27 October: The 2008/9 international season got under way this weekend at Boston where the first leg of the senior GB trials was contested over the long 5K course on the River Witham.
In the absence of all the Beijing Olympians, who are still taking a break, 2008 Diamonds winner Ian Lawson put in a strong performance to win the men's singles more than 25 seconds clear of Brendan Crean of Agecroft. In the women's event Louisa Rowbotham took second place just over four seconds behind Molesey's Ruth Walczak, while Chris Bartley proved the fastest of the Leander men's lightweights in fifth position overall. In the women's lightweights Jane Hall provided the sole Leander interest, finishing in third place behind Sophie Hosking and Laura Greenhalgh, her crewmates from this year's silver medal GB lightweight quad.
"I was really pleased with the first half of the race" said Ian Lawson afterwards. "I had a decent scull overall andit was a good start to the season."
Lawson, who was the British single sculler at the Athens Olympics, stroked the men's quad at the 2007 world championships but then lost his place in the GB international team, a position he is keen to reverse as the 2009 season unfolds. |
