Rowing: GB side has strong North East selection

Jul 12 2008 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

THIRTEEN of the 34 rowers representing Great Britain at this month’s World Under-23 Championships will be either based in or studying in the North East.

And Newcastle University student Mason Durant will be hoping to make it a 14th with a place in the men’s eight.

Great Britain announced their squad for the tournament in Brandenburg, Germany, yesterday with two caveats. One surrounds the fitness of 2007 bronze medalist Mohamed Sbihi, the other is a straight selection decision between Durant and Alex Holden-Smith.

If he gets the nod, Durant will be joined by fellow Newcastle student Fred Gill in an eight stroked by Youth Olympic and 2006 world junior gold medalist Nathaniel Reilly-O’Donnell from Durham.

There are due to be three all-North East crews at the competition, which runs from July 18-20. The women’s pair are Durham University students Emily Taylor and Hannah Elsy. Their university also provides the lightweight double sculls team of Emma Steel and Frances Fletcher, both from Chester-le-Street. They also have two members of the lightweight men’s quadruple sculls – Henry Chin and Nick Fearnhead – while the other half are Tees RC members Bob Hewitt and Chris Boddy, the latter of whom lives in Stockton.

Chester-le-Street’s Vicky Bryant rows in the women’s four, while Durham’s John Preston is one half of the lightweight men’s pair.

The squad includes six who last year won bronze medals at this level: Tina Stiller, Charles Cousins, Bill Lucas, Cameron Nichol, Charles Burkitt and Sbihi.