The new year has rolled around, and another GBRT trial is upon us. A host of top athletes from across the country will be making the trip to Boston this weekend for the gruelling 5K time trial, this time featuring senior team athletes who are currently training at the National Training Centre in Caversham.
I’ll be previewing the U23 pairs here, including pairs that only feature one U23 athlete; it should give you a good idea of who to watch both this weekend and beyond as we head towards the international racing this summer.
Saxon Stacey/Felix Rawlinson – Oxford University BC
Former Etonian Stacey is the sole U23 in this combination from Oxford; he’s joined by ex-Dartmouth athlete Rawlinson, who is new to the Dark Blues this year. In November, this pair took the field by winning the Boston trial. There won’t be much chance of a title defence now that Caversham’s strength has returned to the trials process, but nonetheless, they’ll have some strong aspirations here. For Stacey, it’ll be a chance to come out on top of the U23 pile once again, and for the pair as a whole, it will be a chance to outperform some strong Cambridge units entered here. Initial looks at a Blue Boat lineup have Stacey in the mix, though it looks as if Rawlinson has taken a step back due to illness/injury. As selection pressure ramps up ahead of the fast-approaching Boat Race, both guys will now be looking to put their best foot forward. On top form, I think they’re more than capable of coming away ahead of all the U23 combinations. Another good performance will further establish Stacey at the top of the U23 pile.
Luke Beever/George Lauchlan – Cambridge University BC/University of London BC
Cambridge athlete Beever is joined by UL strokeman Lauchlan in what might prove to be a very strong pairing. Beever, a former sculler from King’s Worcester now in his third year at Cambridge with two Goldie wins under his belt, has had a strong season thus far: he was in the top Cambridge eight at both the Head of the Shanghai River Regatta and the Head of the Charles, from which Cambridge came away with a historic win. He’s been in both the provisional Blue Boat and Goldie lineups for the past couple of fixtures, but to even be in contention for such a strong Cambridge Blue Boat is testament to Beever’s talent. Meanwhile, Lauchlan, who also has a sculling background from Henley Rowing Club, has been rising through the UL ranks over the past couple of years, emerging as one of their strongest oarsmen. Beever performed well with fellow Cambridge oarsman Matt Edge at the last trial, coming home seventh overall (with Beever fourth-ranked U23). If he can work well with Lauchlan, these guys could certainly make a strong statement here.
Kai Schlottmann/Lorenzo Previati – Oxford Brookes University BC
This young Brookes combination has stayed together since their ninth-place finish at the November Trials (second-placed full U23 pair, and top full U21 pair). With prior experience together over the Boston course, they should be well-placed here for a strong finish. Schlottmann has already represented GB at junior level in 2023, and was part of the PA-winning Brookes coxed four last year at Henley Royal Regatta. Former Teddies rower Previati, who won The Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup back in 2023, ended up in The Prince Albert Challenge Cup final last year against his pairs partner, stroking the Brookes ‘B’ four. Clearly, these guys have a good deal of talent between them, and I think their prior experience racing together will make them certainly ones to watch.
Toby Tegg/Finn Mosedale – Oxford Brookes University BC
Another strong Brookes combination sees former Reading Blue Coat athlete Tegg joined by Lea RC alumnus Mosedale. Notably, Tegg was part of the fastest full-U23 combination in November, where he partnered with fellow Brookes oarsman Sal Dunn. Tegg will be looking to replicate this success with his new partner; Mosedale was a little further down the finishing order in November with Joe Hoyland. As both of these athletes face internal selection battles and a future for Brookes that, after the controversies that arose late last year, looks for the first time a little uncertain, Tegg and Mosedale will want to send a significant message here: both that they are pushing towards the top of the Brookes squad, and that Brookes as a whole will be remaining at the forefront of British university rowing, despite recent difficulties.
William Morgan-Jones/Charles Warren – Durham University BC
Durham‘s top pair here is undoubtedly one to watch. Warren, the current captain at Durham and an ex-Windsor Boys Fawley Challenge Cup winner, is joined by the club’s overall President, Morgan-Jones. This is their second trial together: back in November, they finished as the third full-U23 pair (behind the Brookes combo of Schlottmann and Previati), and before that, they were the winners of the Open Intermediate Pairs at BUCS Regatta. Most recently, they took the win at Tyne United New Year Head ahead of a host of Durham and Newcastle combinations. These guys have valuable experience under their belts, and I think they might be dark horses here.
Bob Rawlinson/Max Campbell-Reide – Thames RC
This Thames combo features Rawlinson, a junior World Champion and ex-Radley rower taking a gap year at Thames, and Hinksey sculler Campbell-Reide. Despite their age, these guys have already proved they can mix with the best; they were the fifth full-U23 pair back in November and the third full-U21. Thames has proved time and time again to be a fantastically effective proving ground for young rowers looking to come away with a Henley Royal Regatta medal and a spot at a US university, and I think both of these guys are well on that pathway. I don’t think they’ll have the experience to head this field, but they’ll be quick nonetheless.
Prediction
With a ton of Boat Race training under their belts, I think that the Stacey/Rawlinson combo looks to be favourite here. Following them, I’m going with the Brookes Schlottmann/Previati pair, followed by the Cambridge/UL composite of Beever/Lauchlan.
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