GB Team announced for World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals

12 senior and 10 under 19 athletes have been selected to represent Great Britain at Beach Sprint events taking place in September and October. They will all compete at the 2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Barletta, Italy from 29 September-1 October

To prepare for the World Finals the athletes will gain valuable experience with the senior and U19 solos and mixed doubles also competing at the 2023 European Rowing Coastal and Beach Sprint Championships in La Seyne-Sur-Mer, France from 1-3 September, and the U19 Men’s and Women’s doubles and reserves racing at the first ever Coupe de la Jeunesse Beach Sprint event taking place in Donoratico, Italy from 22-24 September.

Tom Pattichis, GB Rowing Team Beach Sprint Lead Coach said: “Beach Sprint is still a new discipline with lots of new countries coming in as it grows in popularity and skill. Our selection sees the return of many athletes who have either competed for Great Britain or represented England, Scotland, Wales or Jersey at previous Beach Sprint events, so they know what to expect. We also have an experienced group of support staff with Beach Sprint experience from England, Scotland, Wales and Jersey.”

He added: “Returning athletes like Clare Jameson and Charles Cousins have already achieved World silver medal success but we need to continue to grow and develop the team with the aim of building on these previous successes to top the podium and win our first World Final gold medal.”

Racing at the European and World Championships will be Laura McKenzie and Sam Scrimgeour looking to build on the gold medal they won for Scotland last year in the Mixed Coastal Double (CMix2x) at the 2022 Commonwealth Beach Sprint Championships in Namibia.

A new event at the World Finals in 2023 is the introduction of the Mixed Coastal Para Double (CMix Para2x), where one rower requires a Para classification to compete. Former GB Paralympic bronze medallist in the PR3 Mix Coxed Four at Beijing 2008, James Morgan, will be joined by Melissa Shaw to contest this event. Both of these athletes have achieved previous success at club level as members of the Coast Amateur Rowing Association.

The athletes selected are:

Senior Team

Women’s Coastal Solo (CW1x)

Clare Jamison (Christchurch RC)

Men’s Coastal Solo (CM1x)

Gregor Hall (St Andrews University BC/Stirling RC)

Mixed Coastal Double (CMix2x)

Laura McKenzie (Leander Club)
Sam Scrimgeour (Glasgow RC)

Mixed Coastal Coxed Quad (CMix4x+)

Rosa Thomson (Leander Club)
Natacha Searson (Jersey Rowing Club)
Charles Cousins (Rob Roy BC/Mumbles RC)
Jerry Owen (Fishguard and Goodwick Jemima RC/Nottingham RC)
Ryan Glymond (cox) (St Andrews University BC)

Mixed Coastal Para Double (CMix Para2x)

James Morgan  (Deal Walmer and Kingsdown ARC)
Melissa Shaw (Shoreham RC)

Reserves/Boat Handlers

James Cox (Agecroft RC/Queen’s Park High School RC)
Melissa Shaw (Shoreham RC)

U19 Team

U19 Women’s Coastal Solo (U19 CW1x)

Evelyn Pakule (Lea RC)

U19 Men’s Coastal Solo (U19 CM1x)

Hector Harvey (Radley College BC/Jersey RC)

U19 Mixed Coastal Double (U19 CMix2x)

Isabel Lancaster (Bradford ARC)
Jonathan Martini (City of Bristol RC)

U19 Women’s Coastal Double (U19 CW2x)

Summer Harlow (Exeter RC)
Leah Saunders (Evesham RC)

U19 Men’s Coastal Double (U19 CM2x)

Ben Snoxall (Reading RC)
Bear Cochrane (King’s School Canterbury BC)

U19 Reserves/Boat Handlers

Ellie Byrne (Kingston RC)
Joshua Port (Lancaster Royal Grammar School BC/Mumbles RC)

Team Support

Mark Dunstan: Team Manager
Tom Pattichis: Lead Coach
Lucy Hart: Coach
James Walker: Coach
Iain Docwra: Coach
Yewande Adesida: Coach
John Searson: Boat Handler
Natalie Firth: Boat Handler