LONDON ROWING CLUB December NEWSLETTER 2012 ! 2012 - A Golden Year PAGE 1 Olympic Games In a stunning race, London's Sophie Hosking and her down the course and the gathering storm clouds In one of the closest finishes of the regaa, LRC's partner Kat Copeland, coached by LRC Chief Coach overhead. Halfway down the course they poured on Rob Williams, rowing in the 2 seat of the GB light- Paul Reedy, won Team GB's fourth gold medal of weight men's four, won a silver medal, just being the Olympic regaa, the first ever gold medal by a edged out on the line by South Africa. Rowing in GB lightweight women's crew. Sing in third place lane 3, GB were only in 5th place aer 500m but a at the 500m mark, the GB double moved through strong second 500m saw them move up into 3rd at China during the second 500 and surged past the the halfway mark. Urged on by the 30,000-strong reigning world champions Greece around the crowd, GB caught Denmark in the last 500m and 1250m mark. Cheered on by the fanacal Eton Dor- ney crowd, GB sculled away from the field over the final 500m, crossing the line over 2.5 seconds clear of China who caught Greece on the line. the pace as the heavens opened around them. Ear- lier they had been led by New Zealand on the oppo- site side of the course. By 1200m gone Hosking and Copeland had created a length lead and behind these two leaders a surging bale raged between Cuba Result and Denmark. Denmark not only emerged to see off Cuba 1. GBR 7:09.30 although briefly managing to get their bows in front, but to take the second Quali- 2. CHN 7:11.93 just lost out to the fast-finishing South Africans in a fying slot for the semi-final 3. GRE 7.12.09 blanket finish. by overhauling New Zealand 4. DEN 7:15.53 Hosking and Copeland had been the fastest Qualifi- Speaking aerwards, Rob said: in the final stretch. Roared 5. AUS 7:20.68 ers for the final, winning their semi-final comforta- on by a vociferous home 6. GER 7:22.18 bly ahead of Greece and Germany and some five “You can't be upset when you win a silver medal crowd, Hosking and Cope- seconds faster than the winners of the other semi- with 30,000 people cheering you on. It was a fabu- land maintained their blister- final, China. lous experience. We laid it all down. I couldn't give ing pace to win. more and nor could the other three.” WaiLng in the sLllness of the start for their heat, GB seemed immune to both the crowd noise further ! PAGE 2 Olympic Games In the semi-final, Switzerland and GB were the early 30,000 spectators in the packed grandstands, GB leaders and at the 500m mark had about 1/4 length rowed away from the field and crossed the line one on the remainder of the field. At the 1000m mark, length ahead of Australia, with Germany a further the Swiss and GB crews maintained their advantage half length back just pipping Czech Republic for the with Germany snapping at their heels. A strong third third semi-final place. The first London athlete to race in a final of the re- gaa was Bill Lucas, who, with Sam Townsend, in the men's double sculls. GB got off to a fast start in lane 1, lying in 2nd place at the 500m mark. At 1000m, Sydney 2000 gold medallists Spik & Cop from Slovenia were out in front by a length, with GB In their semi-final, barely a length separated all six sLll in contenLon in 3rd. By 1500m , Italy in lane 6 crews aer 500m with GB in fourth behind early had pushed through into the lead, with GB in a leaders Slovenia. At the half-way mark, Slovenia had opened up clear water on Lithuania, GB and Norway who were scrapping for the two remaining final places. With 500m to go, Slovenia had extended their advantage to 2 lengths and held on to win. In the sprint for the line, Lithuania just held off GB, 500m by GB saw them draw level with Switzerland, with Norway, winners of the Munich World Cup join- with both crews passing 1500m a length up on ing Olympic champions Australia in the B Final. Germany. Roared on by the crowd, GB wound the rate up to 38 and crossed the line 1/2 length ahead In the heat, the GB double established an early lead of Switzerland and the fast-finishing Dutch. as they, New Zealand and ArgenLna pulled away from Estonia. By the 1,000m AYer a blistering start in their mark, ArgenLna had estab- Result Result heat, GB seAled down into a lished a slender lead which 1. RSA 6:02.84 strong race pace and shared they maintained through to 1. NZL 6:31.59 2. GBR 6:03.09 the early lead with world 2. ITL 6:32.80 three-way tussle for bronze with New Zealand and 1,500m. In the final sprint 3. DEN 6:03.16 champions Australia. At the 3. SLO 6:34.35 ArgenLna. World champions New Zealand un- for the line, New Zealand 4. AUS 6:04.05 halfway mark, Australia had 4. ARG 6:36.36 leashed a devastang turn of speed compleLng the came through to snatch first 5. SUI 6:09.30 an advantage of 1/3 length 5. GBR 6:40.54 last 500m 3.5 seconds faster than anyone else to place, in a new Olympic best 6. NED 6:11.39 but with 500m to go GB had 6. LTU 6:42.96 take the gold medal, with GB finishing 5th. Lme, by a canvas from GB. drawn level. Roared on by ! PAGE 3 Olympic Games Phelan Hill, an honorary member of LRC, coxed the Our principal guests included Mrs Di Ellis CBE the To her surprise, our gold-medallist Sophie Hosking GB eight to a courageous bronze medal in a thrilling Chairman of BriLsh Rowing, David Tanner BriLsh was 'introduced' by her father. David Hosking has race. Rowing's Performance Director and Internaonal been a member of LRC for over 30 years and won a Manager, and internaonal coaches Robin Williams gold medal in the Lightweight Eight at the World Robin Williams coached Team GB's Helen Glover and Nick Strange. We were delighted to welcome Championships in 1980. Evidently, her father's and Heather Stanning to their historic gold medal in Richard Tracey, our local London Assembly Member achievement had inspired Sophie to seek to emulate the women's pair in a terrific race, umpired by LRC (and President of Kingston Regaa) and also the it, which she did in style at this year's Olympics. So- member Chris Drury. At the medal ceremony, Helen Deputy Mayoress of Wandsworth. phie spoke movingly about her regaa, about how and Heather were presented with their flowers by when it started she had never felt in beAer shape, LRC President and FISA Treasurer Mike Williams. Highlights of the evening were brief presentaons and about how her and her partner's meLculous given by our principal Olympic representaves, in- The GB women's eight, coached by London's Nick race plans had fallen into place. For once in her life, troduced by our own President and FISA Treasurer with 200 metres to go in her Olympic Final, Sophie Strange, were just pipped for 5th place on the line in Mike Williams. Paul Reedy, coach of the gold- the final of women's eights. did not want the race to end, but wanted instead to winning Women's Lightweight Double Scull of So- be able to savour the experience! At the Paralympic Games, London member Kevin Du phie Hosking and Kat Copeland, led the way. Ac- Toit and his Ireland crew finished 4th in the B final of companied by film clips of their races which they There was talk in the bar at the end of the evening, the LTA MIX 4+. talked us through, he was followed by Bill Lucas, amongst some of our older members, about the Phelan Hill and Rob Williams. All spoke of their possibility of hanging the Women's Olympic Double In October, over 90 members and their guests strong affecLon for LRC and the part it had played sculling boat from the Long Room ceiling once it is crowded into the Clubhouse to recognise the bringing them towards their internaonal success. reLred from the BriLsh Rowing fleet, as a suitable achievements of our 2012 Olympic athletes. partner to Casamajor's sculling boat and the Berlin four. ! PAGE 4 European Championships World Rowing Cup London's success on the internaonal stage conLn- London Rowing Club's internaonal representaves Focussed on the task in hand, the GB Quartet, ued at the European Rowing Championship, where disLnguished themselves at the first World Cup in stroked by Chris Bartley were tucked into fourth Imogen Walsh, together with Ruth Walczak from Belgrade. Bill Lucas, Sophie Hosking and Rob Wil- place with 700m of the race under their belts in a Molesey Boat Club, coached by LRC's Phil Bour- liams all won Silver medals in their respecLve race lead by Switzerland. SLll in fourth place at guignon won a bronze medal in lightweight women's Finals. Imogen Walsh took second place in the B halfway you sensed that an aack was coming from Final in Lightweight Women's Doubles.