GB Trials 2021/22 – Senior Women’s Sweep (Third Instalment)

As the gruelling months of this year’s head season have drawn to a close, so too does selection for the forthcoming iteration of the GB Rowing Team. With two previous runs out on the 5km stretch at Boston and a smattering of standout individual national performances already achieved, there remains one last hurdle separating the athletes from the unparalleled glory of GB selection: the final trial on the world-renowned 2km stretch at Caversham.

Competition this year has been nothing short of ferocious in the senior women’s sweep category, as athletes have stepped up to the plate to stake their claim for a spot in the squad. A healthy combination of household names and new faces in this category has made the selection process for this year’s World Championships and, in the not-too-distant future, the Paris Olympics, all the more thrilling to follow.

Now it’s the final countdown. It is against the backdrop of season-long excellence and previous trials performances that I will provide some musings and predictions on who we are likely to see selected.

Rowan McKellar

Perhaps one of the most experienced senior women’s athletes currently on the international scene, Rowan McKellar has once again made a domineering impression on the trialling process this year. Having made her senior debut in 2017 following a decorated U23 career, McKellar has since collected 2019 European silver and World Cup bronze in the women’s eight. Most recently she raced in the Women’s Four in a gutsy fourth-place performance at the Tokyo Olympic Games last summer. She has certainly earned her reputation as a consistent and reliable senior sweeper, so it is no surprise to see her once again occupy the top spot so far on this year’s timesheet.

Rebecca Shorten

Pairs partner for the previous trials of the aforementioned McKellar and GB sweep household name in her own right, Rebecca Shorten has already solidified her place in the squad. Since her performance in the Women’s Four in Tokyo alongside an impressive prior resume of medal-winning World Cup performances in the Women’s Eight, Shorten will look to continue her form with another top-of-the-table finish so far this year. Together, the trials pairing of McKellar and Shorten is electric. I imagine they will utilise their experience and unwavering power to once again confirm their squad selection at the final run down the track in Caversham.

Caragh McMurtry

On the subject of GB regulars, since her appearance in the Women’s Eight in Tokyo last summer, Caragh McMurtry is undoubtedly hungry for international glory and her performances at trials so far stand her in good stead of achieving this. In addition to her performance at the prior Olympiad, McMurtry has previously won a trio of European Championship medals in the GB senior squad. It is very exciting to see her back in action, and her second-place finish at February trials has demonstrated that she is once again worthy of a spot.

Sam Redgrave

Compared to the above triumvirate of tenured sweepers, at first glance, Sam Redgrave may appear to be one of the newer kids on the block. That said, Redgrave’s gold-standard erg and water performances throughout the last few seasons are proof that new blood can compete right alongside the old guard when it comes to GB selection. Based out of Leander, Redgrave has earned a set of national and international sweep accolades in the last year; from a bronze-medal finish in the Women’s Pair at World Cup III in Sabaudia last yeat, to a double bill of wins at Henley Royal in 2021 and pennant-winning performances at both Fours Head 2021 and WEHoRR 2022. It is safe to say that her rise to the top of the GB talent watchlist has been nothing short of meteoric, and certainly worthy of a GB sweep seat this season.

Meg Saunders

Among the swathe of Leander women who occupied the majority of the top spots at November and February water trials, Meg Saunders stands out as the only senior women’s sweep athlete from Tideway Scullers School to both appear and affirm her place at the table by coming in third on both occasions. Building on a strong foundational GB U23 career and an extremely successful USA-based university rowing stint in the women’s first eight at Stanford, where her crew picked up silver at the 2021 NCAA championships, Saunders’ continued dominance on the senior scene renders her another firm favourite.

Heidi Long

Undoubtedly looking to build on her prior GB senior performances, where she raced in the Women’s Pair at the World Cup III 2021 and the Women’s Eight at a World Cup in 2019 alike, Heidi Long continues to prove herself as another likely choice for selection this season. Long has provided two consistent performances at trials so far, finishing in the fourth and third-place boats in November and February respectively. It is this combination of recent international experience and a star-studded domestic career at Leander that puts Long in an advantageous position, alongside many of her Leander teammates, ahead of final selection.

Alice Davies

Also no stranger to a GB call-up, Alice Davies has contributed to the dominant streak of Leander women at this season’s senior sweep trials. Having only learned to row in 2015 while studying at the University of Bristol, Davies has claimed places in the GB U23 and senior squads year-on-year ever since. Most recently, Davies raced in the senior women’s pair at World Cup III in 2021 alongside above-mentioned club-mate Heidi Long, where they narrowly missed out on a medal. It is unsurprising to see Davies on top form at trials once again. I imagine she will approach this final round of trials with the overarching aim to achieve a spot and subsequently claim a sweep medal on the world stage this time around.

Emily Ford

Much like the aforementioned McKellar, Shorten, and McMurtry, another returning Tokyo Olympian who has reaffirmed her status as a dominant force in GB women’s sweep is Emily Ford. A regular member of the senior squad since 2018, Ford has been a consistent feature in the women’s fours under the GB flag at European and World Championship events. Whether she continues this streak or is switched into another boat during forthcoming crew selections remains yet to be determined. No matter the boat she is placed in, I foresee that Ford’s seasoned status will allow her to remain an adaptable and stable figurehead in the squad.

Lauren Irwin

Another shoe-in for 2022 senior selection with aspirations for ‘Project Paris’ is Lauren Irwin. Irwin has been in the GB athlete pool since 2016, with a highly decorated domestic and international U23 career that culminated in a World Championship gold in the Women’s Four in 2019. She made her senior debut at World Cup III last summer and has since continued to prove herself as one of the top female sweepers at Leander, with two Henley Royal victories in 2021 and wins at both Fours Head and WEHoRR under her belt so far this year. Irwin’s duo of top-five finishes at both November and February trials will likely become a trio as she storms down the track at Caversham to cement her selection once more.

Alexandra Watson

The final senior women’s sweep hopeful in the spotlight here is Molesey BC native, Alexandra Watson. Although a relatively new face in the senior lineup, Watson’s existing CV speaks for itself. She opted for a star-spangled university rowing career across the pond at the University of Texas, where she occupied the six seat of the NCAA championship-winning crew in 2021. What’s more, her place in the silver-medal-winning GB Women’s Eight at the 2019 U23 World Championships, alongside above-mentioned Meg Saunders, has kept her on Team GB’s radar ever since. I am certain that Watson will ensure to end this year’s trials process on a high with a final trial performance that matches, or even improves upon, her fourth and seventh-place finishes in November and February respectively and, ultimately, guarantees her place in this year’s GB senior women’s offering on the world stage.

Others

This is by no means an exhaustive list of who will make it into the women’s European and World Championship sweep boats and, more broadly, the Paris Olympic squad. We have witnessed a number of additional performances by athletes who are equally worthy of a place. Seasoned Olympians Sara Parfett and Rebecca Edwards joined newer senior hopefuls Juliet Perry, Alice Baatz, and Annie Campbell-Orde in their achievement of top-ten crew finishes at the February trial for example, and will undoubtedly put in an equally impressive shift at Caversham.

Selection staff have truly been spoilt for choice with senior women’s sweep talent this year. I have no doubt that those successful will be a stellar representation of the future of GB women’s rowing. Best of luck to all at the final trial!

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