British Rowing’s Indoor Championships (BRIC), sponsored by Visit Sarasota County, returns to the Lee Valley VeloPark on Saturday, 10 December, bringing together some of the best elite and recreational rowers in the country for a day of great racing.

A number of our successful Olympians will be at the iconic velodrome in Stratford to impress the coaches as they begin training for Tokyo 2020, including Rio 2016 gold medallists Matt Gotrel, Will Satch and Mohamed Sbihi, as well as Karen Bennett, silver medallist in the women’s eight, plus many more Olympic, World and European medallists.

Our Olympic rowers will also be there to meet spectators and competitors, to talk about their experiences in Rio and for those all-important medal selfies.

Competitors at BRIC15 (credit: Simon Way)

GB rowers at BRIC15 (credit: Simon Way)

Club rowers will also descend on East London to test themselves against the clock and each other in a 500m, 2km or 4km relay.

It’s not just on the rowing machines where the action will take place, with plenty on offer for spectators in the venue.

DJ trio the will be playing an exclusive live set at the event as they hope their music will help to inspire those racing to achieve a personal best at BRIC. Internationally renowned producers and musicians, Luke Hayes, Rhys Buckley and Fran Cosgrave, have played Tomorrowland Brazil, Creamfields, Amnesia Ibiza, and at gigs across Asia, India, Russia, Europe and the USA. They have collaborated with DJs such as Danny Howard (BBC Radio 1) and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike and their latest track ‘Café del Mar 2016’ has over 2,7 million Spotify plays. In addition to the Futuristic Polar Bears there will also be a Red Bull DJ down at BRIC to keep the tunes flowing throughout the day.

Futuristic Polar Bears

Red Bull at BRIC15 (credit: Naomi Baker)

Around the velodrome’s concourse, competitors and spectators will be able to visit our partner stands, including , , and , who host the at the Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota-Bradenton. There will also be plenty of food and drink on offer as well to keep you fuelled over the course of this action packed day.

The huge interactive video screens on the track centre will bring the racing to life, making BRIC a fantastic spectator experience for only £6 for adults in advance or £10 on the door, and free for under 16s. Visit for more information and to book your place in the velodrome. Tickets are limited so buying spectator tickets in advance is highly recommended to avoid disappointment.

The racing takes place between 9am and 5pm on Saturday, 10 December, with GB rowers taking on the indoor rowing machine between 1pm and 2pm and at 4pm.

Athlete meet and greets will be taking place between 1pm and 4pm, subject to race schedules.

The Futuristic Polar Bears are expected to play between 1pm and 2pm and 3:45pm and 5pm. Please note, all timings are subject to change.

The post Biggest ever British Rowing Indoor Championships pulls into the Lee Valley VeloPark next weekend appeared first on British Rowing.

Success comes on the water in rowing, but Olympic champion Matt Gotrel believes that it’s the off-water training that really pays dividends, especially throughout the winter months.

Spectators don’t always get to see the work that goes on behind the scenes to prepare elite athletes for competition, with the less glamorous side of the sport being reserved for the athletes themselves.

Hours in the gym, working to exhaustion on the rowing machine and afternoon rub-downs on the physio table are all part and parcel of an international rower’s daily routine.

“The off-water training is everything,” Gotrel said at the British Rowing Universities Conference, sponsored by Janousek & Stampfli Racing Boats.

“There’s no coincidence that we continue to win medals; it’s all down to what goes on behind the scenes. You can’t turn up on the start line and suddenly be an Olympic champion, it comes with all the hard graft you put in before.

“When you turn up on the start line you can’t be any fitter, you can’t be any stronger, you just have to trust what you’ve done. That’s why we put so much time into training, because there are no short cuts in rowing. Talent will only get you so far, but then you’ve got to put the work in.”

GB’s elite rowers are put to the test on the rowing machine

Great Britain’s elite rowers work with British Rowing’s own world class coaches, as well as experts from the English Institute of Sport, to reach the highest levels of performance.

And the path to Tokyo 2020 has already begun for Gotrel and co, meaning more cold winter mornings on the water at the training base in Caversham and tough gym sessions are on the cards.

“None of the sessions at this time of year are particularly pretty, but some of the ergos at the end of the day are pretty draining,” Gotrel added. “Likewise, some of the mornings are great but then you get a morning where it’s really windy and freezing cold and you don’t want to be out on the water.

“Some days you go out hoping that it’s just too bad that you have to come in again and go on the ergo, but then there’s other days when it’s dead flat and you’re stuck inside on the rowing machine.”

Perfect your technique on the rowing machine by following our indoor rowing guides

The post ‘It’s no coincidence that we continue to win medals, it’s all down to what goes on behind the scenes’ appeared first on British Rowing.

The men found the form that had made them World Champions for the past three years as they produced a phenomenal performance to dominate their final from the first stroke to the last.

That came just minutes after the women’s eight had produced what is fast becoming a trademark charge through the field in the second half of the race to go from last to second, claiming silver in a thrilling photo-finish.

It was another moment of rowing history on the Lagoa, being the first Olympic medal won by a British women’s eight, and helped to ensure that GB finished top of the Rio 2016 rowing medal table with three golds and two silvers.

Andrew T Hodge and Pete Reed both became triple Olympic Champions with their success in the men’s eight, while Matt Langridge completed his set of Olympic medals after silver in 2008 and bronze in 2012.

“I’m proud to have been in such a crew,” said Hodge. “The eight is a wholly team event and we worked for each other.”

Reed added: “I’m just thinking about how grateful I am to our coach and to the crew. They are just the most amazing bunch of guys and that was a big, big race.”

Jurgen Grobler, the Chief Coach for Open-weight Men who has now led 12 GB crews to Olympic gold, said: “It’s just fantastic what the guys did. They matched the coxless four and it’s been a wonderful day. It’s wonderful for British Rowing, it’s wonderful for our sport.

“In the last four years we have developed winning athletes, medal athletes, podium athletes. We knew we had a good bunch of guys to win the eight as well and I feel so good for them, there is a good mix between older and younger ones.”

The men's eight from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

It may have been a first Olympic medal for a women’s eight but it was a third silver for Frances Houghton who, like Katherine Grainger, was appearing at a record fifth Olympic Games for a British female rower.

“This fifth Olympics has been really great,” she said. “We’ve really tried to make sure we’ve had a good time. Even before the race we sat around and we were laughing and joking together.

“Sport can be so much pressure but at the same time, sport is supposed to be fun and a great experience. It’s something you do that you enjoy and you pursue because you like to be challenged.”

Jess Eddie, fifth with the eight in both 2008 and 2012, dedicated the success to the British women rowers who had been part of the programme during the past two decades.

“We’ve worked so hard to get here and it’s not just us, we did that for every single woman who has rowed in the eight for the past 20 years – you know who you are, you helped us get over this line.”

Sir David Tanner, Team GB Leader for Rowing, said: “With three outstanding golds and two superb silvers, our 26 rowing medallists have done TeamGB proud at these Olympics. 26 rowers will be returning home having achieved their dreams here in Rio. To be top of the rowing medal table for the third successive Olympics is something to be truly proud of.

“Well done to our rowers and the outstanding Coaching and Team Support staff, not only out here in Rio but those at home who backed us all the way.”

Click on the expanded boxes below for full race reports, reaction and results.

The post Eights excel as GB tops Rio medal table appeared first on British Rowing.

Alex Gregory, Mohamed Sbihi, George Nash and Constantine Louloudis laid down a strong marker in their opening Olympic men’s four heat here at the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas in Brazil.  They built on an early lead to win in 5:55.59 and move into Wednesday’s semi-finals.

“I feel like a pressure valve has been released”, said Gregory  It’s been a lot of waiting but it was good to get the job done”.

Nash added: “It was good to get that one under our belts and out of the way”.

Helen Glover and Heather Stanning experienced a much tighter affair, coming through a stiff Danish challenge to win their opening heat of the 2016 Olympic regatta in 7:05.05.
The Olympic, World and European Champions saw the danger in the final 250m and needed a powerful flourish at the end to secure the win.

Stanning said:  “The important thing today was to get into the semi-finals and we did that.  It definitely wasn’t a bad row but it wasn’t an exceptional row either”.

Glover added:  “On time and on margin that was a tough race but we have experienced having to dig deeper in other races and in training”.

The GB women’s eight paced their heat to perfection to break through a New Zealand lead in the final 500m to win and take a place in Sunday’s final.  The win was revenge for their defeat to the Kiwis at the season’s final world cup.

GB’s men followed up with a commanding performance to win their eights heat in 5:34.23 to move straight through to Sunday’s final.

“We have put in a lot of hard work over the past two months and I think it’s beginning to show”, said Pete Reed.

“They are all very, very good crews here. The final is going to be an incredible race”, added Paul Bennett.

Will Fletcher and Richard Chambers secured their semi-final slot with second place in their lightweight men’s double heat behind South Africa.

Chambers talked on behalf of the crew whilst his crew-mate Will Fletcher was called to anti-doping. “Today was good but not good enough. I know we can do better. We didn’t settle as well into our rhythm as we have been doing in training.  It was probably just the excitement of an opening heat at the Olympic Games”.

Kat Copeland and Charlotte Taylor did not get the result they wanted today as they were fifth in their heat and now race a repechage of the lightweight women’s double scull.
Taylor said: “I guess the disappointing thing is that we haven’t shown what we can do.  We need to deconstruct what we have just done and put it all back together again for tomorrow’s repechage”.

Earlier the GB men’s quadruple scull warmed GB hearts as they overcame recent bad luck to reach the Olympic final, taking second place in their repechage. As Jack Beaumont, Sam Townsend, Angus Groom and Peter Lambert crossed the line there was probably a bit of Graeme Thomas – the man who had to go home ill  – with them as they became the first GB crew to reach a final here in Brazil.

“It hasn’t been the ideal preparation but I’m very happy for the three guys behind me in the stroke seat as well as for Charles (Cousins) and Graeme (Thomas) who helped get us here”. said Lambert.

John Collins and Jonny Walton were also in much better racing fettle today as they powered into the semis of the open men’s double scull with a win in a tensely-contested repechage.

For further information about this report please contact the GB Rowing Team press officer, Caroline Searle, via comms@gbrowingteam.org.uk OR the phone numbers in the contact box below.

The post Four and eights lay down marker appeared first on British Rowing.

Scott Durant, Tom Ransley, Andrew T Hodge, Matt Gotrel, Pete Reed, Paul Bennett, Matt Langridge, Will Satch and cox Phelan Hill are named for Rio today. This crew pressed the German Olympic Champions all the way to the line before narrowly taking silver at last month’s world cup in Poland.

Hodge and Reed have twice won Olympic gold in the men’s four. Ransley, Langridge and Hill were men’s eight bronze medallists in London, while Satch won bronze in the men’s pair.

Gotrel, a former international sailor who swapped to rowing at University, Bennett and Durant will be making their Olympic debuts.  All three have been in either World gold medal winning crews or on the World podium in other boat classes.

In all three men’s eight World finals, the main opposition has come from Germany.  However, the Dutch, third at last year’s World Championships and winners at the Lucerne World Cup, will also prove strong contenders in Rio this summer.

Nathaniel Reilly O’Donnell and Mat Tarrant will provide cover for the Olympic open-weight men’s sweep squad.  The duo have been World Champions themselves in the eight since London.

Team GB also announced today that Vicki Meyer-Laker will be the reserve for the open-weight women’s squad.  That brings the total of rowers to 47 and completes the selection for the sport – click on the expander box below to see the full squad.

The squad will now be focussing on a month of hard training in European-based camps before travelling on to Rio.

Mark England, Team GB’s Chef de Mission, said: “GB has had powerful success in the men’s eight since London 2012 and we are delighted to welcome this crew into Team GB today.”

Sir David Tanner, British Rowing Performance Director and Team GB Rowing Team Leader, said:  “The GB men’s eight showed strong form at the season’s world cup finale, taking a superb silver and putting the Olympic Champions, Germany, under pressure. We are taking one of our strongest open men’s sweep squads to the Games in Rio and the men’s eight is one of our headline crews.”

The men’s eight (who may have been watching Star Wars on training camp by the looks of things) hope the force will be with them when the Olympic rowing regatta starts in 36 days time.

Matt Langridge said: “It’s great to be officially selected in the eight, I’m very confident that this group of guys have what it takes to win in Rio and, with Jurgen’s programme, we’ll be in the best possible shape come Rio – the force is strong with that one.”

Scott Durant said: “It feels great to be selected but now the real work begins. In my experience there is no such thing as luck.”

Andrew T Hodge said: “Do. Or do not.  There is no ‘try’. Rio, here we come, finally.”

Will Satch said: “Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.”

Phelan Hill said: “It’s a real honour to be selected to represent for Team GB at the Olympics. The circle is now complete. When I competed at London, I was but the learner now I am the master.”

Paul Bennett said: “Now witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational battle station!”

The post Men’s eight for Rio confirmed as Team GB finalise squad appeared first on British Rowing.

Every crew from every nation had to dig deep in the strong cross-winds which meant winning came ugly rather than with finesse.

Helen Glover and Heather Stanning won the women’s pair to defend successfully their European title by some margin while the new-look 2016 men’s four of Alex Gregory, Mohamed Sbihi, George Nash and Constantine Louloudis controlled the conditions better than the opposition as well as having the power to take victory by just over a length.

Sbihi said:  “I didn’t need to call for a big push at the end. We had the length at the end.  They were tough conditions. Every time we got some boat-speed the wind hit us but you have to deal with the conditions on the day”.

Gregory said:  “It was very hard to do what we normally try to in training but it was a real test of our boatmanship. I am really pleased with the start we have made and I am excited to find out what we can do from here”.

Constantine Louloudis, George Nash, Moe Sbihi and Alex Gregory

Helen Glover and Heather Stanning crowned European Champions earlier this month.

Glover said:  “There were waves coming over my back at the start but racing here has up-skilled us.  We may have cross-wind conditions in Rio so it was good to race in them”.

Stanning added:  “We may be an experienced crew but we’re not experienced in these conditions.  So we had to concentrate”.

The GB’s women’s eight added a fabulous third gold when they smashed through the Dutch leaders with about 10m to go.

“The speed with which we were able to come through at the end was the special bit.  We have a lot of speed in this boat”, said Olympian Katie Greves who is clearly excited about this crew.

“Everyone did their job and stayed calm even though we were a length down’, said Zoe Lee, the stroke of boat. “It’s a privilege to row with these women”.

Joel Cassells and Sam Scrimgeour

Alan Sinclair and Stewart Innes

Sir David Tanner,  GB Rowing Team Performance Director, said:  “It’s been a day of mixed fortunes for the team with some exceptional performances especially our four golds.

“Conditions have bordered on the extreme and have bene a tough challenge for all nations but we are an outdoor sport and have to accept that. It’s now onto Lucerne for the World Cup in late May where we will hope for calmer water”.

Alan Sinclair and Stewart Innes added silver to the GB tally of four golds, two silvers and a bronze, in the men’s pair. They beat the Dutch who should have been their main opposition only to lose out on gold to Hungary who surged through at the end.  “I’m disappointed’, said Innes afterwards. “We came here to win”.

Sinclair added:  “Those were tough conditions.  I still think we have our best rowing to come”.

Chris Bartley, Mark Aldred, Jono Clegg and Peter Chambers were beaten to gold only by the reigning World Champions Switzerland in the light men’s four.  Their silver came in a time of 6:47.73 and was a big step on from their ninth place at last year’s World Championships.

Bartley said:  “After last year we are pretty pleased with that start”.  Aldred added:  “We have worked hard and made a lot of improvements over the winter”.

Chris Bartley, Jono Clegg, Peter Chambers and Mark Aldred

The men's eight

The men’s eight, a new line-up in 2016, took bronze in the last race of the day in a race won by Germany with Russia taking silver.

“That was an exciting race.  In terms of eights racing that’s about as exciting as it can get with several crews having had the lead at various times”, said World Champion Paul Bennett afterwards.

In the opening race of the day GB’s Sam Scrimgeour and Joel Cassells were emphatic winners of lightweight men’s pair gold, in one of the sport’s International Class events.  They got out to an early lead and went on to seal victory with style.  The victory meant a European title to add to Scrimgeour’s 2015 World gold and a successful title defence for Casseslls.

GB had 13 crews in today’s finals and took four golds, two silvers and a bronze. The next big event for the GB Rowing Team will be the world cup in Lucerne from May 27-29.

For reaction to this report and interview requests please contact the GB Rowing Team press office on site:  comms@gbrowingteam.org.uk or 07831 755351 or 07765 071683.

Click on the expander boxes below for more information.

The post Four gold European haul in bouncy Brandenburg appeared first on British Rowing.

Helen Glover and Heather Stanning were announced in the women’s pair in which they are the reigning Olympic, World and European Champions.

Glover said:  “It’s always fantastic to be selected to represent Great Britain, and never more so than in Olympic year. The European Championships are our first opportunity to test our early season speed against international competition.”

And one of the strongest open men’s sweep* rowing squads in the world has been deployed across the men’s eight and four, as well as a new-look men’s pair, for the event which takes place in Brandenburg, Germany from May 6-8.

Sir David Tanner, GB Rowing Team Performance Director, said: “We are clearly ambitious to do well in Rio and will race and then review the Europeans combinations announced today. We will also enter six crews for the Varese World Cup regatta in ten days’ time.”

Double Olympic men’s four champions Pete Reed and Andrew T Hodge have been selected into the men’s eight in a line-up which includes Scott Durant and 2012 men’s eight medallist Matt Langridge alongside multiple World Champions Paul Bennett, Matt Gotrel, Tom Ransley, stroke Will Satch and cox Phelan Hill. Ransley, Satch and Hill are also 2012 medallists.

Alex Gregory, 2012 gold medallist in the four, returns to that boat and races with his Trials winning partner, Mohamed Sbihi, plus George Nash and stroke Constantine Louloudis. The quartet are all reigning World Champions in the men’s eight.

Gregory said:  “Everything we do aims towards the Olympics and now finally we are starting to form the crews that will make up the Olympic team. With the European Championships as the first test, I can’t wait to get the 2016 racing season underway. It’s a privilege to race for our country and the feeling of pride and excitement never diminishes.”

Having laid down a strong marker with a top-four finish at the recent GB Trials, Alan Sinclair and Stewart Innes are named as the men’s pair.

It is the first major step conquered on the way to fulfilling my dream of competing in my fifth Olympic Games – Frances Houghton

Relative rookie Angus Groom has forced his way into the open men’s quadruple scull* in the absence of the injured Charles Cousins, to join 2013 and 2014 World medallists Sam Townsend, Graeme Thomas and Peter Lambert.

Lambert said:  “I am extremely happy with my selection for the Europeans. This regatta is an exciting start to our Olympic season. The men’s quad at the Europeans is an extremely high competition. Out of the eight crews that qualified last year for the Olympics, seven of them are European countries. We are looking forward to it.”

2012 bronze medallist Alan Campbell, whose Trials’ win showed that he is back on form, races the single scull and Jonny Walton and John Collins, contest the double scull – they qualified that boat for Rio at last year’s World Championships.

Four-times Olympic medallist Katherine Grainger is named in the open women’s double scull with Trials winner Vicky Thornley in a reprise of their 2015 partnership which finished its debut season with a place in the World final.

Like Grainger, Frances Houghton, will race a fifth Olympic Games if selected later this summer for Rio.  She has switched from sculling to sweep rowing and has won a seat in the women’s eight that came so close to winning a medal at last year’s World Championships.

Grainger said:  “The idea of ever competing at the Olympic Games was once just a dream and so it was incredible when I made the team in 2000. Now 16 years on and looking to my fifth Games I still have the same excitement I did back then, it’s the most amazing event to be part of and that doesn’t change whether it’s the first time or the fifth.”

Houghton said:  “I feel almost overwhelmed to be selected for the European Championships in the women’s eight. It is the first major step conquered on the way to fulfilling my dream of competing in my fifth Olympic Games.

“It has at times seemed like an insurmountable mountain to climb and now it is just sinking in that all the hard work and deep belief in the darkest of times of illness and injury has paid off.”

Olympians Jess Eddie, Katie Greves and Melanie Wilson as well as 2013 World pair champion Polly Swann, back after a year out with injury, will be joined in the line-up by Zoe Lee, Karen Bennett, Olivia Carnegie-Brown and cox Zoe de Toledo.

It’s a privilege to race for our country and the feeling of pride and excitement never diminishes – Alex Gregory

World silver medallists Kat Copeland and Charlotte Taylor will once more race the lightweight women’s double scull having taken the top two spots at the Trials from a strongly contested lightweight sculling group. Imogen Walsh, therefore, races the single in which she won World silver in 2015.

Richard Chambers is on his way back after a recent hand injury and will race the lightweight men’s double, if fully fit, with Will Fletcher. Just like Olympic Champion Copeland and Taylor, they won World silver last year in their debut season together.

Further post-Trials testing was needed to establish the crews for the lightweight men’s sweep boats.  2012 silver medallists Peter Chambers and Chris Bartley have made the cut and will be joined by Mark Aldred and Jono Clegg, both now experienced internationals.  Sam Scrimgeour and Joel Cassells are GB’s choice in the pair. They won World gold last year.

Jamie Kirkwood, a World finalist last year, takes up the GB slot in the lightweight men’s single once more.

British Rowing will also race six crews at the Varese World Cup from April 15-17, including the women’s quadruple scull, announced in the European squad today as Holly Nixon, Jess Leyden, Tina Stiller and Rosamund Bradbury as the campaign begins to qualify this boat for Rio.

Click the expander ‘Crew List’ box below to see the squad in full.

*Sweep = one rower, one oar / Scull = one rower, two sculls

RACING TIMETABLE – 2016 European Championships, Brandenburg, Germany

• Friday 6 May – all heats a.m.; some repechages p.m.
• Saturday 7 May – All further repechages and semi-finals.
• Sunday 8 May – All finals (09.33 – 13.33 UK Time).

GB ROWING TEAM MEDALISTS – 2015 European Championships, Poznan, Poland

Gold:

• Women’s pair – Helen Glover, Heather Stanning.
• Men’s pair – James Foad, Matt Langridge.
• Men’s four – Nathaniel Reilly-O’Donnell, Alan Sinclair, Tom Ransley, Scott Durant.
• Lightweight women’s single scull – Imogen Walsh.
• Lightweight women’s double scull – Charlotte Taylor, Kat Copeland.
• Lightweight men’s pair – Joel Cassells, Peter Chambers.

Silver:

• Men’s eight – Matt Gotrel, Stewart Innes, Pete Reed, Paul Bennett, Moe Sbihi, Alex Gregory, George Nash, Will Satch, Phelan Hill (cox).
• Lightweight men’s double scull – Richard Chambers, Will Fletcher.

Bronze:

• Women’s double scull – Vicky Thornley, Katherine Grainger.
• Men’s quadruple scull – Jack Beaumont, Sam Townsend, Graeme Thomas, Peter Lambert.

The post European selections point to aiming high at Rio Olympics appeared first on British Rowing.

115 rowers are set to go to the start line of next week’s Olympic-season GB Rowing Team trials with just 48 Rio places on offer later this summer and earlier seats to be won at the European Championships.

The announcement of the crews for the European Championships will take place on April 6.

Sir David Tanner, British Rowing’s Performance Director said: “This is the event when we test the rowers under pressure in pairs and singles to see who has got what it takes to win.  The tension is never greater than in Olympic year.”

The field for next week’s (Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23) men’s pair event will be headed by names like Alex Gregory, Mohamed Sbihi, George Nash, Will Satch, Pete Reed, Andrew T Hodge and Constantine Louloudis who are all Olympic medallists, three of them Olympic Champions.

Gregory and Sbihi are tipped to take a hat-trick of titles since 2014 and, for Sbihi, victory would mean a fourth consecutive victory at this event.

World men’s eight Champions Paul Bennett and Matt Gotrel will also have eyes on the prize of a top seat for 2016.

Helen Glover and Heather Stanning are stand-out favourites to win the women’s pair event. The duo hold the Olympic, World and European titles although Jess Eddie and Polly Swann – the latter a World Champion with Glover in 2013 – could run them close as they did in 2014.

Singular “single” and women’s sweep battles in store

Perhaps more intriguing could be the battle for top honours in the open men’s single scull.

Angus Groom won the December assessment. The young Scot is making his mark after joining the senior squad from the ranks of the U23 World medallists.

With Charles Cousins absent through injury, 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Alan Campbell should feel he has a chance to extend his remarkable trials record to nine overall wins.  He won eight titles consecutively from 2005-2012 before Cousins took over the mantle.

2013 and 2014 World quadruple scull medallists Pete Lambert, Sam Townsend, Graeme Thomas as well as Groom’s erstwhile World U23 medal team-mate Jack Beaumont, who is back on track after last summer’s serious injury, and 2015 double-scullers Jonny Walton and John Collins are also in the mix.

At these trials only 2012 Olympic gold medallist Andrew T Hodge, racing next week in the men’s pair with reigning World pairs silver medallist Matt Langridge, can equal the 10 titles won to date by Katherine Grainger who sits out next week as she is recovering from a minor niggle, leaving Vicky Thornley the favourite to win the open women’s single.

Frances Houghton, a 2008 Olympic silver medallist and previous, multiple winner of these trials in the single, has swapped into a competitive “sweep” group seeking seats in the Rio-qualified women’s eight.

This includes, amongst other contenders, Olympians Eddie and Swann, Katie Greves, Louisa Reeve and Melanie Wilson as well as Donna Etiebet, Ro Bradbury, Olivia Carnegie-Brown and Zoe Lee.

Eddie summed up the mood in the squad when she said recently:  “The focus right now is purely on selection, that is the big thing weighing on people’s minds.  It’s pretty intense but it’s in our own hands.  If we’re good enough we’ll be in the boat, if we’re not we’ll, miss out.”

Seriously heavy competition for the lightweight titles

Last season’s finals session was marked by a sizzling finale to the lightweight women’s single scull when Olympic Champion Kat Copeland was eased out in a three-boat photo-finish by Imogen Walsh and, then rookie, Charlotte Taylor.

Taylor and Copeland went on to race in the lightweight double for GB in the ensuing season and won World silver in Aiguebelette, France, and Walsh won World silver in the single.

Outside of this triumvirate a new wave of talented lightweights continues to emerge including previous World U23 medallists Brianna Stubbs and Ellie Piggott.

Next week’s trials will feature both a single and a pairs event for the lightweight men as selection is honed down to the two Olympic boats – the light four and double.

Richard Chambers and Will Fletcher won World silver in the double last September.  Fletcher remains a strong contender for next week’s light single title alongside twice previous winner Jamie Kirkwood and Zak Lee Green but Chambers has a hand injury which will keep him on the sidelines.

In the pairs event Joel Cassells, from the same town – Coleraine –  as 2012 Olympic medallists Alan Campbell, Peter and Richard Chambers – will seek to impress in his continuing rise from recent student rowing days.

This will be a small but tight event with Peter Chambers, Mark Aldred, Chris Bartley, Jonno Clegg and Sam Scrimgeour all with senior medal experience racing against relative newcomers like Jamie Copus and Sam Mottram.

Four coxes are also amongst those attending the invitation only event. They are Phelan Hill, Henry Fieldman, Zoe de Toledo and Matilda Horn.

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RACING TIMETABLE

Racing will take place as follows:

Time-trials (heats) – 09.45 – 11.00 on Tuesday 22 March

Semi-finals – 15.00 – 16.25 on Tuesday 22 March

Finals – 10.00 – 12.30 Wednesday 23 March

All times of racing are subject to the weather and members of the media who are attending the event should check with the press officer on 07831 755351 or comms@gbrowingteam.org.uk before travelling to the event, particularly if there are high winds.

Any updates to schedules will be posted on twitter:  @GBRowingTeam and on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/gbrowingteam

ENTRY LIST

(As at Thursday 17 March)

* denotes U23

OPEN

MEN

SINGLE

Tom Barras (Leander Club/Staines/07.01.94)*

Jack Beaumont (Leander Club/Maidenhead/21.11.93)

Alan Campbell (Tideway Scullers School/Coleraine/09.05.83)

Frazier Christie (Leander Club/Bath/11.01.93)

John Collins (Leander Club/Whitton/24.01.89)

Angus Groom (Leander Club/Glasgow/16.06.92)

Peter Lambert (Leander Club/Maidenhead/03.12.86)

Rowan Law (Leander Club/Nottingham/01.12.96)*

Harry Leask (Leander Club/Edinburgh/16.10.95)*

Nick Middleton (Leander Club/Henley-on-Thames/12.08.88)

George Stewart (Molesey BC/Esher/14.04.95)*

Jon Stimpson (Nottingham RC/Gex, France/18.07.90)

Graeme Thomas (Agecroft RC/Preston/08.11.88)

Sam Townsend (Reading Univ BC/Reading/26.11.85)

Sam Twine (Reading Univ BC/Tavistock/06.01.94)*

Jonny Walton (Leander Club/Leicester/06.10.90)

PAIR

Bowside

Chris Boddy (Leander Club/Thornaby-on-Tees/16.11.87)

Cameron Buchan (Leander Club/Dunipace/03.12.92)

Timothy Clarke (Leander Club/Henley-on-Thames/07.04.91)

Oliver Cook (Univ of London BC/Windsor/05.06.90)

Rory Gibbs (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Lane End/03.04.94)*

Michael Glover (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Burnham/03.06.95)*

Matt Gotrel (Leander Club/Chipping Campden/01.03.89)

Matt Langridge (Leander Club/Northwich/20.05.83)

Luke Moon (Molesey BC/Deal/25.03.93)

George Nash (Molesey BC/Guildford/02.10.89)

Tom Ransley (Leander Club/Ashford/06.09.85)

Pete Reed (Leander Club/Nailsworth/27.07.81)

James Rudkin (Newcastle Univ BC/Northampton/07.07.94)*

Mohamed Sbihi (Molesey BC/Surbiton/27.03.88)

Alan Sinclair (Leander Club/Inverness/16.10.85)

Barnaby Stentiford (Leander Club/Ippleden/06.02.91)

Matthew Tarrant (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Shepperton/11.07.90)

William Warr (Leander Club/Tunbridge Wells/12.03.92)

Strokeside

Matthew Aldridge (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Christchurch/11.03.96)*

Paul Bennett (Univ of London BC/Leeds/16.12.88)

Morgan Bolding (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Withiel/13.05.95)*

Phil Congdon (Leander Club/Bury St Edmunds/06.06.89)

Scott Durant (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Lancaster/12.02.88)

Thomas Ford (Leander Club/Holmes Chapel/03.10.92)

Alex Gregory (Leander Club/Wormington/11.03.84)

Chris Heywood (Molesey BC/Ascot/29.05.94)*

Andrew T Hodge (Molesey BC/Hebden/03.03.79)

Stewart Innes (Leander Club/Henley-on-Thames/20.05.91)

Constantine Louloudis (Oxford Univ BC/London/15.09.91)

Callum McBrierty (Leander Club/Edinburgh/13.08.92)

Lewis McCue (Robert Gordon Uni/Aberdeen/26.12.94)*

Adam Neill (Leander Club/Peterborough/29.05.90)

Nathaniel Reilly-O’Donnell (Univ of London BC/Durham/13.04.88)

George Rossiter (Leander Club/Newbury/09.03.92)

Matt Rossiter (Leander Club/Newbury/25.09.89)

Will Satch (Leander Club/Henley-on-Thames/09.06.89)

OPEN

WOMEN

SINGLE

Emily Carmichael (Leander Club/Cheltenham/29.05.92)

Sam Courty (Reading RC/Alnwick/07.01.93)

Debbie Flood (Leander Club/Guiseley/27.02.80)

Georgia Francis (Imperial College BC/Newbury/18.08.94)*

Katherine Grainger (St Andrew BC/Glasgow/12.11.75) (injured)

Lucinda Gooderham (Leander Club/Garboldisham/09.06.84)

Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne (Reading Univ BC/Hereford/01.10.94)*

Jessica Leyden (Leander Club/Todmorden/22.02.95)

Holly Nixon (Leander Club/Enniskillen/07.12.93

Tina Stiller (Tees RC/Yarm/23.06.87)

Victoria Thornley (Leander Club/Wrexham/30.11.87)

Melissa Wilson (Cambridge Univ BC/Edinburgh/10.06.93)

PAIR

Bowside

Karen Bennett (Leander Club/Edinburgh/05.02.89)

Rosamund Bradbury (Leander Club/Banstead/17.12.88)

Beth Bryan (Tees RC/Stockton-on-Tees/23.04.93)

Jess Eddie (London RC/Durham/07.10.84)

Fiona Gammond (Leander Club/Bicester/19.10.92)

Helen Glover (Minerva Bath RC/Penzance/17.06.86)

Katie Greves (Leander Club/Oxford/02.09.82)

Frances Houghton (Univ of London Tyrian Club/Oxford/19.09.80)

Caragh McMurtry (Southampton Coalporters/Southampton/22.08.91)

Vicki Meyer-Laker (Leander Club/Premnay/18.03.88)

Strokeside

Olivia Carnegie-Brown (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Henley-on-Thames/28.03.91)

Rebecca Chin (Agecroft RC/Deganwy/11.12.91)

Donna Etiebet (Imperial College BC/London/29.04.86)

Zoe Lee (Imperial College BC/Richmond/15.12.85)

Holly Norton (Leander Club/Johannesburg, SA/01.01.93)

Louisa Reeve (Leander Club/London/16.05.84)

Heather Stanning (Army RC/Lossiemouth/26.01.85)

Polly Swann (Leander Club/Edinburgh/05.06.88)

Melanie Wilson (Imperial College BC/London/25.06.84)

Jo Wratten (Tees RC/Middlesbrough/23.03.92)

LIGHTWEIGHT

MEN

SINGLE

Richard Chambers (Leander Club/Coleraine/10.06.85) (injured)

Will Fletcher (Leander Club/Chester-le-Street/24.12.89)

John Hale (Imperial College BC/Cambridge/28.02.88)

Jonathan Jackson (Leander Club/Henley-on-Thames/02.06.95)*

Jamie Kirkwood (Leander Club/Newcastle/30.08.89)

Zak Lee-Green (Agecroft RC/Cardiff/06.02.91)

Samuel Mottram (Leander Club/Stoke Mandeville/14.11.94)*

Sam Tuck (Molesey BC/Peterborough/26.07.93)

PAIR

Bowside

Chris Bartley (Leander Club/Wrexham/02.02.84)

Peter Chambers (Oxford Brookes Univ/Coleraine/14.03.90)

Sam Scrimgeour (Imperial College BC/Kirriemuir/28.01.88)

Charles Waite-Roberts (Leander Club/Basingstoke/06.11.92)

Strokeside

Mark Aldred (London RC/Birmingham/18/04.87)

Joel Cassells (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Coleraine/15.06.94)*

Jonathan Clegg (Leander Club/Maidenhead/14.07.89)

Jamie Copus (Oxford Brookes Univ BC/Oxford/30.01.93)

WOMEN

SINGLE

Maddie Arlett (Edinburgh Univ BC/Selkirk/07.06.94)*

Kat Copeland (Tees RC/Stockton-on-Tees/01.12.90)

Emily Craig (Univ of London BC/Mark Cross/30.11.92)

Gemma Hall (Wallingford RC/Wargrave/10.04.92)

Robyn Hart-Winks (Edinburgh Univ BC/Kirriemuir/07.10.93)

Ellie Lewis (Agecroft RC/Marlow/14.04.94)

Eleanor Piggott (Wallingford RC/Bedford/16.05.91)

Fran Rawlins (Leander Club/Uckfield/08.07.86)

Brianna Stubbs (Wallingford RC/Poole/13.07.91)

Charlotte Taylor (Putney Town RC/Bedford/14.08.85)

Imogen Walsh (London RC/Inverness/17.01.84)

COXES

MEN

Henry Fieldman (Molesey BC/Barnes/25.11.88)

Phelan Hill (Leander Club/Bedford/21.07.79)

WOMEN

Zoe De Toledo (Leander Club/London/17.07.87)

Matilda Horn (Univ of London BC/Windsor/16.

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