First GB crews book their places in medal finals at 2018 World Rowing Championships

Two Para-rowing crews win their heats to progress directly to the weekend’s medal races, with the women’s double sculls also winning their heat at the World Rowing Championships

Great Britain notched up three more heats wins on day two of the 2018 World Rowing Championships, with two Para-rowing crews reaching the weekend’s finals.

Four debutants took victories, including world U23 champions Charlotte Hodgkins Byrne and Anna Thornton in the women’s double sculls heat.

The PR3 mixed coxed four started their campaign in strong fashion, pulling out to a three-length win over France in a dominant performance. The GB boat is unbeaten at major championships since 2010 and is looking to win its eighth consecutive gold medal.

Laurence Whiteley also stormed to a three-length win in the PR2 men’s single sculls. The Teessider set a World Championships Best Time in his heat, but it only stood for around ten minutes as Corne de Koning (Netherlands) won heat two in a World Best Time to also reach the final.

Hodgkins Byrne and Thornton led from start to finish in their double sculls heat, opening up nearly a length on the field by the 500m mark and holding it through to the finish ahead of the USA. Both scullers are double U23 world champions having won in the quad and the double in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

GB’s lightweight women’s quadruple sculls were involved in a fast heat and missed out on the only automatic final place to China, finishing third and moving through to the repechage on Wednesday.

Alice Baatz will also return on Wednesday for the women’s single sculls repechage, having finished fourth in her heat. Ireland’s Sanita Puspure took the only automatic place in the semi-finals having flown out of the start and holding her lead until the finish.

And the women’s four will be back in action on Tuesday in the repechage after finishing fourth in their heat after a tough battle with New Zealand for the third semi-final spot.

Four British crews will be in action on Tuesday, with Andy Houghton making his first appearance in the PR1 men’s single sculls heat – an event in which he finished fourth in 2017.

Results

PR3 mixed coxed four (one qualifies to A final)

1. Great Britain (Ellen Buttrick, Grace Clough, Ollie Stanhope, Daniel Brown & Erin Wysocki-Jones), 7:09.42
2. France, 7:18.19
3. Australia, 7:28.48

PR2 men’s single sculls (one qualifies to A final)

1. Great Britain (Laurence Whiteley), 8:43.71
2. Italy, 8:52.08
3. Canada, 9:07.03

Lightweight women’s quad (one qualifies for the semi-final)

1. China, 6:23.17
2. USA, 6:26.61
3. Great Britain (Gemma Hall, Fran Rawlins, Ellie Lewis & Maddie Arlett), 6:27.25

Women’s four (top three to semi-final)

1. USA, 6:30.22
2. China, 6:31.40
3. New Zealand, 6:34.90
4. Great Britain (Sara Parfett, Caragh McMurtry, Emily Ashford & Jo Wratten), 6:38.90

Women’s double sculls (top two to semi-final)

1. Great Britain (Charlotte Hodgkins Byrne & Anna Thornton), 6:53.28
2. USA, 6:55.11
3. France, 6:57.76

Women’s single sculls (one qualifies for the semi-final)

1. Ireland, 7:25.78
2. Denmark, 7:39.93
3. Sweden, 7:46.13
4. Great Britain (Alice Baatz), 7:52.25