National Championships of Great Britain 2009

Bronze Medal - Mens Junior 16 4-
Matt Gawne & Connor Mark

Matt and Connor have had an excellent season and finished it off by winning a bronze medal at the National Rowing Championships of Great Britain. Doing a composite with Daniel and Harry from Durham School Boat Club, had two rows in total after moving straight to the final from the semis, missing out the extra row of the repchage. The four boys finished second in their heat on the Friday, a length behind St Georges College/Walton-on-Thames composite, which saw their place in the six-boat final on Saturday secured. The boys had the second fastest time from both heats and were hopeful for a medal. The decision to enter the four boys into this event had only made a few weeks before the event so they had little time to practice. Having only been put into the boat altogether for the first a week prior to their race, they knew that the final would be tough. They finished in bronze medal position, behind the St Georges College/Walton composite and Henley Rowing Club but managed to ward off good opposition of Cambois, Aberdeen School and Wallingford Rowing Club, London.

Connor and Matt were originally entered into the Open Junior 16 Double Sculls event as well as the four. Finishing in third place of their heat to progress to the next round, they decided to withdraw from this event and concentrate on the four final.

These two lads have gone unbeaten in the age group in the double and the pair. In total, the two have won 48 trophies together since the 2006 summer season; 15 of which have been won this season so far. This is the third time the boys have competed at National level. The first year saw them finish fifth and missing out on a bronze medal by 1.5 seconds.

This bronze medal is the fourth medal to be won at National level in six years. Jodie Mark and Kayleigh Warwick won silver in 2004, Danny Mark and Carl Maw won bronze in 2005 and Jodie and Kate Brown won bronze in 2007.

Also competing this year were the Womens Junior 16 Coxed Four of Catherine Gammage, Rosella Brown, Bethany Tidmarsh, Claire Nugent and Louise Corker. These five girls finished third in the heat, first in the repechage then sixth in the final.

The Open Junior 15 Coxed Quad, Jack Glenholmes, Alex Rose, Alex Widdowson, Martin Wilson and Beth Bareham, the Womens Junior 17 Single Sculls, Alex Hill, and Womens Under 23 Double Sculls, Jodie Mark and Kate Brown, went out in the heats and repechages respectively.