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Posted: June 14, 2016

A host of Scottish rowers will continue their preparations for Rio 2016 this weekend by representing the GB Rowing Team at the World Cup in Poznan, Poland - the last international test before the Olympic Games.

They include reigning Olympic, World and European champion Heather Stanning, who has once again been selected in the women’s pair alongside Helen Glover.

“I think what’s great is we are still making progress,” said former Gordonstoun pupil Stanning, from Lossiemouth,

“London 2012 came round relatively quickly for Helen and me, we’d only been in the team for a couple of years, so we still had a lot to learn and keeping the momentum going after that was actually quite easy.  

“Obviously winning in London was amazing but we could see so many areas where we could improve. Now we are coming towards the peak of our fitness, which is exciting.  

“We have become better and stronger athletes but we know our competition is getting better and stronger too, so we have to step up every time.”  

Former World Champion Polly Swann and fellow Edinburgh rower Karen Bennett have both been named in the women’s eight for Rio, although Swann will sit out this weekend’s visit to Poznan through illness.

Swann – who was selected for London 2012 but missed out on the Games through injury – has taken a sabbatical from her medical degree at Edinburgh University to pursue her Olympic dream.

Olympic selection continues an unforgettable year for Bennett, a graduate of the GB Rowing Team Start talent ID and development centre at Clydesdale RC in Glasgow who only made her senior debut 12 months ago.

“It feels incredible, I am really proud to be selected to represent my country at an Olympic Games,” said Bennett, who has won European Championships gold and Lucerne World Cup silver with the eight this season.  

“I can’t wait for Rio, it’s a dream come true. It’s not been easy, I’ve had to earn my seat and it’s been tough but I have stepped up to every test and I’m really happy.”  

Glasgow’s Katherine Grainger was unsuccessful in her attempt to earn a place in the eight and returns to the women’s double scull – the boat in which she is reigning Olympic champion – for Poznan, along with Vicky Thornley. The Rio 2016 crew for that boat will be confirmed at a later date.

Also looking to nail down his Olympic starting place is Alan Sinclair of Inverness. He is in a group of 12 rowers selected by Team GB that will form the men’s pair, men’s eight and spares in Rio.

That decision will be influenced by this weekend’s performances in Poznan where Sinclair and Stewart Innes, who won European silver last month, will race in the pair against fellow Brits Nathaniel Reilly-O’Donnell and Mat Tarrant.

Looking to build on a fine silver medal at the Lucerne World Cup will be Glasgow’s Angus Groom and his team-mates in the men’s quadruple scull, Peter Lambert, Sam Townsend and Graeme Thomas.

Groom’s selection by Team GB last week means he will be the youngest member of the men’s rowing squad in Rio.  

“It feels amazing and I perhaps didn’t think it would happen this quickly,” said Groom, who turns 24 on Thursday (June 16).  

“I was part of a group where Rio was always a possibility but Tokyo 2020 was the main focus. I had it in the back of my mind that I might get here now and I feel very lucky to be in this position.”

Also racing in Poznan this weekend are Premnay’s Vicki Meyer-Laker, partnering Donna Etiebet in a second women’s pair, and Kirriemuir’s Sam Scrimgeour, who will be looking for a third gold medal of 2016 in the lightweight men’s pair with Joel Cassells.

The GB Rowing Team selection for both the Poznan World Cup and Rio 2016 Olympic Games can be found at http://www.britishrowing.org/gb-rowing-team

The GB Rowing Team is supported by the Lottery through UK Sport and has Science in Sport as a supplier.  SAS Analytics is the Official Analytics Partner of British Rowing and the GB Rowing Team. Follow Britain’s rowers on the Road to Rio via Twitter – @GBRowingTeam – and at www.facebook.com/GBRowingTeam.