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World Rowing Beach Sprints Finals

Posted: 25 October 2022

Last weekend saw four Scottish rowers competing as part of the GB Rowing Team at the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Saundersfoot, Wales.

Stirling Rowing Club's Isla MacCallum only transitioned to this discipline at the Saints Coastal Regatta in May however the 18-year-old Edinburgh University student quickly adapted and was in fine form in the Coastal Under 19 Women’s Solo (CJW1x) event.

 After finishing second in her time trial, the young Scottish rower took impressive head-to-head victories over Portugal and France on route to her gold medal final against Tunisia. After a fierce battle against the defending champion MacCallum settled for a memorable silver medal.

 
Speaking to World Rowing after her medal ceremony, MacCallum said, “I'm so happy, the adrenalin's still there. Each race got better and better. I just can't believe what's happened.
 
“I started beach sprints in May coming over from flat water rowing, and to be here is absolutely amazing. It's so good. Everyone's one big team."
 
ISLA.jpg
Ben Tufnell / British Rowing
 
Gregor Hall had first tasted coastal sculling at a Scottish Rowing ‘come and try’ session at Portobello Beach last September and was instantly hooked on the format. Another Stirling Rowing Club member, the 30-year-old raced in the Coastal Men’s Solo (CM1x) in Saundersfoot.
 
A strong time trial performance saw Hall progress through to the last 16 as the second fastest sculler and following a bye in the last 16, he defeated the Czech Republic in the quarter-finals to move into the final four.
As the conditions worsened on the Welsh coastline so did the Scot’s luck as he got caught in the waves in both his semi-final and bronze medal match and had to settle for a fourth-place finish overall.
 
Said Hall, “It was extremely challenging conditions out there, the most difficult I have experienced but I am really happy with my performance and raced as best as I could.”
 
GREGOR
Ben Tufnell / British Rowing
 
The Great Britain Coastal Mixed Coxed Quad Scull (CMix4x+) was stroked by Glasgow University Boat Club's Laura McKenzie and coxed by Ryan Glymond of the University of St Andrews Boat Club.
Like MacCallum and Hall, McKenzie had represented the Scotland Rowing Team earlier this summer at both the Home International Rowing Regatta in London and the Beach Sprints at St Andrews, where Scotland won the inaugural HIR Beach Sprints team trophy.
 
The GB quad had qualified directly for the quarter-final stage after a fourth-place finish in their opening time trial. A tough draw in the last eight saw them compete against New Zealand, with reigning Olympicsingle sculling Champion Emma Twigg onboard, and they were unable to overturn their opposition with the Kiwis going on to take the silver medal in this event.
 
TEAM
Ben Tufnell / British Rowing
 
See the World Rowing website for full results from the 2022 World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals.
 
Former Scotland Rowing Team athlete Gregor Maxwell, now representing London Rowing Club, will compete for Great Britain in the Coastal Mixed Double Scull (CMix2x) at the 2022 European Rowing Coastal & Beach Sprint Championships being held in San Sebastian, Spain from 27-30 October.
 
 

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