2024 England Rowing Beach Sprint Team announced

The England Rowing Beach Sprint Team of 10 rowers from across the country will compete for the first time on home waters at the third Home International Rowing Beach Sprints in Bournemouth, England on 28 September 2024

The four traditional home nations of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will be joined again by – guests Jersey in Bournemouth for the third Home International Rowing Beach Sprints.

“It’s great to be back on the England team for another competition,” said England Team Captain Hal Flowerdew from Tynemouth RC. “It’s an honour to be selected as this year’s captain. I’m looking forward to leading and developing this year’s team, to what I’m sure will be a great championship.”

This will be the third time Hal has donned an England all-in-one, having previously raced for England at the 2023 Home International Rowing Beach Sprints and at the 2022 Commonwealth Rowing Association Beach Sprint Championships. He has been selected as the Men’s Solo.

Charlotte Fennell (Leander Club) will compete in the Women’s Solo event, while Sam O’Connor (Tynemouth RC) and Emma Sherwood (Leander Club) will team up in the Mixed Double. All three athletes will be making their international Beach Sprint debuts.

The team will compete in seven events, spanning junior, senior, and, for the first time, U23 categories. The competition will include time trials, reps, semi-finals, and finals. On home water, they hope to make this their year by winning the team trophy for the first time, which was claimed by Wales last year.

In the U23 Mixed Double, 2023 U19 World Rowing Beach Sprint Champion Isabel Lancaster (Reading University BC/Bradford ARC) will race with James Cox (Agecroft RC/Queen’s Park Chester RC), who was the reserve for the British 2023 World Rowing Beach Sprint team.

The athletes in the Junior boats are all representing England for the first time. Zack Hills (Whitby Coastal RC/Chester-Le-Street ARC/Durham School BC) will be racing in the Junior Men’s Solo whilst Olivia Hodgson (Royal Grammar School Worcester BC) will be in the Junior Women’s Solo. Madoc Gundry (Lea RC) and Zara Gray (Lymington ARC) have been selected for the Junior Mixed Double.

James Andrews, England Pathway Manager, said, “After a strong showing from our Home International Rowing Regatta team, I’m hoping our success will continue at the Home International Rowing Beach Sprints. We’ve revamped our selection process this year, and we’ve got many rowers who are on the brink of breaking into the GB Rowing Team as well as others who already have already competed at that level in previous years. We’re still chasing our first win of the Guin Batten Beach Sprint Trophy for the top nation, and I believe this team has what it takes to secure that victory on home waters.”

England Rowing Beach Sprint Team 2024

Women’s Solo (CW1x)

Charlotte Fennell (Leander Club)

Men’s Solo (CM1x)

Hal Flowerdew (Tynemouth RC) – Team Captain

Mixed Double (CMix2x)

Sam O’Connor (Tynemouth RC)
Emma Sherwood (Leander Club)

U23 Mixed Double (U23 CMix2x)

James Cox (Agecroft RC/Queen’s Park Chester RC)
Isabel Lancaster (Reading University BC/Bradford ARC)

Junior Women’s Solo (CJW1x)

Olivia Hodgson (Royal Grammar School Worcester BC)

Junior Men’s Solo (CJM1x)

Zack Hills (Whitby Coastal RC/Chester-Le-Street ARC/Durham School BC)

Junior Mixed Double (CJMix2x)

Madoc Gundry (Lea RC)
Zara Gray (Lymington ARC)

Senior Reserves

Marc Wilson (Whitby Coastal RC)
Daisy Faithfull (University of London BC/Shanklin Sandown RC)

U23 Reserves

Ben MacDonald (Hartpury College and University BC/B T C (Southampton) RC)
Melissa Shaw (Shoreham RC)

Junior Reserves

Edwin van Lopik (Bradford Grammar School BC/Bradford ARC)
Sefi Ormston (Whitby Coastal RC/Tees RC)

Senior Coaches

Poppy Kearney (British Rowing)
Heather McDermott (Tynemouth RC)

U23 Coach

Hugh Scott (Bradford ARC)

Junior Coaches

Helen Middleton (Norwich High School RC/Lowestoft RC)
Yewande Adesida (Fulham Reach BC)

Team Support

Team Manager: Rachael Ball
Safeguarding Officer: Lucy McNulty (Molesey BC)/Ben Gillard (British Rowing)
Lead Coach: Lucy Hart (British Rowing)
Umpire: Richard Dennis (Leander Club)
Team Delegate: Eira Parry (Walton RC)
England Pathway Manager: James Andrews (British Rowing)