Sarah McKay Secures Victory in the Women’s Single Sculls at GB Rowing Team Trials
The GB Rowing Team held their Open Trials in Boston, Lincolnshire on Saturday, 8 February. The event, featuring a grueling 5km on-water time trial, showcased outstanding performances from Leander Club athletes, further cementing the club’s reputation for excellence in British rowing.
Men’s Double Sculls – Division 1
The men’s double sculls, now a trialling boat class, saw Cedol Dafydd take the win, closely followed by club teammates Tobias Schröder and Jamie Gare in second. Rory Harris and James Cartwright finished a respectable fifth. Returning Olympian Tom Barras was originally set to race with Oliver Costley but unfortunately, he was sidelined with injury. Bryn Ellery stepped in at the last minute, and both athletes managed a solid seventh-place finish.
Men’s Pair – Division 1
The men’s pair was won by Cambridge/Leander athletes Douwe De Graaf and George Bourne. Will Stewart, racing with James Robson (Cambridge), finished in second and Matt Rowe in third. Archie Drummond and James Vogel achieved fourth place, while Tom Ballinger and Miles Beesom finished sixth. The club-based pairing of Pete Lanashire and Calvin Tarczy secured ninth with Josh Bowesman-Jones and Dan Graham in 11th rounding out a strong showing from Leander in this highly competitive category.
Women’s Pair – Division 2
In the women’s events, Leander athletes delivered exceptional performances across the board.
In the women’s pair, Eleanor Brinkhoff partnered with Molesey’s Meg Slabbert to secure the win. Returning Olympic bronze medalists from the Paris Games, Eve Stewart and Lauren Irwin, finished second, while Juliette Perry and Lizzie Witt claimed third. The club-based duo of Annie Campbell-Orde and Phillippa Emery finished in fourth. Amelia Standing finished fifth and Lauren Carey sixth.
Noteworthy performances came from Phoebe Snowden and Issy Hawes, who finished just outside the top ten, and the club development pair of Muryn Greene and Emily Downing, who also posted the second-fastest under-21 time of the day.
Women’s Singles – Division 2
In the women’s single sculls, Sarah McKay delivered a standout performance, taking the overall victory. She narrowly edged out Leander Club Captain and Olympic Champion Lola Anderson, who finished in second. Strong performances were also seen from Katie Mole, Georgie Brayshaw, Cam Nyland, Franny Hunt-Davis, Issy Sellers, and Grace Dening-Smitherman, highlighting the incredible depth and talent within the Leander women’s team.
This weekend’s results highlight the exceptional depth and talent within Leander Club. With impressive performances from both club-based and squad athletes, Leander continues to assert itself as a vital contributor to the success of the national team.
