GB add a silver and bronze on final day of World Championships
The GB Rowing Team added a silver and bronze to their tally on the closing day of the World Championships on Poznan’s Lake Malta – bringing the number of medals won to nine – six Olympic, two Paralympic and one international class medal.
Sophie Hosking and Hester Goodsell were amongst the favourites for gold in today’s lightweight women’s double scull but had to settle for bronze in a photo-finish with Poland behind the winners from Greece.
Hosking said: ” You never go into a race thinking you don’t have the ability to win. It just means that we will be more determined in the future”.
The silver came for the lightweight women’s quadruple scull of Jane Hall, Laura Greenhalgh, Steph Cullen and Andrea Dennis in a race won by Germany.
“Over the past two days we’ve seen some exceptional performances from our rowers. To achieve six Olympic class medals from 11 boats in A Finals is exceptional”, said David Tanner, the GB Rowing Team’s Performance Director.
“Many people said yesterday was one of the most exciting days of racing at any world championships and GB made a lot of that happen.
“Our Paralympians did us proud with their two gold medals. I feel we are in good health as we start the second year of the London Olympiad”.
Today’s other placings were fifths for the women’s and men’s eights and quadruple scull and the lightweight men’s pair and a sixth place for the lightweight men’s double scull.
Great Britain’s overall tally at the championships in the Olympic classes, after winning a gold and four silvers yesterday, was eight medals, with gold going to the men’s four. Yesterday also witnessed two Paralympic class British gold medals. The medal count was enough to place GB third on the Championships medal table with Germany top and New Zealand second.
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RACE REPORTS
Poland raced off the start of the lightweight women’s double scull final in Poznan, Poland, this morning but the rest of the pack, including Hester Goodsell and Sophie Hosking were not far behind. At the 500m mark Poland still led with Greece in second and GB third. Germany were fourth.
The Greek double moved into the lead around 750m gone with Poland second and GB third. At the halfway point the positions were the same. In the third 500m, the Greeks extended their lead and GB overhauled the Poles to move into second – just under three seconds adrift of the leaders.
In the final sprint the Greeks proved unassailable, Poland battled hard with Great Britain for silver and the Germans began to come back into contention. At the line, gold was clearly for Greece with a photo-finish needed to separate GB and Poland with the verdict going to the home duo. Bronze for GB in 6:56.67, just two hundredths of a second behind Poland.
Goodsell said: “The conditions were really tough which makes it a far more difficult race. I knew that it would be a tight race and it would come down to who didn’t make a mistake”.
Hosking said: “We did not do ourselves any favours by being behind and we always knew the Greeks would be strong but you never go into a race thinking you don’t have the ability to win. It just means that we will be more determined in the future”.
Jane Hall, Laura Greenhalgh, Andrea Dennis and Steph Cullen had won the seeding race earlier in the week for today’s final of the lightweight women’s quadruple scull. As such they had a central lane today.
Germany showed early but the GB boat soon caught them and had their nose in front by just over a canvas at 300m. At the first timing point the GB boat was 0.69 seconds ahead with Germany in second and Canada close behind.
Stroke Jane Hall, a world champion before, drove her crew on in pursuit of another title in a long and successful career. The 35 year-old could feel the Germans chasing them hard and by the 1000m mark the difference was just two hundredths of a second. GB had the lead but not for long as the Germans moved through.
The Germans continued to apply pressure and with 500m to go they had a second’s lead. Just when the heat was at its most intense the GB bow-woman seemed to stop momentarily having clipped the water with her blade to stall the boat. Victory to Germany. Silver to GB in 6:35.42 with Poland third.
“I’ve never been so disappointed with silver”, said Jane Hall. “But we showed great character after the problem to keep going and make sure no-one came back to take the silver from us”.
“We didn’t have anything in our hands before we came here. Now we have a silver medal”, said Greenhalgh.
“I’m disappointed and frustrated”, added Cullen.
Great Britain got off to a strong start in the women’s eight final .They were tucked in behind the American leaders in the first 500m. Germany moved up onto the tail of the British to take third spot. At the halfway point the USA were still leading and GB were holding third.
In the third quarter the Germans and Romanians came through strongly to move ahead of the GB boat as well as the Dutch. GB dropped back to fifth but not a distant fifth. At the head of the field the Americans held on grimly to take gold with Romania in silver
and the Netherlands in bronze.
“Everyone’s going really fast, including us”, said GB’s Beth Rodford after the semi-finals of the women’s quadruple scull championships. In today’s final the Ukraine hit the accelerator off the start and had a length by 500m. Germany, who like to call this event their own, responded in the second quarter to get the overlap. The Russians were third with Germany fifth and GB at the rear – but only just.
As the race moved over the halfway point, GB were still trailing in sixth place with a six second gap on the leaders. The USA made their move and came up into second place. Gradually GB overhauled Russia to move into fifth.
With 350m to go the Ukraine still had a strong lead with the USA in second and Germany third. Ultimately no-one could catch the Ukraine with Germany beaten to silver by the USA. GB finished fourth, holding off a counter-attack from Russia in the final 100m.
In a tightly-bunched field of the lightweight men’s double scull final, Rob Williams and Paul Mattick were in sixth at halfway and trying to come back past the German crew who were behind them earlier in the race.
The British partnership was formed earlier this year with both men switching from the sweep to sculling squad.
New Zealand’s Storm Uru and Peter Taylor were the clear race leaders at this point chased by Italy and France. Canada, Germany and GB were vying for the minor places. At 1500m gone GB were still sixth, whilst Germany had moved ahead of Canada to take fourth. By the line New Zealand were clear winners with France taking silver ahead of Italy.
The GB Rowing team’s men’s eight were in the fight from the start of their final today. They were equal third at 300m gone. Germany and Canada were marginally ahead of Poland and GB at the head of the race.
By halfway Germany were a canvas ahead of Canada and GB had dropped back marginally to fifth place. As the race continued it became clear that GB could not contest for a medal but held onto fifth place in 5:32.61. Germany, Canada and the Netherlands took the medals in that order.
Oli Mahony and Ross Hunter were fifth at 500m in their lightweight men’s pair final today with France leading the race ahead of Italy, Serbia and South Africa.
At the head of the field the French and Italians battled with no more than a few feet between them at times. At the halfway point GB were fifth but not out of contention.
In the final phases Mahony and Hunter could not make the impact they needed to move back on the leading trio. France broke away in the sprint to the line to win with Mahony and Hunter taking fifth in 6:41.21. Italy took silver and Serbia the bronze.
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RESULTS
(Races featuring GB crews only. For full results
log onto www.worldrowing.com)
OPEN
WOMEN
Eight
1. USA 6:05.34
2. Romania 6:06.94
3. Netherlands 6:07.43
4. Germany 6:08.62
5. Jo Cook/Melanie Wilson/Michelle Vezie/Jess Eddie/Tina Stiller
Alison Knowles/Natasha Page/Lindsey Maguire/Caroline
O’Connor (cox) (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:12.66
6. Canada 6:16.68
MEN
Eight
1. Germany 5:24.13
2. Canada 5:27.15
3. Netherlands 5:28.32
4. Poland 5:28.40
5. Tom Broadway/Tom Burton/James Orme/Tom Solesbury/Tom
Wilkinson/Dan Ritchie/Tom Ransley/James Clarke/Phelan
Hill (cox) (GREAT BRITAIN).
6. Italy 5:43.58
Quadruple scull
1. Ukraine 6:18.41
2. USA 6:21.54
3. Germany 6:24.27
4. Italy 6:27.97
5. Ro Bradbury/Beth Rodford/Sarah Cowburn/Katie Greves
(GREAT BRITAIN) 6:33.42
6. Russia 6:34.64
LIGHTWEIGHT
WOMEN
Double scull
1. Christina Giazitzidou/Alexandra Tsiavou (Greece) 6:51.46
2. Magdalena Kemnitz/Agnieszka Renc (Poland) 6:56.65
3. Hester Goodsell/Sophie Hosking (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:56.67
4. Anja Noske/Marie-Louise Draeger (Germany) 6:59.75
5. Bronwen Watson/Alice McNamara (Australia) 7:01.32
6. Lindsay Jennerich/Sheryl Preston (Canada) 7:04.64
Quadruple scull
1. Germany 6;32.91
2. Steph Cullen/Laura Greenhalgh/Andrea Dennis/Jane Hall
(GREAT BRITAIN) 6:35.42
3. USA 6:36.88
4. Canada 6:37.36
5. Poland 6:37.83
MEN
Pair
1. Fabien Tilliet/Jean-Christophe Bette (France) 6:29.63
2. Andrea Caianiello/Armando Dell’Aquila (Italy) 6:31.40
3. Nenad Babovic/Milos Tomic (Serbia) 6;31.58
4. John Smith/Matthew Brittain (South Africa) 6:34.72
5. Ross Hunter/Oli Mahony (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:41.21
6. Jacob Barsoe/Lasse Dittmann (Denmark) 6:44.04
Double scull
1. Uru Storm/Peter Taylor (New Zealand) 6:10.62
2. Jeremie Azou/Frederic Dufour (France) 6:12.57
3. Marcello Miani/Elia Luini (Italy) 6:15.08
4. Christian Hochbruck/Lara Hartig (Germany) 6:20.29
5. Douglas Vandor/Cameron Sylvester (Canada) 6:23.08
6. Rob Williams/Paul Mattick (GREAT BRITAIN) 6:23.95
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CREW LISTS
2009 World Rowing Championships, Poznan, Poland.
AUGUST , 2009
(Listed as bow to stroke plus cox unless otherwise indicated)
FULL BIOGS AVAILABLE AT: www.gbrowing.org.uk
OPEN
WOMEN
Pair
Olivia Whitlam (Agecroft/Warrington/16.09.85)/Louisa Reeve (Leander
Club/London/16.05.84)
Coach: Miles Forbes-Thomas
Eight
Jo Cook (Leander Club/Nottingham/22.03.84)/
Melanie Wilson (Molesey BC/London/25.6.84)/
Michelle Vezie (Molesey BC/London/30.11.87)/
Lindsey Maguire (Wallingford RC/Edinburgh/15.01.82)/
Jess Eddie (Uni of London BC/Durham/07.10.84)/
Tina Stiller (Nottingham RC/Yarm/23.06.87)/
Alison Knowles (Thames RC/Bournemouth/27.03.82)/
Natasha Page (Reading Uni BC/Hartpury/30.04.85)/
Caroline O’Connor (Oxford Brookes Uni BC/Ealing/25.04.83) (cox)
Coach: Miles Forbes-Thomas
Single scull
Katherine Grainger (St Andrew BC/Aberdeen/12.11.75)
Coach: Paul Thompson
Double scull
Anna Bebington (Leander Club/Leek, Staffs/13.02.83)/Annabel Vernon
(Marlow RC/Wadebridge/01.09.82)
Coach: Paul Thompson
Quadruple scull
Rosamund Bradbury (Westminster School BC/Banstead/17.12.88)/
Beth Rodford (Gloucester RC/Burton-on-Trent/ 28.12.82)/
Sarah Cowburn (Durham Uni BC/Redditch/01.02.89)/
Katie Greves (Leander Club/Oxford/02.09.82)/
Coach: Ade Roberts
MEN
Pair
Pete Reed (Leander Club/Nailsworth, Glos/27.07.81)/Andy Triggs Hodge
(Molesey BC/Hebden, N.Yorks/03.03.79)
Coach: Jurgen Grobler
Four
Alex Partridge (Leander Club/Alton, Hants/25.01.81)/Richard
Egington (Leander Club/Knutsford/26.02.79)/Alex Gregory (Reading
Uni BC/Wormington/11.03.84)/Matt Langridge(Leander Club/Northwich/20.05.83)
Coach: Mark Banks
Eight
Tom Broadway (Leander Club/Newport Pagnell/21.08.82)/
Tom Burton (Leander Club/Barton-le-Clay, Beds/24.05.80)/
James Orme (Leander Club/Colchester/01.04.84)/
Tom Solesbury (Isis BC/Petts Wood, Kent/23.09.80)/
Tom Wilkinson (Leander Club/Reading/04.07.85)/
Dan Ritchie (Reading Uni BC/Herne Bay/06.01.87)/
Tom Ransley (Cambridge University BC/ Ashford, Kent/06.09.85)/
James Clarke (London RC/London/31.12.84)/
Phelan Hill (cox) (Leander Club/Bedford/21.07.79)
Coach: Christian Felkel/John West
Single scull
Alan Campbell (Tideway Scullers/Coleraine/09.05.83)
Coach: Bill Barry
Double scull
Matt Wells (Leander Club/Hexham, Northumberland/19.04.79)/
Stephen Rowbotham (Leander Club/Winscombe, Somerset/11.11.81)
Coach: Mark Earnshaw
Quadruple Scull – WITHDRAWN ON WEDS 26 AUGUST DUE TO INJURY
Brendan Crean (Agecroft/Manchester/07.02.85)
Marcus Bateman (Leander Club/Torquay/16.09.82)/
Charles Cousins (Reading Uni BC/Cambridge/13.12.88)/
Sam Townsend (Reading Uni BC/Reading/26.11.85)
Coach: Mark Earnshaw
LIGHTWEIGHT
WOMEN
Double scull
Hester Goodsell (Reading Uni BC/Cambridge/27.06.84)/
Sophie Hosking (London RC/Wimbledon/25.01.86
Coach: Paul Reedy
Quadruple Scull
Stephanie Cullen (London RC/Putney, London/27.11.80)Laura Greenhalgh (London RC/Oxford/02.09.85)//Andrea Dennis (London RC/Oxford/03.01.82)/Jane Hall (Leander Club/Caversham/20.10.73)
Coach: Don McLachlan
Racing Spare
Single Scull
Elaine Johnstone (Tideway Scullers)
MEN
Pair
Ross Hunter (Leander Club/Romford, Essex/13.07.81)/
Oliver Mahony (London RC/London/21.10.83)
Coach: Steve Trapmore
Four
Chris Bartley (Leander Club/Chester/02.02.84)/
Chris Boddy (Tees RC/Stockton-on-Tees/16.11.87)/
Stephen Feeney (London RC/Coleraine/12.05.85)/
Bob Hewitt (Tees RC/Scarborough/27.04.87)/
Coach: Robin Williams
Single scull
Adam Freeman-Pask (Imperial College BC/Windsor/19.06.85)
Coach: Steve Trapmore
Double scull
Rob Williams (London RC/Maidenhead/21.01.85)/Paul Mattick
(Leander Club/Frome, Somerset/25.04.78)
Coach: Darren Whiter
ADAPTIVE (Paralympic classes)
Men’s Arms-only Single Scull
Tom Aggar (Royal Docks RC/Barnet, London/24.05.84)
Coach: Tom Dyson
Trunk and Arms Double Scull
James Roberts (City of Swansea RC/Prestatyn/11.05.86)/
Samantha Scowen (Dorney BC/Wokingham/29.10.87)
Coach: Tom Dyson
Mixed Adaptive Coxed Four
Vicki Hansford (Uni of Surrey BC/Farnborough/31.10.79)/
James Roe (Stratford-upon-Avon BC//Stratford-upon-Avon/
28.03.88)/Dave Smith (Reading Uni BC/Aviemore/21.04.78) /Naomi
Riches (Leander/Harrow, London 15.06.83)/Rhiannon Jones
(Reading Uni BC/Hereford/16.09.87) (cox)
Coach: Stuart Whitelaw
RESERVES
Men’s sweep
Nathaniel Reilly-O’Donnell (Uni of London/Durham/13.04.88)
Peter Marsland (Cambridge Uni BC/Hampton, Mx/06.03.85)
Women’s sweep
Reserve: Jacqui Round (Nottingham RC/St Neots/01.07.87)
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Management and Support Staff:
Performance Support Team:
David Tanner, Performance Director and Team Manager
Jurgen Grobler, Chief Coach (Men)
Paul Thompson, Chief Coach (Women & Lightweights)
Medical and Science Support:
Dr Ann Redgrave, Doctor
Mark Edgar, Physiotherapist
Karen Burn, Physiotherapist
Lilly Devine, Physiotherapist
Dr Chris Shambrook, Psychologist
Mark Homer, Physiologist
Wendy Martinson, Nutritionist
Adaptive Team Staff:
Louise Kingsley, Selector
Tom Dyson, Lead coach
Dr Lucy Free, Doctor
Chris Price, Physiotherapist
Logistics and Office Support:
Rachel Simon, Assistant Team Manager
Maurice Hayes, Resources Manager
Judi Read, Logistics Coordinator
Fran Bullock, Sponsorship Liaison
John Tetley, Boatman
John Brockway, Driver
Caroline Searle, Press Officer
