Fifty athletes have been selected to represent Great Britain at the rowing season opener – World Rowing Cup I in Varese, Italy from 12-14 April 2024.
Photo GBR LW2x
Credit Benedict Tufnell
Commenting on the team selection Louise Kingsley, British Rowing Director of Performance said: “We had some fantastic results last year including qualifying thirteen boats for the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. Now, after a long winter of training and testing, this season is all about stepping on and building towards Paris.
“World Rowing Cup I will see our Olympic athletes taking to the water for the first time this season. It’s a great opportunity to see how everyone has moved on over the winter and how crews are taking shape. We have 15 weeks until we travel to the Olympic Games and there is a lot of racing to come, so we will continue to refine and build as we progress through the Spring and into the Summer.”
Returning unchanged to kick-start their season are 2023 World Champion crews Emily Craig and Imogen Grant in the lightweight women’s double sculls; Lauren Henry, Hannah Scott, Lola Anderson and Georgie Brayshaw in the women’s quadruple sculls; Oli Wilkes, David Ambler, Matt Aldridge and Freddie Davidson in the men’s four and Jacob Dawson, Morgan Bolding, Rory Gibbs, Sholto Carnegie, Charlie Elwes, Tom Digby, James Rudkin, Tom Ford and cox Harry Brightmore in the men’s eight.
Tokyo 2020 Olympian Graeme Thomas is returning to racing for the first time since winning a bronze medal in the men’s single sculls at the 2022 World Rowing Championships. He joins Callum Dixon, Tom Barras and Matt Haywood in the men’s quadruple sculls.
“It’s amazing to be selected for this World Cup. It’s a big achievement and a lot of people have worked hard behind the scenes to help get me here,” said Thomas. “It was an honour to represent GB in the single for a season and it was a real learning experience as in the single all your strengths and weaknesses are on show. Now, I’m looking forward to collaborating with and navigating being back as part of a crew in the quad. It’s always more fun being part of a team and I’m looking forward to getting back out on the water and seeing what we can achieve.”
Also returning to racing after missing the second half of the 2023 season is Sam Redgrave who joins Helen Glover, Esme Booth and Rebecca Shorten in the women’s four. “Last season was a challenge but I’ve had a good winter training block and I’m feeling really good now,” said Redgrave. “The support of all the women in the squad along the way has been fantastic and we are all unified in our goals whichever boat we race in. My aim was the four and I’m happy to be selected in that boat. It’s a new lineup with a lot of energy, experience and potential and we’re excited to race in Varese.”
2023 World silver medallists and the fastest British men’s pair ever, Ollie Wynne-Griffith and Tom George are back in the men’s pair.
The women’s eight of Heidi Long, Rowan McKellar, Lauren Irwin, Eve Stewart, Holly Dunford, Emily Ford, Hattie Taylor, Annie Campbell-Orde, and cox, Henry Fieldman will be doubling up into two women’s fours with Long, McKellar, Dunford and Ford as GBR2 and Taylor, Campbell-Orde, Irwin and Stewart as GBR3.
Tokyo 2020 Olympians Rebecca Edwards and Chloe Brew will race in the women’s pair. Double World Cup bronze medallist Olivia Bates will also take to the water in the lightweight women’s single sculls.
George Bourne will race in the men’s single sculls and Seb Devereux returns to race with two-time Olympian John Collins in the men’s double sculls.
Sam Nunn, Will Stewart, James Robson, David Bewicke-Copley, Lucy Glover and Eleanor Brinkhoff are named as reserves.
