News

Posted: 9 February 2023

The next stage of the GB Rowing Team trialling process for senior and under 23 teams in 2023 returns this weekend as the leading athletes in the country descend on Boston, Lincolnshire, looking to make their mark across the 5k course on the River Witham.

The entry list for the GB Rowing Team Open Trial sees 11 rowers representing Scottish Rowing member clubs competing as part of an enhanced field which for the first time this season also includes the returning GB senior internationals who had been exempt from the November trial.

A strong field in the women’s pair category sees 2022 world champion Rowan McKellar from Glasgow (representing Leander Club) team up with Heidi Long, whilst Olympic silver medallist Karen Bennett continues her return after a season away from the sport following the Tokyo Olympics.  The Edinburgh born athlete pairs up with fellow Leander Club athlete Lauren Irwin.

Aberdeenshire’s Abigail Topp, formerly of ASRA and URA, will be hoping to be one of the leading under 23 crews in this event following a strong 2022 where she won a silver medal in the women’s eight at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships.  The Leander athlete trials with Phoebe Snowden from the University of London Boat Club.

Photo courtesy of All Mark One

In the women’s single scull, Edinburgh University Boat Club’s Lucy Glover will start as one of the favourites following her bronze medal as part of the GB women’s quad in 2022.  Fellow Edinburgh athlete Maddie Arlett will be hoping to be amongst the leading lightweight athletes in the combined women’s sculling field.

Other Scottish interest in the women’s single comes from GB Start athlete Perri McCluskey (Strathclyde Park Rowing Club) as well as under 23 athletes Maisie Aspinall (Aberdeen University Boat Club), a GB under 19 international in 2022, Hannah Supple and Charley Faint (both Edinburgh University Boat Club).

Scotland’s lightweights lead the way in the men’s sculling division with Edinburgh University Boat Club’s Dale Flockhart and Dan Jones expected to contest for top spot along with Strathclyde University Boat Club’s Ben Parsonage.  The trio will all be hoping to put in a strong performance as Great Britain aims to qualify the lightweight men’s double scull for the Paris 2024 Olympics later this year.

Photo courtesy of All Mark One

Tokyo silver medallist Harry Leask, representing Leander Club, will be one of the athletes to watch in the men’s single scull whilst Cameron Buchan (Edinburgh University Boat Club) and under 23 athlete Shay Bradley (University of St Andrews Boat Club) will be hoping to impress the selectors and secure an invitation to the April closed trials at Caversham.

The men’s pair field features several current world champions from the GB men’s eight including Scotland’s Sholto Carnegie (Leander Club).  Former Scotland Rowing Team internationals Matthew Fielding and James Robson (both Leander Club) pair up with Matt Johnston and Matt Aldridge respectively.  Home based interest is provided in the form of Edinburgh University duo Oliver Holmes and Andrew Stoker.

Results from the GB Rowing Team Open Trial will be available at the following link.