Leander Club had 42 athletes racing at the GB Long Distance Trials this weekend in Boston Lincolnshire.
The trial weekend consisted of a 2k ergo test on the Saturday and a 5k time trial on the water in pairs and singles, on the Sunday.
The 2k ergo tests went well for the Leander athletes, achieving 28 PBs across the Men’s and Women’s squad, setting us up nicely for the following day’s racing.
With high winds forecast, we were concerned regarding the conditions we would have to face on the water, but thankfully it wasn’t as bad as predicted, making the race a bit faster with a strong tail wind.
Up first to race in the morning division were the women, where we had athletes racing in 7 pairs and 6 singles. In the Pairs Leander’s Sam Redgrave and Esme Booth took the win over teammates Lauren Irwin and Alice Davies.
Impressively, Leander had athletes in each of the top 7 positions. Current club-based athletes Alice Baatz/Annie Campbell-Orde (5th) Juliette Perry/Issy Powell (6th) and Grace Denning Smitherman/Abigail Top finishing 7th as the fastest u23s.
Leander’s Lola Anderson took the win in the single with Georgie Brayshaw in second place. Club based athletes Imogine Magner (7th), Natasha Harris-White (9th), Jess Martin (14th) Anna Grace (16th) Seun Olubodun (18th).
Women’s Chief coach Ross Hunter said “It’s really great to have GB trials back on again and as alway a big thanks to Boston RC and all the volunteers who help make the day run so smoothly”
The afternoon was the turn of the men with Leander boating 5 pairs and 9 singles.
Leander’s Harry Glenister rowing in a composite crew took the win, with our club-based athletes Ryan Todhunter/James Vogel (4th) Felix Drinklall/Dan Graham (5th) Will Stewart/Nick Farrell (7th) Cameron Beyki/Dan Bradbery (9th) and Luke Green/Jamie Axon (13th).
In the singles, Leander’s Jack Burns took the win closely followed by club based Seb Devereux (2nd). Impressive to see 7 Leander scullers in the top 12 with Club based Olly Costley (8th) Bryn Ellery (9th) Henry Blois-Brooke (12th) Alex King (18th) and Nathan Hull (19th).
Men’s Chief Coach Matt Beechey said “it was a positive start to the season and something we can build on”.
Meanwhile back on the Henley reach, our junior squad raced Henley sculls in the afternoon division. The quad of Henry White, Sergej Vujosevic, Nathaniel Gauden and Fred Woodall took the win in J18 4x’s while Zachary Charles took 16th in a close race for the J18 1x’s.
Junior/Development coach Jonny Jackson said “it was a great start to our season with the race being the first representation of Leander for most of the young athletes”
