GBRT Final Trials 2023

This weekend, 27 BROOKES|Rowing athletes raced over two days at the GB Rowing Senior, U23 and FISU Final Trials at Caversham. The crews were treated to great conditions which made for some tight racing throughout the weekend. The time trials and semi-finals were raced on Saturday, with the finals taking place on Sunday morning.

Morgan Bolding & Rory Gibbs, who raced in the winning Men’s 1st VIII at the recent Head of the River Race, came away with 2^nd in the M2-. Tom Digby, partnered by James Rudkin came 3^rd. Oli Wilkes placed 4^th with his partner Jacob Dawson. Matthew Aldridge 5^th with his partner Sholto Carnegie.

Sam Bannister and Matt Rowe had one of the standout performances of the weekend. They narrowly missed out on an A-Final place after some immensely close racing on the Saturday. With some more close racing Sunday, they were 0.5 seconds off winning the B-Final which was won by Sam Nunn and his partner Will Stewart. Jack Prior and Matt Heywood came away with 4^th in the B-Final.

In the C-Final, Brookes had three pairs ahead of the rest of the field. Jake Wincomb, U23 World Champion from ’22 in the M8+, alongside Fergus Woolnough won, becoming the fastest U23 pairing. Ben Hinves and Robbie Prosser were 2^nd. Louis Nares and Toby Lassen were the 2^nd fastest U23 pairing, placing 3^rd.

Brookes had significant success with the women’s pairs and scullers throughout the weekend. Jenny Bates placed highly in the time trial which earnt her an opportunity to race in the B-Final on the Sunday where she placed 4^th.

There were Women’s pairs who also performed highly to also earn a race in the B-Final. Martha Birtles and Brenna Randall rowed well to finish 3^rd. Rhianna Sumpter & Grace Richards, narrowly came 5^th to be the 2^nd fastest U23 pair.

With regatta season now fully underway, focus now turns to preparations for BUCS and Wallingford Regatta’s. The squad that head to Nottingham look to retain a number of British University titles won last year.
📸 AllMarkone

Summary of results:

M2-
Gibbs & Bolding 2^nd
Digby & Rudkin* 3^rd
Wilkes & Dawson* 4^th
Aldridge & Carnegie 5^th
Nunn & Stewart* 7^th
Rowe & Bannister 8^th
Prior & Heywood 10^th
Davidson & Bewicke-Copley 12^th
Wincomb & Woolnough 13^th
Hinves & Prosser* 14^th
Lassen & Nares 15^th
Cooper & Hawes 20^th
Falstrup & Tognazzi 26^th

W2-
Birtles & Randall 9^th
Sumpter & Ricahrds 11^th
Forde & Furness 15^th

M1x
Donaghy 14^th

W1x
Bates 10^th
White 20^th