k ergo – the most horrendous thing in the world. It won’t go on forever

So, when I was in interrogation, I couldn’t actually hold the positions they put us in because I was so broken physically. I just had to cling on for longer than everyone else.

To put it in perspective, the best part of being interrogated was being put in a wooden box outside in the middle of the night, having had no sleep. Honestly, I was so happy because I could prop myself up against the back of the box, I was on my own and I could sit in a fetal position. It was way more comfortable than the positions I’d been in before in the room and I thought: “You think you’re breaking me, but this is the best thing you could do for me.”

You know it’s finite – it’s like a 2k ergo – the most horrendous thing in the world. It won’t go on forever, you just have to ride it out.

So, if this wasn’t your toughest moment, what was?!
That backwards dive on the first day was insane. I had cried watching other people do it, and the more I got closer to selection, the more I watched it and the more I got stressed, as there was no way I’d be able to do it. And the fact that it was on the first day was a shock, but I thought I’m not going out on the first day. It was with two other people, which was the best scenario for me as I was never going to let them down. It was – literally – truly terrifying.

Once I’d done the dive, my whole mindset switched. I thought: “I’ve done that, what else can I do?”

You showed standout leadership skills in the programme – was this a throwback to rowing?
We carried this log up the mountain and I was right at the front with Jay, who I didn’t know at the time was the mole. I have never done anything that felt so similar to rowing in my life.

We romped up that mountain with the best rhythm, and I was doing the calls for up-and-over, I did the calls for stopping, for people switching out… I think rowing helped give me that confidence to make a call and, hopefully, do it in a manner which doesn’t come across as undermining or bossy, but just in a way that gets the job done.

Once I’d done the dive, my whole mindset switched. I thought: “I’ve done that, what else can I do?”

After taking part, what are your thoughts on the SAS?
Undoubtedly, full credit to them. The DS – yes, their role is dramatised on television, but there’s no taking away the fact that they’ve been in situations fighting for their country that we can’t imagine. We’ve just had a tiny snapshot of some of the things that they would experience. And it is just mind-blowing.

But there’s also a lighter element to it in terms of the camaraderie – and I just adored it because it reminded me of rowing training.

Some of the best moments in rowing training were sitting in the car at 6.30am, when you’re all exhausted and moaning and whinging about what’s to come, but you’ve got the banter on the way in. And you head home at the end of the day, and you’ve never felt so tired and rough and it’s the middle of winter – but at the same time – those are the best moments.

And you know that, even in the darkest times, the SAS guys probably have those moments too – because you have to have them to carry you through. You can’t always be on, and there always has to be a time when you lift each other up.

They’ve been in situations fighting for their country that we can’t imagine

So, yes, there’s parallels between that kind of teamwork. Full credit to them really. Pretty amazing bunch. Though quite scary in person!

After highs and lows, including recovering from breast cancer, where does your latest experience sit?
It’s quite easily one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life. It got me to where I needed to be with my recovery, speeding it up and having something to aim for. So, I see it as being a massive stepping-stone for me to be able to lead the life that I love, which is having a family and being healthy.

I feel so fortunate and have so much gratitude that it’s brought that back to me and at the same time it’s reminded me of who I am. It reminded me about my inner core – I reconnected with that person.

What’s next on your list of challenges?
I think I just need to ground myself, make sure I’m doing the basics well at home. While I was going through treatment, Jonno was propping me up, as well as the whole family. So, I need to get back up to speed with everyone.

And finally, are you tempted to get back in a boat?
I’d love to. Me, Jess [Eddie], Tash [Howard} and Baz [Moffat] sometimes talk about doing the .

I live next to the river and can’t help but look at it and think “that water looks nice”. I can’t help but imagine being out in a boat on that water.

Find out more about SAS: Who Dares Wins .��

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London 2012 was a sensational Games with GB’s top result ever in an Olympic Regatta. Four gold medals, two silvers, three bronzes and every single of the 13 crews reached the A finals – and all in front of record crowds at Eton Dorney.

It was also a massive Olympic Games for women’s rowing. Never before had a GB women’s crew won Olympic gold – but this time they won three: Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins in the double sculls, Sophie Hosking and Kat Copeland in the lightweight double sculls, and Helen Glover and Heather Stanning in the women’s pair.

Looking back on these amazing achievements in 2019, Anna Watkins said: “It felt like we made a step change that summer. All season the three boats were battling it out in pieces with staggered starts, on training camps, and they were such incredibly tough opposition to have.

“We got to the Games and found out why: the British women’s team was setting the standard for the Olympic Games. We changed the conversation – women’s rowing was front and centre. We worked for it of course, but also what amazing luck we had to do it at a home Games.”

But it all started at Eton Dorney on Wednesday 1 August, 2012 – here’s how Martin Cross reported the first Olympic gold.

Helen Glover and Heather Stanning opened Team GB’s gold medal count in the women’s pair at Eton Dorney today and with that victory wrote themselves into the history books as Britain’s first female Olympic gold medallists in the sport.

A nation’s collective breath was held. That’s how it felt at Eton-Dorney as the women’s pair of Helen Glover and Heather Stanning sat at the start of the Olympic final.

Helen was calling to me all the way down ‘give us more, give us more

Could this unassuming and likeable duo – a PE teacher and Army captain – spark a gold run for the “home team” across the sports?

A little tug of the racing suit, a glance from Glover in the bow seat down the course and they were off. And what a start. By 250m they had a length on the field, by 500 they had a 2.8 second lead over their potential nearest rivals, New Zealand. They just kept going and going.

Nobody could catch them. Gold – a historic first for British women – at the Olympic Games. Silver to Australia and bronze to NZ.

Their win was also Team GB’s first of its home Games.

“I think I was slightly aware but it was not until we crossed the line that I realise just how big the expectations were,” said Glover.

“Hopefully it’ s a sign of things to come across Team GB. Let’s go for it, let’s make it our Games. I’d also like to think this will inspire more people to be active and enjoy sport.”

Gold – a historic first for British women – at the Olympic Games

Stanning added: “I couldn’t hear what Helen was saying, I couldn’t see the bubble line and all I could hear was the crowd cheering. It was such fantastic support.

“We’re delighted, it’s brilliant,” said Stanning. “Helen was calling to me all the way down ‘give us more, give us more’ but I could hardly hear her or see the bubble line at the finish. All I could hear was the crowd. They were fantastic.”

Glover said: “We were at halfway and I thought we’d better keep going as we were in the lead. It’s fantastic. I hope this can be an inspiration everywhere for people to do sport and for PE teachers, too.”

Read more of our highlights of the decade in our #1-#5 Summary and #6-#10 Summary

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