News

Posted: 14 September 2022

Scotland is well represented following the announcement of the Great Britain teams for the upcoming World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Saundersfoot, Wales and the European Rowing Beach Sprint Championships in San Sebastian, Spain.

Three athletes who helped the Scotland Rowing Team win the inaugural Home International Rowing (HIR) Beach Sprints team trophy in St Andrews last month have been confirmed in the team for the World Rowing event in South Wales from 14-16 October.

Stirling Rowing Club’s Gregor Hall competes in the Coastal Men’s Solo (CM1x) in Saundersfoot after having won gold in the same boat class at HIR Beach Sprints.

Hall, 30, said: "Rowing has been a part of my life since I was 13, but I only got my first experience of coastal sculling at Scottish Rowing's come and try day at Portobello Beach in September 2021 and was absolutely hooked.

“The Beach Sprints format lives up to everything you would expect. Short, sharp, sprints with very close finishes where anything can happen.”

Also representing Stirling Rowing Club in Saundersfoot will be Isla MacCallum. The 18-year-old had competed in the mixed double at East Sands last month but will make her GB debut in the Coastal Under 19 Women’s Solo (CJW1x).

“After finding coastal sculling in May I couldn't wait to get more involved in this new discipline,” said MacCallum.

“I have especially enjoyed learning the new skills of beach sprints as it has been a good challenge to learn in the sea. I can't wait to experience the atmosphere of it again in Wales.”

Glasgow University Boat Club’s Laura McKenzie has prior experience of competing at Saundersfoot having travelled down to South Wales with Scottish Rowing last September as part of ‘Celtic Warriors’ team formed with Welsh Rowing to compete against a GB development squad in an exhibition event.

The Scottish Rowing performance programme athlete, who alongside Hall and MacCallum also competed at the HIR Regatta in London back in July, will compete in the Coastal Mixed Coxed Quad Sculls (CMix4x+) event where she will be coxed by Ryan Glymond from the University of St Andrews Boat Club.

Glymond had been a central figure in the organising committee for the recent HIR Beach Sprints at East Sands and has been part of the GB Beach Sprints development squad for over a year.

“I’m super excited to be a part of such a new event. And to be able to represent Great Britain is just amazing,” said 21-year-old McKenzie.

“I’m looking forward to promoting this unique event and to show people how much fun and crazy it is!”

Heading off to compete in San Sebastian, Spain, from 27-30 October is East Lothian’s Gregor Maxwell now representing London Rowing Club and formerly of Stirling University Boat Club and Edinburgh University Boat Club.

The 29-year-old, who was part of the Scotland Rowing Team that topped the medal table at the 2018 Commonwealth Beach Sprints in England, will make his GB debut at the Europeans in the Coastal Mixed Double (CMix2x).

Commenting on the selections, Scottish Rowing’s Head of Performance Pathway, Lee Boucher said:

“Scottish rowers have proven themselves to be keen to adapt to this exciting new discipline and therefore we are delighted to see five athletes making their GB debuts at the upcoming international competitions in Wales and Spain.”

“With the format under consideration by both the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for potential inclusion in future Games it is an exciting time to be involved in the sport and we wish all of the athletes and the GB Rowing Team well.”

Read the British Rowing team announcement in full here.