News

Victory for Scotland’s Melissa Wilson (Cambridge Univ. Women's BC/Edinburgh) and Holly Hill (Cambridge Univ. Women's BC/Gossington) in the women’s pair (W2-) repechage secured a fifth A final place of the week for Great Britain on day four of the 2017 World Rowing Championships.

 

Hill and Wilson were the first of three British boats in action in Sarasota-Bradenton and the duo were quickly up to speed, creating clear water between themselves and the rest of the field by the 500m mark.

 

The pair, who finished second to the formidable New Zealand crew of Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler in their heat on Monday, opened up a five second advantage by halfway and eventually finished in 7:25.99, 6.35 seconds clear of Germany. The victory means Hill and Wilson, who are racing in their first senior regatta in the pair, progress to Saturday’s A final.

 

Melissa Wilson said: “We knew from the heat that we wanted to get out quickly from the start and push on from that. We did that and got out in front and then held that lead on Germany down the course.

 

The second repechage of the day for GB crews saw Caragh McMurtry (Coalporters ARC/Southampton), Rebecca Girling (Molesey BC/Fareham), Rowan McKellar and Sam Courty (Univ. of Bath/Alnwick) finish third in the women’s four (W4-).

 

The young crew, with three of the four competing in their first ever World Championships, will race in the B final after China and Poland secured the two A final places by finishing ahead of the British boat.

 

Results from day 4

 

Women's pair repechage (Two progress to final)
1. Great Britain (Holly Hill & Melissa Wilson), 7:25.99
2. Germany, 7:32.34
3. China, 7:39.34

 

Women's four repechage (Two progress to final)
1. China, 6:41.43
2. Poland, 6:41.46
3. Great Britain (Caragh McMurtry, Rebecca Girling, Rowan McKellar & Sam Courty), 6:47.38

 

Men's single scull quarter-final (Three progress to semi-final)
1. Czech Republic, 6:47.22
2. Great Britain (Tom Barras), 6:47.83
3. Serbia, 6:54.02