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The group travelled down to Dorney Lake, host of the Olympic rowing to race at the Diamond Jubilee regatta last weekend. This was a unique showcase event celebrating the success of teamGB at the Olympics and a chance for crews to race against some of the very best, with all triallists who wished to be considered for the 2013 season required to race, and a number of Olympic athletes also attending, racing for their clubs. Racing took an unusual format, with 1900m time trials being used to determine allocation into A/B semi-finals, C/D semis etc. All the categories were combined, for example the women’s heavyweight, lightweight, under 23 and under 19 doubles all competed against each other, providing some very close racing.

On the Saturday two heavyweight fours, a heavyweight double and 2 lightweight doubles were entered. With the phrase ‘As long as we can see your bow number through the fog’ still ringing in our ears everyone boated, heading into the unknown of both the fog and the experience of racing a flat out 2k in October. The time trials went well, with the top four of Lindsay, Fi, Laura and Catherine and two doubles making it into the A/B semis, and the second four of Laura Champion, Rebecca, Ellie and Philly finishing 13th and just missing out, going on to win the C final later in the day. The top four went on to race against Leander and Sport Imperial for the top spot, and after an excellent final won silver, beating the favoured Leander boat. The U23 heavyweight double of Pippa and Katie Bartlett came in 3rd in the B final, placing them 9th out of the 44 entries, the lightweight double of Louise and Yasmin came in 15th, and the lightweight combination of Nikki and Lizzie Polgreen from Isle of Ely came 5th overall, in an event won by the European bronze medal winning lightweight crew, but beating an Olympic gold medallist in the process.

On the Sunday Yasmin travelled home and went on to win in her single at Notitngham Autumn Head, impressive given the amount of racing she had done the day before. Staying down at Dorney, the two fours combined into an 8 which finished 5th overall. Due to some last minute substitutions, Pippa and Katie raced in a scratch quad with 2 girls who competed at Junior Worlds last season, but had to race as time only due to these substitutions. Nikki joined with some fellow lightweights to race in a quad, which came home with bronze, beating 24 other quads, and only beaten by girls who had represented GB last season.

The following month is a busy one, with Fours Head coming up in a fortnight, some girls travelling out to defend their title in Barcelona the following weekend, and then GB trials at the end of the month so watch this space!
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