World and British Records smashed at the British Rowing Indoor Championships 2024

December 7, 2024

One World Record and 23 British Records were broken at BRIC 2024, held as part of FitFest 2024 at the NEC, Birmingham on 7 December 2024

Credit: AllMarkOne

The British Rowing Indoor Championships was held at the NEC, Birmingham as part of FitFest for the second year running. With 51 British Champion titles to be won, over 1,800 athletes raced across 178 categories.

Masters Events

British records tumbled in the Masters categories, with five new record times set throughout the action-packed day of racing. In a nail-biting race, Justine Reston secured the Masters 55-59 Lightweight Women’s 2000m British Record in a time of 07:30.9, beating the previous record by 13.2 seconds, narrowly missing out on the World Record by 0.3 seconds. Reflecting on her race, Justine said, “I’m always really hard on myself, but I’ve trained so hard, I’ve left no stone unturned … the British Record: I’m not mad at it.”

Two more new 2,000m British Records were set in the Masters 65-69 age group, with Fiona Jamis setting a phenomenal new time of 08:05.8 in the Lightweight Women 2000m event and Marcus Harvey winning the age group’s Open 2000m in 06:46.1.

The Championships’ oldest female competitor was 86-year-old Hazel Parkins, member of London-based indoor rowing group Cool Rowings, who rowed 2,000m in a time of 12:27.8 and beat the previous British Record time by over four minutes!

17-time British Champion, five-time World Champion and two-time European Champion Graham Benton took a break from racing this year, instead lending his experience to the commentary team. Following a successful day of racing, Graham said that commentating has been “petrifying, exhausting, but a lot of fun… it’s been a really good event”.

Junior Events

Racing couldn’t get closer than the Sixth Form Girls 500m. After winning silver and bronze respectively in the 2000m, Grace Jane and Daniella Raguckaite from Hartpury University and College BC went on to tie in first place in a time of 1:34.1. Fellow teammate Matilda Hudson-Hulls joined them on the podium by placing third in 1:35.2.

Fresh off the race floor, Grace said, “I’m so proud to be in the position where I am, sharing it with one of the greatest teammates anyone can ask for. [Daniella is] someone who pushes me to be my best every session, who will always help me when I’m down and I’m so grateful that I was able to show what I can do, what we can do and what Hartbury can do.”

The university also saw success in the boys event, with Alex Repton winning gold in 1:20.7, followed by Royal Grammar School Worcester BC’s Daniel Foster in silver (1:21.9) and Luke Mein from King’s School Worcester BC in bronze (1:23.0).

The Championships’ youngest competitors raced in the Year 7 2-minute timed event, where Trent RC’s Leon Rupp covered a brilliant 508m. Silver and bronze were taken by Gorse Academy rowers Harvey Ford with 500m and Edward Turner with 494m.

Gorse Academy’s podium success was repeated in the girls event, with the school’s Jessica Mason-Kelly and Jessica Davis winning silver and bronze medals behind Northampton School’s Jasmine Howe, who covered a distance of 514m to win gold.

Open / Women’s Events

The GB Rowing Team were represented in the Open and Women’s events. Amongst the line up in the women’s events were Paris 2024 Women’s Quadruple Sculls Olympic Champions Lauren Henry and Georgie Brayshaw. Lauren rocketed to the finish in the Women’s 2000m, winning in an incredible 6:40.9. GB Rowing Team athlete Vwaire Obukohwo took silver in 06:43.7 followed by Washington DC-based Capital RC athlete Elizabeth Gilmore in 6:45.6.

In a phenomenal day for the GB Rowing Team Olympic Talent Pathway, University of Bath athlete Josh Knight took on Paris 2024 Olympians Matt Haywood and Callum Dixon, who both took their first strokes at a GB Performance Development Academy. Josh Knight won gold in an impressive 5:47.6, with Matt Haywood in silver (5:51.6) and Gabriel Obholzer in bronze position (5:52.0).

The GB Rowing Team women’s squad also took part in the Adult Women’s 4km Relay event, where Lauren Henry, Juliette Perry, Eleanor Brinkhoff and Amelia Standing took on 11 other groups. The team of four finished the race in silver position with a time of 12:22.3, following indoor rowing group Erg Power Serious, who won gold in 12:08.4. Team Dominus joined them on the podium, winning bronze in 12:48.0.

Marlow RC claimed the first and second positions in the Open Relay 4km, with the winning ‘A’ team covering the distance in 4:58.9, followed by the ‘B’ team’s 5:53.3.

Agecoft RC defended their Championship title in the Adult Mixed 4km Relay event. The team of four led from start to finish and won in a time of 11:33.5, nine seconds faster than last year’s gold medal winning time. Manchester-based group Agecroft Bales came second in 12:02.3, followed by Auriol Kensington RC in 12:12.1.

Adaptive Events

BRIC 2024 saw the largest-ever entry in Adaptive categories, with 50 athletes representing We Are Invictus. 13 British records and one World Record were smashed across adult and junior Adaptive categories.

In the Women’s events, Stratford-Upon-Avon BC’s Jess Dowdoswon claimed a World Record in the PR1 Women’s 1 Minute event, covering a distance of 213 metres and beating the current World Record by 97 metres. Lauren Graham from Seal Personal Training came in second with 133 metres. Other British Championship records included Daniela Cachis in the PR2 Women’s 1 Minute event (183m) and Georgia Carmichael in the PR1 Women’s 2000m – winning in a time of 08:34.8.

In the Open events, Stephen Montague claimed both the win and British record in the PR1 1-minute event after rowing 261 metres. Fresh off racing in the PR3 Open 2000m, Paralympic Pathway athlete and We Are Invictus rower Ben Gallagher claimed the gold medal and the Championship title in the PR3 Open 1 Minute event. British Records kept tumbling down in the PR2 Open 1 Minute event, where Graham Burns rowed 152 metres.

In the Junior Open Adaptive categories, three year 9 students took home both British titles and records. Marlow RCs Adam Hussain also made history as new British record-holder after rowing a distance of 793 metres. The club’s record-breaking success was mirrored with PR3 athlete Graham Mcclelland who won the Year 9 Boys PR3 4 Minute event with 867 metres. Records were also claimed in the PR3 Open 2000m event, as Gabriel Phillips took home the British title in 07:20.7.

In the Junior Women Adaptive events, Alba Robins from Marlow RC earned a new record in PR3 4 Minute event, rowing 447 meters. In the Sixth Form Girls PR3 2000m, Warrington RC’s Eimear Slee’s set a new record time of 8:07.9.

Find all results from the British Rowing Indoor Championships here:

Results