The 2022 Women’s November GB trials will see a slightly different format to previous years, as all athletes will be required to scull in the 5k time trial on the Sunday. This should give the sculling specialists a chance to shine, having got through the Saturday 2k test. However, as future trials will once again split rowers into sweep and scull, when looking at the results it will be worthwhile considering who is anticipated to be in consideration for sculling spots on the GB U23 team.
Vwaire Obukohwo (Twickenham RC)
An athlete who has rocketed up the rankings over the last couple of the season is Vwaire Obukohwo, hailing from the Twickenham centre of the World Class Start centre where she is still based. She’s likely to be one of the strongest athletes on the erg and a good performance here will turn some heads as she looks to break through to the senior team, something she is definitely capable of despite still being eligible as an U23. However, within this category, I’d expect her to be the top U23 sculler or at least one of the top three.
Lauren Henry (Leicester RC)
Another incredibly talented athlete making a return to trials is Leicester’s Lauren Henry. Now a relative veteran round the domestic and international circuit having competed in the single at Henley Royal Regatta and internationally for Great Britain, Henry will be looking to cement her position as the top U23 sculler in the country and seeing how many scalps she can take along the way.
Hannah Supple (Edinburgh University BC)
An up-and-coming athlete is Edinburgh University’s Hannah Supple, who last year was the second ranked U21 at trials. Supple has good form at this event having achieved a PB in the 2km at this set of trials last year and will be looking to replicate that kind of form on the Saturday.
Anna Grace (Durham University BC)
Anna Grace leads a team of eight Durham University athletes heading to trials, having secured a top 20 finish last year. She comes off the back of a summer which saw her reach the Friday of Henley Royal Regatta for Leander ‘B’ in the Princess Grace Challenge Cup for open women’s quads and be selected for the Women’s Quad at the European Rowing U23 Championships, where they reached the A final.
Rachel Bradley (Newcastle University BC)
Joining Grace in that U23 European Championships quad was Newcastle University’s Rachel Bradley. Following a successful championship together, she’ll now be looking to surpass her former crew mate, having placed just behind her in the 2022 trials. All of the aforementioned athletes are still U21 athletes, which is hugely exciting for the future of GB women’s sculling.
Others
There’s a host of athletes who will not take part in this trial as they are based overseas, more specifically at universities in the U.S.
Having placed seventh in last year’s April trials, Amy Furlonger, who is studying at the Unviersity of California, Berkeley and linked to Marlow RC, will be a key person to come into the fold later this year.
The same can be said for Meg Knight of Trentham BC and Stanford University, who is one of the most promising juniors to now enter the U23 group.
The final name which stands out among the exiles is Heather Taylor of Northeastern University and Strathclyde Park RC. Heather raced in the quad at the European Rowing U23 Championships this year and will look to step up to the Worlds team this season.
Predictions
November trials is where we hope to see up-and-coming talent break through, with the potential for surprise results, especially with scullers and sweep specialists mixed in together. However, with so many of last year’s U23s still eligible, one would expect the same names to challenge. Following their national selection, Obukohwo and Henry are the standout favourites and I’d be surprised if the top U23 sculler comes from elsewhere.
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