Junior World Championships, Racice, 7 – 12 August 2018
Thirty-three athletes represented Great Britain at the World Rowing Junior Championships in Racice, Czech Repulic . Henley Rowing Club had five athletes in this contingent plus one other representing the United States.
Issy Jonsson was in the Women’s pair with Bella O’Hara from Sir William Borlase’s School. In Thursdays heats, which had to be moved earlier in the day due to the heat, the girls finished third which saw them progress straight to Saturdays semi finals.
Mary Wright and Daisy Butterworth raced in the Women’s four with Mia Andersen (Latymer Upper School BC) and Lucy Pullinger (Headington School BC). The girls finished third in their heat, which required them to race again on Friday in the repechage. The led the repechage from start to finish, to take them to semi finals.
It was a similar story for the Women’s quadruple scull who also won their repechage. . Lottie Orr and Georgie Robinson Ranger were racing with Phoebe Campbell (Thames Tradesmen RC) and Olivia Morgan (Shiplake College).
The conditions on Saturday where not kind and made for tough racing. The pair finished sixth in their semi-final having been up with the leaders early in the race. This took them to Sunday’s B final, where they finished second.
The four came in fourth in their semi behind Italy, New Zealand and the Netherlands, taking them through to Sunday’s B final. Italy setting a World Best Time. In the B final the girls finished third.
The quad crossed the line in third in their semi final a length behind the Swiss crew in second and a length and a half behind the winners Germany. The times suggested they would have a tough race in the A final, which was the case. In the final they were unable to turn the tables on the Swiss and Germans who took first and second with the GB quad finishing in fifth place.
Henley’s Sophia Hahn represented the USA in the spares single sculls race where she finished third.
Whilst no medals for the girls it is a great achievement to be selected to represent their country at this level.
Photos courtesy of Allmarkone.
Coupe de la Jeunesse, Cork, 27 – 28 July 2018
Henley Rowing Club junior, Bruce Turnell, took gold in Cork on 28 July, overtaking a fast Italian quad in the last 500 metres. On Saturday 27th he won silver finishing a split second behind the Italian crew in a heat ; high winds forced the cancellation of the final, so medals were awarded on the basis of times in the heats.
Balthasar Issa’s spare man’s race on Saturday 27th July was lost to the high winds, but on Sunday 28th he was 2nd behind a fast Swiss sculler.
These results helped GB win both the junior mens event and the overall team event at this year’s Coupe.
