This is your weekly JRN briefing covering the key developments of the last seven days on the rowing circuit, both in the UK and beyond. To receive an audio briefing with these stories and more at the start of each week, sign up to Updates. If you have a story to share, contact our news desk – juniorrowingnews@gmail.com.
Domestic Rowing:
“British Rowing confirms that we will move to Phase F of our Return to Rowing guidance as scheduled on 29th August which will see a return to rowing activity in all boat classes plus some internal and inter-club competition.”
British Rowing
After months of gradually easing lockdown measures, the rowing community are one step closer to a return to normality, whilst the British Rowing team takes another hit.
Pete Lambert has confirmed that he will not be continuing to train for the Tokyo Games. In a statement, Pete said “I had already been planning to retire in August after Tokyo; when the Games were delayed to next year, I decided I still wanted to step away. It feels like the right time for me to start a new chapter in my life.”
The Leander athlete has collected ten medals in his time with the team, including two World Rowing Cup Golds, both in the quad.
His decision follows that of fellow Pink Hippo athlete Anastasia Posner, who will be returning to Medical School to continue her studies after nine years with the GB Team.
Many in the rowing world breathed a sigh of relief when British Rowing confirmed that they would be moving to Phase F of their ‘Return to Rowing’ guidance, which permits mixed crews in all boat classes, alongside internal club competitions and virtual races where crews can row from different locations. This latest move means that only two stages remain in the Return to Rowing plan, with the last – Phase H – permitting affiliated competitions such as heads and regattas, subject to events remaining Covid-secure.
One such ‘virtual’ race is the 250m Autumn Dash Challenge that aims to give rowers their ‘much needed competitive fix’. The competition will be hosted on an early release of the British Rowing Challenge Hub which allows British Rowing members to record their times to see how they fare against competitors away from their home river. The platform will provide members with new challenges throughout the year that can be completed on any stretch of water, thus minimising travel to races.
It has also been announced that Tyne Single Scullers Head will be held as a test competition to develop Return to Competition guidance. The race will be run as a ‘Private Match’ with entry restricted to invite-only, having gained approval from the National Competition Committee to include more than four clubs.
International Rowing:
“ A record number of 650 competitors are entered in the regatta from 32 member federations, compared to 25 in 2019.”
World Rowing
The international scene has awoken from its slumber with the Under23 Championships taking the circuit by storm, whilst US Rowing looks at a new future and speculation soars around a possible virtual Masters Regatta.
Duisburg, Germany hosted the first FISA event since the pandemic began, and with staggering success. Record entries were seen in the largest ever European Rowing Under23 Championships, with Germany entering a boat in all 22 available classes, whilst the Men’s single scull remained the largest event in terms of boat numbers. Sunday’s finals saw Germany take the crown in both the Men’s and Women’s eights, whilst in the quads the German men came third behind the Czech Republic and Italy, whilst the women carried their teammates’ success forward to take gold.
It was Romania, however, who came out on top in both the Men’s and Women’s four, whilst it was Greece and Italy respectively who crossed the line first in the Women’s and Men’s lightweight single sculls. A full report of the race can be found here.
The 2020 European Rowing Championships have been confirmed to take place between the 9th and 11th October 2020 in Poznan, Poland. The event will be staged according to both WHO and FISA guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19 at the event. Teams will be asked to travel to the regatta in private transport, whilst a ‘Covid-fee’ will be charged at a rate of EUR 40.00 per person to cover the costs of sanitising protocols. Teams will also not be permitted to erect tents at the lakeside, and can instead pay EUR 400.00 to make use of a ‘suitable’ World Rowing alternative. It has also been confirmed that classification will not take place for para-rowers.
Amanda Kraus has been named as the next CEO of USRowing, beginning in her new role next month. Amanda has spent the last 18 years building and running Row New York, the award-winning organisation that aims to make both the sport of rowing and academic support available to young people.
World Rowing has announced Andrew Todd as August’s athlete of the month. Canadian-born Todd is the reigning champion of the para PR3 men’s pair, intending to secure gold at Tokyo in the same event. Britain’s Kyra Edwards, meanwhile, has been named at FISA’s Rising Star. Edwards’ career began in 2015 after winning a silver medal in the quad in Rio at the Junior World Championships.
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