GB adaptive squad start 2012 with new silverware
The GB Rowing Team’s Paralympic hopefuls in the mixed coxed four set a new, unofficial world best time in a perfect start to the 2012 season in Italy.
The 2011 World Champion crew of Aylesbury’s Pam Relph, Beijing bronze medallist Naomi Riches from Marlow, former GB bobsleigher David Smith from Aviemore, James Roe from Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford cox Lily van den Broecke twice beat world bronze medallists Germany in convincing fashion on Lake Varese last weekend at the Gavirate International Adaptive Regatta.
Reigning World and Paralympic Champion Tom Aggar also won his arms and shoulders only single scull event on Saturday despite trailing at 700m for the first time in his international career to Russian newcomer Vadim Morozov.
Army Captain Nick Beighton, who has qualified the mixed double scull for London 2012 with rowing partner Sam Scowen, was given the opportunity to race in the non-Paralympic-class trunk and arms only single scull – winning Saturday’s competition and finishing second behind Ukrainian World Champion Dmytro Ivanov in the second set of finals on Sunday.
GB’s lead coach for the Paralympic programme, Tom Dyson said: “The standard of competition across all the events has taken a big step on, and it is encouraging we are still winning in the men’s single and the four.
“All the rowers are going to have to take another step up if they are going to convert these performances to medals in Munich (at the Munich International Adaptive Regatta) and London (2012).”
Coach of the four, Mary McLachlan said: “It was exciting for the four to race internationally after a long winter’s training. The crew raced well but have come away from the racing with some important points to work on and will now be getting their heads down and doing some hard training.”
The four won Saturday’s final in 3:16.60, a new world best time if ratified by FISA, rowing’s world governing body. The Canadians who won silver at the 2011 Worlds were absent from the regatta but the British crew recorded two important wins over a strengthened boat from Germany.
Cox Lily van den Broecke LTA said: “It was a great start to the Paralympic racing season. The results will motivate us to focus even more in our training to find that extra second or two.”
Aggar’s event was notable for the emergence of two new contenders, with Morozov and China’s Cheng Huang coming between the GB World Champion and Aleksey Chuvasheu who won World silver behind Aggar last summer. Aggar’s winning time was just two seconds outside his own world best.
“It has definitely been a competition with the biggest depth of talent and strongest field in my event,” said Aggar. “It has been a good test to face some quick new scullers from Russia and China.” His coach, Tom Dyson, opted to withdraw Aggar from Sunday’s event to concentrate on training.
Aggar’s GB teammate in the men’s single event Andy Houghton from Newbury finished fifth on Saturday and fourth on Sunday while Army captain Beighton enjoyed a rare race in a single as well.
Beighton, from Yately, who only started rowing in 2010, said: “Whilst it was disappointing not to be able to race in the double it was a great opportunity to test myself in a single against top class opposition including the reigning World Champion TAM from the Ukraine.
“I feel that I have learnt a lot from it and will go back into the double a stronger rower.”
The GB Rowing Team’s adaptive squad, which is sponsored by Siemens and funded by the National Lottery, has qualified three boats out of a possible four for the Paralympic Games and will remain in Varese this week for a warm-weather training camp at the other end of the lake, boating from Canottieri Varese Club.
The Paralympic rowing regatta will be held at Eton Dorney from Friday August 31 to Sunday September 2.
For more information on adaptive rowing go to: https://www.britishrowing.org/taking-part/adaptive
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RESULTS
Gavirate International Adaptive Regatta
(28-29 April 2012, Gavirate, Lake Varese, Italy)
SATURDAY’S FINALS
MIXED
Legs, Trunks and Arms Mixed Coxed Four (LTAmix4+)
1. Lily van den Broecke (cox)/Pamela Relph/Naomi Riches/James Roe/David Smith (Great Britain) 3:16.60
2. Germany 3:22.30
3. Ireland 3:28.30
4. France 3:28.80
5. Italy 3:32.10
6. Brazil 3:35.80
7. Italy (2) 3:39.30
MEN
Arms and Shoulders only Men’s Single Scull (ASM1x)
1. Tom Aggar (Great Britain) 4:51.70
2. Vadim Morozov (Russia 3) 4:53.70
3. Cheng Huang (China) 4:57.10
4. Aleksey Chuvasheu (Russia 1) 4:58.50
5. Andy Houghton (Great Britain 2) 5:03.30
6. Luciano Oliveira (Brazil) 5:07.50
Trunk and Arms only Men’s Single Scull (TAM1x)
1. Nick Beighton (Great Britain) 4:24.80
2. Iaroslav Koiuda (Ukraine 2) 4:25.50
3. John Maclean (Australia) 4:30.70
4. Pier Alberto Buccoliero (Italy 2) 4:36.50
5. Massimo Spolon (Italy) 4:44.40
6. Patrice Rendu (France) 5:42.20
SUNDAY’S FINALS
MIXED
Legs, Trunks and Arms Mixed Coxed Four (LTAmix4+)
1. Lily van den Broecke (cox)/Pamela Relph/Naomi Riches/James Roe/David Smith (Great Britain) 3:27.80
2. Germany 3:33.20
3. France 3:39.20
4. Italy 3:39.70
5. Ireland 3:40.50
6. Italy (2) 3:47.90
7. Brazil 3:54.20
Arms and Shoulders only Men’s Single Scull (ASM1x)
1. Cheng Huang (China) 5:07.80
2. Vadim Morozov (Russia) 5:07.90
3. Aleksey Chuvasheu (Russia) 5:10.90
4. Andy Houghton (Great Britain) 5:18.50
5. Igor Bondar (Ukraine) 5:25.80
6. Luciano Oliveira (Brazil)
Trunk and Arms only Men’s Single Scull (TAM1x)
1. Dmytro Ivanov (Ukraine) 4:26.20
2. Nick Beighton (Great Britain) 4:34.20
3. Gavin Bellis (Australia) 4:35.30
4. Pier Alberto Buccoliero (Italy 2) 4:47.00
5. Massimo Spolon (Italy)
6. Isaac Ribeiro (Brazil)
7. Iaroslav Koiuda (Ukraine 2)
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GB ROWING TEAM CREWS
Gavirate International Adaptive Regatta
(26-29 April 2012, Gavirate, Lake Varese, Italy)
ADAPTIVES
MEN
Arms & shoulders single scull (ASM1x)
Boat one: Tom Aggar (Royal Docks RC/London/24.05.84)
Boat two: Andy Houghton (Maidenhead Rowing Club/Newbury/01.04.1981)
Coach: Tom Dyson
Trunk & arms mixed double scull (TAMix2x)
Sam Scowen (Dorney BC/Wokingham/29.10.87)/
Nick Beighton (Guildford RC/Yateley/29.09.81)
Coach: Tom Dyson
Legs, trunk & arms mixed coxed four (LTAMix4+)
Lily van den Broecke (cox) (Headington School BC/Oxford/08.01.92)
Pamela Relph (Birmingham Uni BC/Aylesbury/14.11.89)/
Naomi Riches (Marlow RC/Harrow/15.06.83)/
James Roe (Stratford upon Avon BC/ Stratford upon Avon/28.03.88)/
David Smith (Reading Uni BC/Dunfermline/21.04.78)/
Coach: Mary McLachlan
