Posted: September 27, 2017

Day three of the World Rowing Championships saw British success in the lightweight men’s pair (LM2-) repechage with Sam Scrimgeour (Molesey BC/Kirriemuir) and Joel Cassells (Oxford Brookes Univ. BC/Coleraine) progressing into their A final, finishing third behind Italy and Russia and well clear of the rest of the field. The pair will race for the medals on Friday.
 
Both British eight crews were in action for the first time this week and were handed tough tests in their opening heats.
 
The women (W8+), a line up which included Scots Katherine Douglas (Leander Club/Edinburgh) and Karen Bennett (Leander Club/Edinburgh), were up first and the crew finished in third behind a strong showing from New Zealand and home favourites the USA.
 
The GB men (M8+), containing Callum McBrierty (Leander Club/Edinburgh) and Alan Sinclair (Leander Club/Inverness), challenged the Italian boat throughout, eventually finishing a very impressive row in second position, edging Australia and the Netherlands into third and fourth.
 
With only one boat from each heat of the men’s and women’s eights progressing straight through to the A finals, both GB crews will enter the repechages which take place on Thursday.
 
Speaking at the end of the third day of racing, British Rowing Performance Director Sir David Tanner said: “It’s been a very encouraging start to our World Championships and I’m pleased to see so many of our crews progress through to semi-finals and finals already.
 
“The squad have put in a huge amount of work since our last outing in Lucerne and those efforts are starting to pay dividends here in Florida. Our aim is to see as many crews as possible in action in their A finals this weekend.”
 
All Great Britain results from day 3:
 
PR1 men's single scull heat (Two progress to semi-final)
1. Russia, 10:02.35
2. Great Britain (Andy Houghton), 10:11.27
3. USA, 10:21.95
 
Lightweight men's pair repechage (Four progress to final)
1. Italy, 6:40.42
2. Russia, 6:41.75
3. Great Britain (Joel Cassells & Sam Scrimgeour), 6:42.69
 
Lightweight men's double scull repechage (Two progress to semi-final)
1. Great Britain (Sam Mottram & Jamie Copus), 6:24.70
2. South Africa, 6:26.13
3. Argentina, 6:26.16
 
Lightweight women's double scull (Three progress to semi-final)
1. Great Britain (Katherine Copeland & Emily Craig), 7:00.00
2. Italy, 7:01.65
3. Russia, 7:03.61
 
Women's eight heat (One progresses to final)
1. New Zealand, 6:08.42
2. USA, 6:09.41
3. Great Britain (Anastasia Chitty, Rebecca Chin, Fiona Gammond, Katherine Douglas, Jo Wratten, Holly Norton, Karen Bennett, Rebecca Shorten & Matilda Horn (cox)), 6:15.10
 
Men's eight heat (One progresses to final)
1. Italy, 5:32.39
2. Great Britain (Ollie Cook, Callum McBrierty, Jacob Dawson, Adam Neill, Tom Ransley, Alan Sinclair, James Rudkin, Lance Tredell & Henry Fieldman (cox)), 5:34.60
3. Australia, 5:36.85