Reading rower sets sights on World Cup spot
Shakila Barabhuiya • Published 12 May 2011 09:30
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READING'S Sam Townsend has booked his place in the GB squad announced at Caversham Lakes yesterday (Wednesday) for the first World Cup of the season.
The World Cup in Munich at the end of this month marks the beginning of a competitive and vitally important racing season.
Reading-born Townsend's career-best third place in the senior trials earned him a place in the quadruple scull alongside Bill Lucas, Stephen Rowbotham and newcomer Tom Solesbury.
The former Chiltern Edge pupil has lived in Reading all his life and is a student at Reading University, putting him in the perfect place to take advantage of the world-class rowing facilities at the GB training headquarters at Caversham Lakes.
Speaking exclusively to the Chronicle just after the announcement, he said: "The make-up of the boat is a bit different this year, which brings a new dynamic to it. We will all find where our roles lie in the boat.
"We need to keep it quite simple and not get too far ahead of ourselves. We'll keep trying to evaluate our performance throughout the summer so when we get to the world championships we're in a good position to get to the final and win a medal."
Team-mate Bill Lucas added: "It's been a long, cold winter so this really signals the start of the racing season for us and we're excited.
"We're probably one of the physically strongest boats in the team. The fact that it's a new crew won't stop us aiming high."
Windsor's Adam Freeman-Pask and Rob Williams, from Maidenhead, have retained their seats in the lightweight pair and lightweight four respectively while newly-crowned world champion Zac Purchase will be representing GB in the lightweight double scull.
Just under half the GB squad hail from the presitigious Leander Club in Henley, providing Berkshire's rowing enthusiasts with a wealth of talent to follow in the lead up to London 2012.
One of those who will be flying the flag in Muninch come May 27 will be quadruple scull World Champion Debbie Flood.
She said: "Now it's getting to the interesting part of the year, the part where we all enjoy the racing season.
"Munich be our first indicator of how well we're going against the rest of the world."
Flood will be in a boat alongside Beth Rodford and fellow Leander members Frances Houghton and Annabel Vernon.
They won't know until this time next year whether they'll be racing in the Olympics.
"You're always thinking about the Olympics. The thought of an Olympic gold medal keeps you going through the hard training," said Flood.
"Nothing's guaranteed, so that keeps you on your toes."
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