World Rowing Silver for Beach Sprints Star
GUBC athlete Laura McKenzie combines with Glasgow Rowing Club’s Sam Scrimgeour to win World Championship Silver Medal in new Olympic Discipline
BARLETTA, ITALY – After a year away, Laura McKenzie returns to Glasgow University Boat Club with a splash as she and former flat-water World Champion Sam Scrimgeour won a silver medal in Barletta, Italy at the World Beach Sprints Championships.
After winning their place on the team at the British Championships, before a rogue wave flipped them upside down at the European Championships earlier in the summer. The Commonwealth Champions were able to win a Silver medal on the Adriatic Coast.
After qualifying comfortably in the first Time Trial and beating the Germans without too much trouble in the Morning Session, they secured their place in the showpiece finale to the first day’s racing.
In their Quarter Final it was McKenzie’s final sprint that secure them progression, as they defeated their Tunisian opposition by just one-tenth of a second.
The Semi Final was a far more comfortable affair as nearly eight seconds separated the British crew from the Italian hosts, setting themselves up for a final showdown with the Kiwi crew.
In the final, the lead changed hands many times as McKenzie and Scrimgeour battled against the New Zealanders, but ultimately it was not to be as the gold would head back to New Zealand.
This Senior Silver medal is among the best results achieved by a current GUBC athlete, made especially special by the fact that Beach Sprints is much tipped to be added to the Olympic program for 2028 at the IOC General Meeting this month.
Other British successes came across the event, with gold medals in the U19 Mixed Double with a total of six medals for British crews, behind only hosts Italy in the medal table.
Full Results
Coastal Mixed Double Sculls
Great Britain – Laura McKenzie (Glasgow University BC/Leander Club), Sam Scrimgeour (Glasgow RC)
Time Trial: 4th – 2:38.79
Knockout: 1st – 2:36.28 (Defeated Germany)
Quarter Final: 1st – 2:39.30 (Defeated Tunisia)
Semi Final: 1st – 2:42.28 (Defeated Italy)
A Final: 2nd – 2:45.34 (Lost to New Zealand)