Gold and Silvers in Rotterdam

Continuing the great success of GB crews at the Rio Olympic Games, Henry Fieldman was crowned world champion for a second time and two U23 crews containing Boat Race athletes earned Silver medals in the Rotterdam World and U23 World Championships.

Henry Fieldman, a former CUBC cox (2013) convincingly won gold in the non-Olympic class coxed pair. They were pushed to halfway by a Canadian crew but took control of the race in the second half to become world champions, defending the title he won 12 months ago in Aiguebelette. Hopefully this will be a stepping stone to future Olympic success in Tokyo.

The U23 women’s eight saw Maddy Badcott (OUWBC 2015, 2016 President) and Holly Hill (CUWBC 2015) contest the medals having qualified fastest from the repechage and third overall for the A Final. The crew from the United States lead from start to finish, with Great Britain tied with Russia through the 500m mark. At halfway the British crew had a slender lead which they managed to gradually extend to a second and a half over the second thousand meters to claim Silver.

In the U23 men’s event, CUBC cox Ian Middleton (2014, 2015, 2016) found himself fourth at 500m but part of a group of crews that were settling into race pace. At 1000m the British had moved up to third, following the Dutch who had led from the beginning and the Ukrainians in second. With 500m to go the Ukrainians had dropped back and were being pushed for bronze by the Germans. Britain finished second behind the Dutch to win Silver, with the German crew ultimately finishing third.