This weekend, British Rowing’s most prevalent indoor rowing competition descends on Birmingham’s NEC Arena. This year’s U23 men’s category is a fiercely packed one. With a wide spread of talent, it could be anyone’s day. With pacing and preparation essential for this event, several athletes will be eager to get going and walk away with gold come this Sunday.
Jacob Steele (Sheffield University)
Steele is already an established talent in this age group and is definitely one of the athletes to watch. Not only has he had several notable water performances in the past year, with appearances in Sheffield University’s BUCS intermediate eight as well as their Temple Challenge Cup eight, but he has also had some very impressive ergo performances this year that will give him a significant advantage. He pulled a 6:09.0 over the 2km at UIARUS (University Indoor Rowing and Adaptive Series), which ultimately won him the event and put him nine seconds clear of the next fastest contender. Steele would definitely be eyeing up the top spot this weekend.
Teddy Sherman (Leicester RC)
Teddy Sherman is another established athlete at the U23 level. He will definitely be one to watch this weekend for his recent fast 2km times. At the British Rowing U23 trials earlier this year, Sherman laid down an outstanding time of 6:15.7. After narrowly missing out on the 6:14 target, he will be keen to reduce the deficit. It is not only his impressive 2km results that put Sherman in one of the pole positions to take the win; the Leicester-based man also proved himself to be a fast single sculler, with the quickest men’s single time at Newark Head, as well as having raced in various other categories at Henley Royal Regatta. This experience should definitely put Sherman in a position to take the top spot this weekend.
Ethan Frost (Dart Totnes ARC)
Another young and promising talent is Ethan Frost from Dart Totnes ARC. Frost has achieved several positive results as a junior, which point to improvement both on the erg and on the water. At the U19 level, he laid down a time of 6:32.4 on the erg. Although this is a cut below the times we have seen for Sherman and Steele, Frost may have adapted to a more intensive programme and will hopefully have shown improvements. Not only this, but he has also achieved some very positive results in both coastal and regional areas. A notable performance includes second in the Junior 18 single at Torbray Regatta. Although Frost is still young, there is always that scope to be competitive in a U23 field, and he could see himself on the podium come this weekend.
Leo Gill (Tideway Scullers School)
One of the younger and promising athletes is Leo Gill, currently rowing out of the Tideway Scullers School. The gap year athlete is on an intensive senior squad programme, and this has begun to show in some of the young athlete’s recent results. For example, at the Sculler’s Head of the River, Gill placed an impressive 15th in a packed open field, laying down a time of 24:21.76 in the senior single category. Although there is no published erg time for Gill, strong sculling durability tends to translate to an impressive 2km, and he will definitely be one of the athletes to look out for this weekend.
Prediction
This category encompasses a range of different levels. The top spot could include any one of these athletes. However, if I were a betting man, I would say Steele would be hard to turn after already laying down an impressive performance earlier this year. I think hot on his heels will be Sherman. My prediction is:
- Jacob Steele (Sheffield University)
- Teddy Sherman (Leicester RC)
- Leo Gill (Tideway Scullers School)
