The final hurdle of the U23 women’s selection trials will see athletes race at Caversham in their pairs. With summer season finally here, each pair will battle it out over the two kilometre stretch to see who the fastest U23 athletes are.
The first athlete to watch is Cambridge University’s Sarah Portsmouth. Finishing February trials sixth with partner Bronya Sykes, Portsmouth secured her place as the fastest U23 athlete with three places between her and the next fastest athlete in her category. It’s no doubt that Portsmouth will be an athlete to watch in the final racing of the trialing process and it’ll be exciting to see if she can replicate her previous results.
Thames RC’s Annie Sharp is also set to perform well in the 2km water trial, having come second out of the U23 athletes in the last 5km water trial with her partner Christie Davis.
It’s likely that we will see Durham University’s Natasha Morris feature near the top of the pack in the results from this coming weekend, having finished just five seconds after Sharp at the February 5km time trial. Abigail Topp of Leander was not far behind either, finishing in 14th place and fourth out of the U23 athletes.
With all of the above athletes previously racing with facilitators, athletes who aren’t trialing, it will be interesting to see if they maintain their partners or switch to others, and what effect that might have on their placement within the cohort.
I’m looking forward to see how University of Glasgow’s pair consisting of Maia Hely and Laura McKenzie fairs. As one of only four crews whose athletes are both eligible for U23, their position of 15th in the 5km was well earnt and promises exciting racing for the upcoming 2km.
Additionally, it’s likely that this final step in the trials process will give some insight into the future of U23 selection, with Oxford Brookes and Cambridge University fielding athletes that are eligible for U23 and U21 selection. Occupying 18th and 20th position, it’s likely that Brookes’ Jasmine Bowers and Jemima Furness, alongside Martha Birtles and Grace Richards, will use this as an opportunity to gain insight into the selection process. These are really exciting athletes and I’m looking forward to seeing how they get on throughout the trialing process in the future.
Overall, the start of the summer racing season promises excitement in general, and this final set of on-water time trials is a great way to kick it off, particularly with such incredibly athletes.
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