BUCS Small Boats Head and GB trials

Newcastle’s rowers started their year in style with a strong performance at the first set of GB trials and BUCS Small Boats Head (21-22 October). NUBC placed 2nd overall, with 36 points ahead of Loughborough and the University of East London and behind Durham, in the process winning more medals than any other club. The weekend began on the Saturday with a 2000m ergo test for the trialists. Sam Arnott and George Rossiter were placed first and second in the U23 category, with times of 6:00.4 and 6:00.9 respectively, and Gemma Hall pulled out a strong performance with a time 7:29.4, placing fourth in the lightweight women category.

On Sunday, NUBC took to the water for the combined BUCS/GB 5km time trial in singles followed by two divisions of small boat racing. NUBC dominated the pairs events, winning gold and silver in the men’s event, and winning silver and bronze in the women’s event. In the men’s double event, Tom Ford and James Reeder came fifth in a very strong field. Gemma Hall won silver in the lightweight women’s single category before teaming up with Ami Hodges to win silver in the lightweight women’s double, ahead of NUBC alumnus Lucy Glendinning, who won bronze for Durham University.

Newcastle beat close rivals and neighbours, Durham University in all the crew events except for the men’s double, which is a strong statement of intent for the upcoming season and hopefully our performance won’t scare Durham from racing us at the Boat Race this year.

Focus now switches towards preparations for the Fours Head of the River on 5 November, where the club has entered a men’s coxed four and women’s quad. After that, NUBC will be racing at Rutherford Head of the River on 3 December before entering the North East Indoor Rowing Championships on 7 December.

Results and crews:

BUCS Small Boats Head

M2-

Sam Arnott/George Rossiter – Gold

Ed Ford/Tim Clarke – Silver

W2-

Nicole Lamb/Georgia Parry – Silver
Charlotte Irving/Franziska Horbach – Bronze

WLw2x

Gemma Hall/Ami Hodges – Silver

WLw1x

Gemma Hall – Silver

For full results, visit the BUCS website here.