Under the sweltering Bulgarian sun, Great Britain had an exemplary start to the U19 World Rowing Championships. For 37 of the 42 athletes racing in Plovdiv, this was their first experience of racing on the world stage, and they performed magnificently. All 10 boats have advanced to the next round of racing, with six set for semi-final action and two ready to race in A Finals.
First down the track in the opening race of the Championships were Alfie Webb and Quinn Mosley in the Men’s Double Sculls. In the fastest heat of the six, the duo were second behind New Zealand and did well to fend off a fast-finishing combination from Estonia.
With 33 crews entered, the Men’s Double Sculls is the largest event and as such, has the most brutal racing schedule. Later in the day, Webb and Mosley were back up to the start for their quarterfinal. This time, they were first across the finish line, beating the Individual Neutral Athletes and China, who joined them as the three crews progressing through to the semi-finals. Great Britain posted the third fastest time across the four races.
Next on the morning’s docket was Lewie Harris. The Hinksey Sculling School athlete cruised along in third for much of the race, behind Norway and Slovenia, but comfortably ahead of Bulgaria and Honduras. His time of 07:08.56 was quick enough to see him progress through to tomorrow’s quarterfinals.
The Men’s and Women’s Pair were third and fourth, respectively. Germany and Italy led out the British men, while the women finished behind Italy, Croatia, and Türkiye, but ahead of China. Issy Hughes, Bella Okunola, Jonathan Cleugh, and Wilder Daffey were all quick enough to progress through to the semi-finals based on their times posted.
Of the Fours, Quadruple Sculls, and Eights taking to the course, five of them would win their opening heats. Up first, and kicking off the afternoon session, was the Women’s Four. While Ottilie Campbell-Reide returns from last year’s bronze medal-winning outfit, Anna Trapmore, Henriette Smit, and Isis Thurnham were all making their U19 debuts. The quartet led at all major markers and looked firmly in control of their race, as they dispatched New Zealand, Czechia, Greece, and Germany.
You could quite easily copy and paste the previous paragraph and use it to describe the Men’s Four. Csombor Hanzcar, Edward Ludgate, Guy Parson, and Nick Conway looked superb as they kept the fast-finishing Italians at bay. Despite the Azzurri kicking on with 500m to go, they couldn’t overhaul the leaders, and GB would clock the second fastest time of the heats.
Two more heat wins came in the Quadruple Sculls.
Kate Cohalan, Lauren Kennedy, Alice Moss, and Holly Weddell were second through 1000m, but rowed a mature race to take care of business in the second half. Pressure remained from early the leaders, Czechia, right to the finish, but the British held on to win by 0.8 seconds, with Switzerland and Greece placing third and fourth, respectively.
Again, just like the women, the Men’s Quadruple Scull were second as their bows passed the 1000m marker. Through the third 500m, Poland had no response to the move from Finley Corby, Gabriel Lorenzi, Isaac Thornton, and Louis Sheasby. After trailing by just under a second at halfway, Great Britain broke clear and won by 3.9 seconds.
The Women’s Eight were involved in a five-boat Preliminary Race. It was one where Romania thundered out of the blocks and never looked back. Alice Dargue, Hannah Palin, Freya Coupe, Aaliyah Hall, Annunciata Ings, Mia Tans, Florence Grose, Elayna Yap, and cox Charlie Watkins were third behind Romania and Germany, but ahead of the United States of America and Italy. All crews will be firing on all cylinders come Sunday’s race for medals.
The Men’s Eight were another boat that won their heat. Despite a quick opening 1000m from the USA that saw them trail the Brits by 0.15s, they couldn’t match the pace of the leaders. Laszlo Earle, Jack Holden, Aiden Hughes, Jonathan Miles, George Petrow, Monty Sutherland, Jacopo Tans, Paul Turner, and cox Nathanial Barnes stepped on, and the Americans couldn’t go them. Great Britain won, ahead of Croatia, who rowed through the USA in the last quarter of the race. They will all go again in Sunday’s A Final, as will Germany, who won the second heat, equalling the British at all three markers on the course.
“It has been an encouraging opening day for the team,” said U19 Team Manager John Layng.
“Our rowers embraced the challenge, raced with determination, and executed their race plans with precision. I am very proud of all of today’s performances and excited for the opportunities the coming days will bring.”
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