UNDER-23 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Strathclyde Park, Scotland

26 - 29 July 2007

Report by

Leander Press Officer Robert Treharne Jones

Scroll down for GB RESULTS in STRATHCLYDE

29 July: Leander's Tom Wilkinson and Charlie Burkitt took third place in the men's pairs to secure the bronze medal behind Greece and Italy, but there was disappointment for Nick Clark and Josh Davidson in the GB men's eight which trailed in sixth place.

Wilkinson and Burkitt had been tipped to do even better after winning their semifinal in style, but a poor start left them in sixth place after 500m and gave them a mountain to climb to win any medal at all. After 1500m they were still lying fourth but in a storming finish they completed the last split in record time to snatch third place from Germany.

The pair now await confirmation that their performance was good enough to earn them places as the spare pair travelling to Munich for the senior world championships next month.

It was a poor start that also let down the GB men's eight, which had earlier shown such promise in their heat. Fourth place at halfway was their best position and down the second half they faded against the blistering pace, finishing four seconds adrift of the fifth-places Poles.

Britain's overall medal tally in Strathclyde included gold for Olivia Whitlam and Heather Stanning in the women's pair and a total of six bronzes.

28 July: All four Leander athletes in Strathclyde will contest tomorrow's finals thanks to dominant performances by the GB men's pair and the eight.

Nothing could stop Tom Wilkinson and Charlie Burkitt as they moved swiftly past the Ukrainians to take the lead in their pairs semifinal at the halfway mark. The Italians came through to take the second qualifying slot and the GB pair crossed the line 1.77 sec clear.

And in a thrilling climax to semifinals day in Strathclyde the GB men's eight, with Leander's Josh Davidson and Nick Clark on board, won ahead of Estonia and the USA to stake their claim to a place in tomorrow's final.

All bar one of the twelve British crews in Strathclyde have qualified for their finals, including Ruth Walczak, the promising newcomer from Hollingworth Lake RC, who finished second in her singles semifinal behind Ukrainian sculler Anastasia Kozhenkova.

27 July: Three GB crews contested today's repechages in Strathclyde and all qualified comfortably for the next round. Ben Smith contests the men's single semifinals tomorrow, but the women's quad and the lightweight men's quad move straight through to Sunday's finals.

All four Leander athletes in the competition had a rest today, having already qualified for tomorrow's semifinals.

26 July: Tom Wilkinson and Charlie Burkitt won today's heat of the men's pairs with a 2.22 sec verdict ahead of Romania, who led the early stages before the Leander men seized the advantage as the second half unfolded.

In the GB men's eight Nick Clark and Josh Davidson came a narrow second to Australia, who led their race from the outset. Rating 39 strokes a minute throughout the 2000 metre course the British men raised the rate to 42 approaching the finish but it wasn't enough to prevent an Australian win by 1.08 sec. Both crews qualified for their semifinal along with third-placed Russia.

Ten British crews raced today in Strathclyde, of which seven qualified for their next round at the weekend, while the remaining three will race their repechages tomorrow.

The progression chart below will be updated each day of racing, but you can monitor each race as it happens, with streaming audio commentary, on the FISA website.

GB CREWS and RESULTS in STRATHCLYDE

(Non-Leander athletes in italics)

Grid numbers represent position in each round, >>>> indicates progression to next round

ENDS