Gold and five silvers for GB Para-rowers at Gavirate International Regatta

GB Para-rowers win six medals at the Gavirate International Regatta in Northern Italy

Laurence Whiteley won gold and silver in the PR2 men’s single at the Gavirate International Regatta as Para-rowers from around the world convened in Northern Italy.

Paralympic champion Whiteley stormed to victory in Saturday’s final, winning by clear water. His heat on Friday was delayed by a lightning storm over the lake but the sun was shining as he collected his trophy on Saturday morning.

In Sunday’s final, Whiteley had to settle for silver behind Dutch sculler Corne de Koning, who had raced in the PR2 mixed double scull on Saturday.

Andy Houghton noted his progression from 12 months ago, finishing five seconds behind Ukrainian powerhouse Roman Polianskyi in the PR1 single scull in Saturday’s final. Paralympic champion Polianskyi defeated Houghton by over 20 seconds in 2017 but was given a closer race in each of the two finals over the weekend.

Houghton claimed a second silver on Sunday, with rookie Benjamin Pritchard reaching the A final and finishing fifth and sixth in his first international races.

Ollie Stanhope, world champion in 2017, and Daniel Brown, Paralympic champion from Rio 2016, joined forces in the PR3 men’s pair, coming away with two silver medals. Stanhope and Brown finished behind Canadian pair Andrew Todd and Kyle Fredrickson on both occasions.

The GB Rowing Team Paralympic squad now embark on a training camp in Varese, with members of the Para-rowing Development Squad experiencing their first overseas camp.