UPDATED: Coxed four become first GB Rowing Team boat to make finals in Germany
Coxed by Hugo Marsh, the GB Rowing Team’s junior men’s coxed four of Charles Elwes, Thomas Digby, Chetan Chauhan-Sims and Charles Thurston came through strongly in the second half of their opening heat at the World Championships in Hamburg this morning to win and qualify for Sunday’s final.
New Zealand had the better first half but the GB boat stayed in contention and then pulled away from them in the final phases of the race to win in 6:25.29. The crew became the first British boat to reach a final in Germany.
Italy, the European junior champions, took an early lead in the men’s eight heat featuring the GB combination of Liam Tustin, George Pearce, Alexander Bakarat, Matthew Aldridge, Henry Lambe, James Clarke, Luke Towers, William England and Alex Gass (cox).
GB were lying fifth at the halfway before picking up the pace and overhauling France, the world junior silver medallists last year, and Serbia to take third place going into the final 500m. At the head of the race, the Netherlands put in a big push and overtook Italy to win. Great Britain finished in third with Italy taking the second of only two spots for Sunday’s final.
The result put the British boat into a repechage tomorrow but with a good opportunity of qualifying from there into the final.
Both the junior women’s four and quad are safely through to semi-finals.
Matilda Martin, Heidi Long, Fionnuala Gannon and Saskia Budgett of the junior women’s four qualified in second place from their heat in a race won by France.
Budgett, the daughter of the 1984 Olympic gold medallists Dr Richard Budgett, stroked the crew past Poland just before halfway and the crew held that slot until the finish which they reached in 7:12.36.
The junior women’s quadruple scull of Susannah Duncan, Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne, Anna Thornton and Florence Pickles led their heat for the first half but were in close quarters throughout with China who eventually emerged with a strong final 500m to take the win. GB were second by a comfortable margin over the USA in third.
“It was a pretty solid performance from the team today and we’re now looking forward to all our crews stepping up in the next phase of racing. It’s obviously going to get tougher from here”, said John Layng, the team manager.
Today’s racing took place in light drizzle but with no wind.
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RESULTS
(Events featuring GB Rowing Team crews only. For full results: www.worldrowing.com)
HEATS
JUNIOR
WOMEN
Four
1. France 7:07.35
2. Matilda Martin/Heidi Long/Fionnuala Gannon/Saskia Budgett (GREAT BRITAIN) 7:12.36
3. Poland 7:15.02
4. Ukraine 7:15.02
Quadruple scull
1. China 6:41.81
2. Susannah Duncan/Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne/Anna Thornton/Florence Pickles (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:44.70
3. USA 6:47.67
4. Italy 6:53.81
5. Switzerland 7:09.76
MEN
Coxed Four
1. Charles Elwes/Thomas Digby/Chetan Chauhan-Sims/Charles Thurston/Hugo Marsh (cox) (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:25.29
2. New Zealand 6:27.64
3. Romania 6:35.72
4. Australia 6:40.98
5. USA 6:42.82
Eight
1. Netherlands 5:44.54
2. Italy 5:46.79
3. Liam Tustin/George Pearce/Alexander Barakat/Matthew Aldridge/Henry Lambe/James Clarke/Luke Towers/William England/Alexander Gass (cox) (GREAT BRITAIN) 5:50.97
4. Serbia 5:50.97
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CREW LISTS
GB ROWING TEAM
Junior World Championships, Hamburg, Germany, 6-10 August, 2014
JUNIOR WOMEN
Four
Matilda Martin (Headington School Oxford BC)
Heidi Long (Marlow RC)
Fionnuala Gannon (St Georges College BC)
Saskia Budgett (Tideway Scullers School)
Coach: Ade Roberts
Quadruple scull
Susannah Duncan (Tideway Scullers School)
Anna Thornton (Nottingham RC)
Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne (Gloucester Hartpury)
Flo Pickles (Gloucester Hartpury)
Coach: Tom Pattichis
JUNIOR MEN
Pair
Oliver Jonas (Tideway Scullers School)
Arthur Doyle (St Paul’s School BC)
Coach: Mark Woodcock
Coxed Four
Charles Elwes (Radley College BC)
Thomas Digby (Abingdon School BC)
Chetan Chauhan-Sims (Emanuel School BC)
Charles Thurston (Eton College BC)
Hugo Marsh (cox) (St Edwards School BC)
Coaches: Richard Boulton/John Gearing
Eight
Liam Tustin (Evesham RC)
George Pearce (Pangbourne College BC)
Alexander Barakat (Eton College BC)
Matthew Aldridge (Christchurch RC)
Henry Lambe (Abingdon School BC)
James Clarke (King’s College School BC)
Luke Towers (Pangbourne College BC)
William England (Monmouth School)
Alex Gass (cox) (Reading Blue Coat School BC)
Coach: Neil Double
Double scull
Fraser Russell (Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School BC)
James White (The Windsor Boys’ School BC)
Coach: Dez Atkins
Quadruple scull
Steven Parsonage (Norwich RC)
Rowan Law (Nottingham RC)
Samuel Meijer (Westminster School BC)
Chris Lawrie (Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School BC)
Coach: Robin Dowell
Non-racing spare: Alex Haynes (Marlow RC)
Lead Coach: Richard Boulton
Team Manager: John Layng
Equipment Manager: Colin Greenway
Doctor Lucy Free
Physio: Andy Knee Robinson
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