GB Trials

[limegreenspeed]

Crazy results in the mens pair - is Satch is still healing up? You'd figure him and Moe would've been in the medals had they been together. Very impressed with the winners - Josh B was taken out of the BB last year, good for him winning this year. He's got a different style to his rowing, or at the very least his body positioning looks fairly slumped for someone rowing for GB. Also nice to see Matt Tarrent become such a consistent performer for GB after not making an Olympic boat last quadrennial.

Mens sculling was also impressive - as impressive as last year, it will come down to how well everyone gets slotted together. That double was quite nice last year, the quad became inconsistent and the single was impressive.

[fatsculler]

Satch wrecked his shoulder on training camp at Christmas and had to have surgery. He got back in the boat for the first time this week so will be in contention for selection for probably the 2nd World Cup.
The men's heavyweight sculling squad is ridiculously talented at the moment, possibly the strongest and deepest in World Rowing. It's also worth noting that two of the strongest scullers (Harry Leask and Jonny Walton) were off sick. Graeme Thomas said afterwards that what's really good is that the team can currently boat two world-class quads to train together and there is no no.1 boat. GB are capable of producing three heavyweight sculling boats that are capable of medals at the World Championships.
The M2- was a bit odd with Sbihi missing out on the A-final and the only other Rio gold medallist (Tom Ransley) flipping in the last couple of 100m whilst lying 4th (apparently he and partner Ollie Wynne-Griffith had been unhappy with their set all weekend and they clipped a bout at full sprint sending them over).
It is worth remembering thought that GB Final Trials aren't like US Trials. Just because you win (or lose) doesn't mean you get selected in your preferred boat, they are just a part of the overall selection procedure.
What's been really annoying this year is British Rowing's fanaticism with secrecy. Rachel Quarrell (one of the few rowing-specific journalists left) has been covering Trials for the best part of 10 years. This year (as in the passed 3-4 years) she posted 30 second video clips of the semi-finals. British Rowing then told her to take them down or risk losing her accreditation. A ridiculous situation.

[limegreenspeed]

Interesting results from this last weekend. After all the drama from the mens eight, Joshua B wins trials with a newcomer. Looks like there were some injured sweep men on the sidelines. Potential for a pretty strong eight or four. Mens sculling can likely put together a quick quad if they’d like. Bit of vindication for the Cambridge pair — certainly much faster than any of the Oxford pairs.

Anyone have insight on the racing?

[fatsculler]

No real insight, GB in their “wisdom” have chosen not to publish times or splits. They also severely restricted access to journalists…including Rachel Quarrel (who is probably Britain’s leading rowing journalist) this meant she missed final trials for the first time since she started as a rowing journo.

[lt.wolf]

Sounds like GB knows depth may be lacking

Heard Covid may have played a role in some not being able to race