Richards and Middleton lead the way at GB trials

LEANDER Club and Shiplake College senior athletes competed at last weekend’s two-day GB rowing long distance junior trials in Boston, Lincolnshire.

Leander had five scullers racing over the 5km course on Saturday and Sunday.

In the single sculls, in difficult tailwind conditions, Leander boys raced well with Byron Richards finishing second overall, Nathaniel Gauden fourth, Freddy Foxwell 15th, Nicholas Didaskalou 17th and Archie White 22nd

The next day the athletes were put into double sculls based on their ranking in the singles.

Richards had another good race to finish first with Gauden fourth, Foxwell seventh, Didaskalou 10th, and White 14th.

Meanwhile, Jessica Weir finished fourth overall for Shiplake College in her single and then won the double sculls trial the day later. Emily Downing finished 22nd in her singles and eighth in the doubles.

The boys raced a series of three races over the weekend with different partners from different schools, before being given an overall ranking following their races.

Freddie Middleton finished first on strokeside, after being placed first, second and first in his three races. Ned Floyd finished fifth on bowside, Luke Byca sixth on strokeside, Fin Worthington 12th on bowside, Nick Summerfield 21st on strokeside and Harrison Harper 23rd on bowside.

Shiplake College’s director of Rowing, Dave Currie, said: “The competing pupils enjoyed some fantastic results over the weekend, marking a very positive step towards selection for Great Britain in the summer.”