GB Rowers mark three months to go until the Paralympics
The GB Rowing Team celebrated three months to go until the start of the 2012 Paralympic Games with an open training session at their purpose built base in Caversham on the Redgrave Pinsent Rowing Lake.
Reigning World and Paralympic Champion Tom Aggar and fellow World Champions from GB’s mixed coxed four took to the water in front of the cameras as they prepared for their final regatta ahead of the Paralympic crew announcement on June 27.
“The whole squad is really excited we are now down to the last three months,” said Tom Dyson, lead coach for the GB Rowing Team’s adaptive squad.
“Most of the squad are probably already counting the days rather than months. After some really exciting performances in Varese (at the Gavirate International Adaptive Regatta) and a good camp to follow that, everyone is just really enjoying the training and getting ready for the racing that is still to come.”
GB’s adaptive rowers who are sponsored by Siemens and lottery funded, will be fine-tuning their race preparations at the World Rowing Cup in Munich on June 15-17.
The crews for Munich will be announced the week before the regatta in Germany and in the meantime rowers in line for seats in the mixed coxed four have royal duties to attend to.
Pamela Relph, Beijing Paralympian Naomi Riches, former GB bobsleigher David Smith and James Roe, who won world gold together in Slovenia last summer are rowing the Queen’s row-barge the Gloriana in the Jubilee Pageant on Sunday June 3.
The four will be aided by their coach Mary McLachlan and will be rowing the barge with multiple Olympic Champions Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Matthew Pinsent as well as members of the Armed Forces.
Great Britain topped the medal table in Beijing 2008 when rowing made its Paralympic debut – Tom Aggar and the now retired Helene Raynsford both winning gold in the men’s and women’s single sculls and jewellery-maker Riches, from Marlow Boat Club, winning bronze as part of the mixed coxed four.
The Paralympic regatta will be held at Eton Dorney from August 31 – September 2 and the GB crews for the Paralympic Games will be announced during a row-past at Henley Royal Regatta on June 27th.
For more information on this announcement contact [email protected]
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ROWERS TRAINING AT OPEN SESSION
Tom Aggar (Royal Docks RC/London/24.05.84)
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)/
Lily van den Broecke (cox) (Headington School BC/Oxford/08.01.92)
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CONTACT DETAILS
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M: Caroline Searle (07831) 755351
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Andy on (01225) 443998 or 07714 168391
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The GB Rowing Team squad is supported by the National Lottery
