GBRT February Trials 2025 – Men’s U23 Doubles Preview

This weekend, the GB Rowing Team trials are returning to Boston, Lincolnshire, for the February Open trials, in which we will witness Britain’s greatest rowing talents once again battling for the opportunity to be selected for international competition in the summer. With these trials being crucial for progression to the GB team, all athletes will bring their A-game to Boston this weekend.

This preview will focus solely on the crews which feature two U23 athletes. That being said, the entire field of entries will most certainly give stellar performances this weekend.

Tom Brown and Alex Knighton (Loughborough Student’s RC/Nottinghamshire County RA)

Brown and Knighton enter this February trial with a wealth of experience. Both have already pulled off impressive finishes at GBRT U23 November trials with a 39^th overall time of 19:57.44. Both men also recorded immense 2km erg performances at Birmingham’s November 2024 BUCS Indoor Series. Brown finished second with a strong 06:05.1, losing out by only two seconds to Briddle of Nottingham Trent. Knighton was not far behind, with a fourth-place finish and a time of 06:13.8. Earlier in the season, the two had many great successes. At BUCS regatta, Knighton finished fourth overall in the intermediate single. Further, Knighton was third in the club single at BJRSC 2024, only losing out to the likes of Raymond Barker of Lea RC and Coombes of Hereford. Brown has had many recent successes, too, like his run down the BUCS Head course last year with a 14:47.9 on the line to give him and his Loughborough quad a bronze. With these experiences under their belt already, they’ll want to maintain their trajectory of success.

This duo is sure to deliver a strong performance this weekend. Their combination of strength and experience will serve them well in Boston.

Freddy Foxwell and Magnus Heidenreich (Edinburgh University BC/Leander Club)

The only duo hailing from north of the border will be leading contenders for the top spot this weekend. Foxwell and Heidenreich are staples of the elite rowing scene in Scotland, and with their string of successes, they will be ones to watch. Both men were members of the coxless four, which conquered the home water at the 2024 Home International Rowing Regatta, and were integral members of the subsequent eight, which also recorded a win. In his junior career, Heidenreich was also no stranger to British success, with wins at the National Schools’ Regatta with Aberdeen Schools Rowing Association. Foxwell has also enjoyed a variety of successes, both individually and alongside his Edinburgh crewmates, including racing in Edinburgh’s championship coxless four last season. At last year’s trials, Foxwell finished 18^th overall in the men’s pair trials alongside Holmes of EUBC. 

Having been lucky enough to benefit from the first-class training programme at Edinburgh for the past while, Foxwell and Heidenreich have both been at the top of their leagues in Scotland for some time, and this wealth of experience is sure to stand them in good stead in Boston this weekend. 

Ryne Robson and Robert Collen (Reading University BC/Tyne ARC)

Robson and Collen of Reading University enter the field with a history of success behind them. At RUBC, both athletes had strong rows at Henley Royal Regatta in 2024 alongside fellow crewmates Long and Lyon, bringing a strong season to a close for the pair. Outside their university rowing, Robson was the fastest single sculler at Home International Rowing Regatta trials in England for 2024, before taking silver at the regatta itself at Strathclyde Park in July last year. Collen is seeking to complete his crossover from a wildly successful stint at the 2022 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals, competing against France in his final race and beating out our channel neighbours. Both men had exceptional rows at the November trials, with Collen finishing 26^th overall and Robson 29^th.

If this crew can harness their experience and successfully translate their short-distance success into a long-distance triumph at the weekend, they would distinguish themselves as the crème de la crème of our expanding U23 contingent.

Harry Ruinet and Max Bird (Marlow RC/Windsorian RC) 

Ruinet and Bird will be arriving at the Lincolnshire course this weekend knowing they truly are contenders to achieve anything they set their collective minds to. This double has exceptional experience, ranging from Ruinet’s two-time junior international success and his great performances at last year’s trials, as well as Max Bird’s dominance at Henley Royal Regatta whilst at the Windsor Boys’ School. Furthermore, Ruinet has had the opportunity to row abroad at the senior level, competing at the 2024 U23 World Rowing Championships in the quad.

These two individuals have had a variety of triumphs across their rowing careers, and if they can harmonise their expert experience, almighty strength, and impressive stamina this weekend, they might go all the way.

Prediction

Whilst this field is of an all-around incredible standard, I would have to make the tough call to say that the race to triumph in the U23 category will either go to the Scottish double of Foxwell/Heidenreich or the stellar duo of Ruinet/Bird.

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Dom McGrory

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