With the 2024 beach sprint season well underway and with the completion of the Scottish Championship on the 18th, let’s review some of the likely senior hopefuls bidding for their selection to the Great Britain team.
Clare Jamison – Christchurch RC
Former Oxford blue, Jamison is looking to make this year her 3rd GB selection.
After winning the English Regatta in April, Clare has already received a provisional allocation to the Senior Women’s Solo for the European Championships. Clare’s first selection to the GB team was in the Mixed Double with Charles Cousins at the 2022 World Finals in Saundersfoot, where the duo won silver.
Last year Clare came 4th in the Time Trial in the Women’s Solo at Worlds in Barletta and was knocked out in the quarter finals. She will certainly be looking to make a comeback at the Europeans this year.
Laura McKenzie – Glasgow University BC
Laura is another returner from the 2022 and 2023 squads, as well as current World silver medalist.
First selected in 2022 for the Coastal Mixed Quad, McKenzie’s coastal career has seen a number of top performances, epitomised by the 2022 Gold at the Commonwealth regatta in Namibia, with Sam Scrimgeour, who joined her in taking home the silver in Barletta, and will be joining her as the provisional GB Mixed Double at the Europeans.
Laura trains as part of the Scottish Beach Sprint Performance Pathway under Iain Docwra based out of St Andrews, where she recently won Gold at the Scottish Championships.
Natacha Searson – Jersey RC and Tynemouth RC
Natacha is the most junior of the provisionally selected senior women with only one season under her belt. But this has not held her back, winning the British Rowing Beach Sprint Championships and being selected for the GB Mixed Quad in 2023, and earning Gold at the Jersey regatta, Silver at the English and Scottish Championships.
Searson holds the provisional selection for the Women’s reserve at the Europeans and will almost certainly take on the 4-6km offshore racing offered.
Sam Scrimgeour – Glasgow RC
The former GB lightweight is the only man to receive provisional selection so far. Achieving two of out the three quickest time trials at be GB Trial 1 in April, Scrimgeour will be making his second appearance in the Beach Sprint squad following a very successfully season in 2023 with Laura McKenzie as the Scottish and GB mixed double.
Charles Cousins – Mumbles RC
A former GB Olympic rower, Cousins bids to earn his third GB vest in the coastal discipline.
Cousins has earned Bronze at the Welsh and English championships this season alone, as well being the current Men’s British Champion from 2023. A former World Silver Medalist from 2022, in the Mixed Double with Clare Jamison, Charles was a member of last years GB Mixed Quad at Barletta.
Bo Hughes – Mumbles RC
One of original 2021 GB Beach Sprint development squad members, Hughes has an excellent track record in the discipline including the 2022 GB Mixed Quad.
Hughes achieved consistently top four times at GB Trial 1, and is certainly shaping up to be a strong competitor this year.
Hal Flowerdew – Tynemouth RC
Flowerdew had kicked off the 2024 season very strong, winning Gold at Jersey, as well as silver at English Championship and in the U23 at Scotland.
Flowerdew went to the European Championships as part of the GB Squad back in 2022 and will certainly be aiming for gold in 2024.
Jerry Owen – Fishguard and Goodwick Jemima RC
Another of the original British beach sprinters, Owen has been a staple of the GB squad since 2021, being in the 2022 and 2023 mixed quads. Owen has earned Gold at the English Regatta as well as silver at Welsh Championships on home water at Fishguard.
Gregor Hall – Stirling RC and Univeristy of St Andrews BC
Last but certainly not least, Hall has been the GB men’s solo for 2022 and 2023. Winning the 2022 Commonwealth Regatta in the Men’s Single for Scotland, Hall trains under Iain Docwra in St Andrews.
So far Gregor has won Gold at the Scottish Championships, Silver at English championships and Bronze at Fishguard in the Welsh, not to mention a solid performance at GB Trial 1.
For the men, two seats remain up from grabs in phase one, those being the Men’s Solo and Men’s Reserve. Phase two occurs in August and will involve the selection for Mixed Coxed Quad. Think you have what it takes to beach sprint for Britain? Click here to find out how.
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