GUBC women answer Tideway challenge with second-best ever WEHORR finish
Glasgow University Boat Club place twenty-eighth and eighty-fifth in historic weekend at Women’s Eights Head of the River Race
LONDON — As the yellow flags flew on the tideway, the two GUBC crews entered into Women’s Head made the cut to race in a reduced field on the Championship course between Chiswick and Putney Bridges.
The Glasgow flag was flown first by the ‘A’ crew, stroked by Laura McKenzie and steered by Alexandra Lennie, who set a scorching pace – backed by an elite split throughout the middle of the race between Barnes and Hammersmith Bridges – placing the crew 28th overall, a massive improvement on their bow number of sixty. This represented the second-best ever performance by a Glasgow University crew at either of the major Tideway Heads and suggests great things are likely to come from this talented group.
The second eight would be set off 109th after a number of crews had been withdrawn due to the weather conditions, and would still build on this performance, placing 85th overall in the race – the joint-forth best result from a GUBC second eight at Women’s Head. This crew fought through a busy and tight field to finish tenth in a hotly contested Challenge category – which would be won by a boat containing Glasgow alumni Maia Hely rowing for St Andrew Boat Club.
Overall these are a greatly exciting set of results, looking towards the regatta season approaching in the spring and the summer. It is a testament to the work of these crews over the preceding season to have earned enough British Rowing CRI points to remain in the draw when it was shrunk due to the conditions as well as the level of rowing displayed on the course.
Full Results
Glasgow University BC ‘A’ – Jess O’Dell, Ella Gildert, Rosie Wilson, Polly Swaile, Kirsty McRobb, Gemma Collins, Maisie Archer Dytch, Laura McKenzie, (coxswain) Alexandra Lennie
20:10.1, 28th/158 Overall (13th/48 Senior)
Glasgow University BC ‘B’ – Andrea Byrne, Beth Logan, Maya Franks, Caera Innes, Elle Sutherland, Emily Finch, Fran Chorley, Katie Broome, (coxswain) Alex Sneader
21:12.8, 85th/158 Overall (10th/43 Challenge)