Szged, Hungary was be the venue for this weekend’s European Rowing Championships where 5 Cambridge graduates sought to take one of rowing’s major prizes.
Imogen Grant (Women’s Lightweight Double Scull – Trinity) sought to lengthen her unbroken winning streak in the double scull with partner Emily Craig, but due to injury to Emily, raced with Olivia Bates in a new combination.
Their heat placed Imogen in an unfamiliar place – second – with the Greek crew progressing directly to the Final after a well fought win. Imogen and Olivia raced in the repechage and took a strong first place. In their final, with cross winds giving lanes 6 and 5 strong advantage, Imogen and Emily started steadily, and moved through the field from 6th at 500 into the race to 4th at the finish line, matching the winning Romanian double for speed in the final 1000
Watch their race HERE
Tom George and Ollie Wynne-Griffith (Men’s Pair – Peterhouse) took a controlled win against the 2023 World Champions from Switzerland at WC1, weathering their charging sprint.
They controlled their first heat from start to finish, crossing the line 4 seconds clear of the Italian pair and went on to win their semi-final in a controlled fashion.
Starting fast, Tom and Ollie led to the 500 mark opver the Swiss pair, extending that lead to nearly 2 seconds at the half-way point, and over 4 seconds with 500 to go. They controlled the race well in the last 500, leading Romania by 2.3 seconds at the finish line, taking their first major title.
Watch Tom and Ollie’s Final HERE
Freddie Davidson (Men’s Four – Emmanuel) after a rare loss to the frantic Italian sprint, Freddie will look to regain the ascendancy as the Olympics draw nearer. After being led to the 500, GB pulled ahead in the second quarter of the race and recorded a victory over the French 4-, moving directly to Sunday’s A-Final.
Italy attacked early in the race with a lightning-fast start that put them in to the lead early in the race, with the high-rating Romania going with them. However, Freddie’s 4 was moving into their rhythm and started working through the field. By halfway, they were in front, and then extended that lead to a win of just over a length in a perfectly even split race.
Watch their final HERE
Henry Fieldman (Women’s Eight – Homerton) ‘s 8s was narrowly outsprinted by the Italian team after a great middle thousand which showed their base speed to advantage. With a strong field in attendance, the GB 8, coached by former Goldie coach Richard Chambers will be up for the challenge.
After leading for the majority of the race, they were rowed down in the dying meters of the race, with Romania winning by 0.7 seconds.
In the final, the British eight led out, and had a 1-second lead by 1000m to a surging Romania. With a final 500 very nearly as fast as GB’s first 500, the Romanians took the win by over 3 seconds. The race was a step forward for GB, who were able to overturn the Italian crew which had beaten them at World Cup 1 just a few weeks earlier.
See their silver-medal performance HERE