DUBC travelled down to Boston en force, boasting 18 athletes: 10 women, 6 men and 2 coxes. DUBC turned up to the trials process last year, wide-eyed at the professionalism of some of the athletes - the trials required the athletes to level up. This year DUBC returned with an assurance that they belonged at this grand stage, with results from the previous year and with a solid block of training in small boats under their belts.
The trial began on Saturday, with a 2k ergo test: the athletes had to achieve prescribed cutoffs to proceed further in the process. The DUBC athletes rose to the occasion, delivering 13 PB’s; a special mention must go to Dom Newton and Caroline Rijkse who pulled out two heroic performances, each taking off over 6 seconds off their previous PBs to make the cutoff.
On the next day, a misty November morning provided the stage for a 5 kilometre time trial on the water. Conditions were kind, the glassy water glistening for the small boats to cut through. The first down the track was our men’s pair of Gus John and Andrew Mettrick; despite a low six minute 2k still heavy in their legs from the day before, they produced a classy row, finishing as the 5th u23 pair. The men’s singles were next, where Levin Gräf displayed his European sculling prowess, as the fastest DUBC sculler of the day, taking a 14th place overall finish back up North with him. The other men’s singles, George Reed, Dominic Newton and Peter Goodfellow, all put out gutsy performances - they demonstrated the competitiveness of the Durham programme, as they finished within a couple seconds of each other.
The men set the tone for what would be a successful day for DUBC. Fresher Anna Grace demonstrated her pedigree, as the quickest DUBC woman of the day, and managing a 5th u23 placing to go with it. The performance of the day would wait however for 2nd year Izzy Sellers, attacking the 5 kilometre course ferociously to take the crown, as the fastest u23 lightweight. Fresher Mia Vickerman followed closely in her footsteps, moving her single very effectively to finish 4th in the u23 lightweight category. Caroline Rijkse formed the third and final piece to DUBC’s lightweight women group - Caroline placed as the 8th u23. The other DUBC women raced the scull fearlessly, anticipating the February trial, where they will be able to manifest their better practised sweeping skills in pairs.
It was inspiring to DUBC athletes present at the trial and those who remained at base camp on the Tyne to witness recent DUBC alumni performing at such a high level. Matt Rossiter stroked his pair to the fastest time of the day. He was chased hard by Ryan Todhunter, who flew down the track to finish as the 4th quickest pair. Last year’s women’s captain, Natasha Morrice, now rowing under the Leander colours stamped her mark on the field placing 13th overall on the 2k test followed by a strong performance in the single on the Sunday with her eyes now set on returning to sweep rowing where she earned a silver medal in W8+ at the U23WRC’s this summer.
The focus for the whole squad now turns to Rutherford Head on our home waters in 4 weeks time.
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