Heading back to Boston for the U19 trials on Saturday, 150 of the top junior women are racing against the clock to get their name noticed by the GB coaches. The cold winter weather will be biting as they storm down the course, at the start of the long trials process. Here we will take a look ahead to some of the top contenders for Saturday:
Lily Anderson (Wycliffe College Boat Club)
Dominating the Henley Women’s Regatta junior singles competition, Anderson proved to be untouchable throughout the weekend, beating all her opposition by over three lengths, which, considering the high standard of competition available, is an extremely impressive feat. Just a few weeks later, she stroked the Wycliffe ‘B’ quad to a semifinal at the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta, losing out to her ‘A’ quad and proving the skill of teamwork, which is valuable to the recruiters this weekend. More recently, Anderson collected gold at the Pairs Head with doubles partner Daisy O’Reilly.
Gracie Janes (Hartpury College Boat Club)
Current National Schools’ Regatta champion in the WJ16 doubles, J17 Janes has an impressive track record from the last three seasons. She claimed her victory as a J14 at the British Junior Championships when her double charged down the lake to claim a commanding win. Having recently moved to Hartpury College Boat Club, Janes started rowing at AB Severn Rowing Club where she competed at the GB vs France match in the summer. Winning at that international event highlights her talent to not just remain within the GB circuit but to spread out to international competition, assuring her a top ranking this weekend.
Emily Nicholas (Sir William Perkins School Boat Club)
Having already been through the U19 trials process, Nicholas has an advantage over this fresh field in knowing what to expect and how to work and perform best under the circumstances. Taking silver at the U19 World Rowing Championships as a J16 has indeed turned countless heads and will give her the confidence boost going into the Boston 5k as she knows she has already beaten many of the rowers in this exact trial process. Last season, aside from her GB activities, Nicholas earned a silver medal at the National Schools’ Regatta in WJ16 doubles after being overtaken in the final 500m by AB Severn, firing her on for revenge this weekend.
Holly Weddell (Walton Rowing Club)
Another J17, Weddell started to make waves last season, steadily improving throughout the season and claiming an increasingly large collection of medals. Starting by attending the GB J16 sculling camp, she claimed silver at the Junior Inter-Regional Regatta in the 2A final before a storming race at the GB J16 trials saw her earn her first GB vest. After winning her race in France, she returned to her home club to form an exceedingly strong pair who have won silver at the British Junior Championships and, more notably, won the WJ18 pairs at Pairs Head this season. With international experience under her belt, Weddell will pose a serious threat to all this coming weekend.
Chloe Hughes (Henley Rowing Club)
Joining the list of trialists from last season is Hughes from Henley; she raced the Coupe de la Jeunesse in a pair with fellow teammate Gwennie Hunter, where the duo faced strong opposition, giving Hughes the international experience ahead of this set of trials. Placing fourth in the women’s championship eights at the National Schools’ Regatta, she also has the expertise of a crew boat to help her gain a seat with quick adaptations a strength in the likely matrixes to come. Most likely trialling as a sweeper, this first 5k may not be her strongest compared to sculling trialists; however, the experience of trialling last year will give her an edge over fresh J17s.
Catherine Gardner (Hartpury College Boat Club)
Hailing from Hartpury, Gardner had a stellar 2023/24 season, and she’ll be looking to maintain that exceptional form for another year. Her summer concluded with a remarkable performance at the U19 World Rowing Championships, where she earned a medal in the quad at St. Catharine’s, further proving her impressive speed on the water and the ergometer. Heading into this year’s trials, Gardner is determined to reinforce her status as one of the top contenders, and her sights should be firmly set on claiming the top spot in the November testing. Her impressive erg scores reflect her raw power and blistering speed on land, and if she can transfer that explosive energy into her single scull, there’s every reason to believe that her name will occupy the #1 spot on the list.
Sophie Haisman (Headington School)
Headington’s dominance in junior rowing extends far beyond their eights, with the club consistently producing some of the fastest and most technically proficient junior rowers in the country. Haisman epitomises this success, embodying everything that is right at Headington. Another seasoned competitor from the U19 World Rowing Championships – where she stroked the eight to a silver medal – Haisman brings a level of composure and mental fortitude that is rare for her age. A return to the Boston track should suit her well, and Haisman’s ability to stay calm and collected under pressure will serve her well as she tackles the upcoming trials.
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