Returning to the Birmingham NEC for a third year, the British Rowing Indoor Championships is now running over two days for the first time. The event attracts both national team and domestic athletes, thanks to its electric atmosphere. Rowers are in competition with each other for the win on the day, and in competition with themselves for a personal best. In the open women’s 2k race, there are 38 entries, an increase on last year, of which 24 are from the GB Rowing Team, which will make for some exciting racing and some rapid ergo times.
Lauren Henry
Olympic champion, winner of this event in 2024, and most recently silver medallist in the single scull at the World Rowing Championships in September in Shanghai, Lauren Henry certainly comes into this event as the one to beat. Her talent in a boat is obviously undeniable, but also the mental toughness needed for international competition and success in the single scull will transfer very well to the erg.
Vwairé Obukohwo
A graduate of the GB start program at Twickenham Rowing Club, Vwairé Obukohwo placed second at BRIC in 2024, a narrow three seconds behind Lauren. More recently, she headed to Shanghai for the World Rowing Championships in September as the spare for the senior team (alongside Imogen Grant, also competing this weekend). GB start athletes are renowned for their power, and Vwairé has always been known for her strength on the ergo. She will be hoping to overturn last year’s margin and reach the top step of the podium on Saturday.
Juliette Perry, Eleanor Brinkhoff, Amelia Standing
All three of the above GB Rowing Team athletes also have experience competing at BRIC in 2024, placing fifth, sixth and seventh respectively. More recently, they were all part of the bronze-medal-winning eight in Shanghai. With a larger cohort of national teammates entered this year, it will be interesting to see if their experience of the indoor competition last year will work in their favour, and boost them up the standings.
GB Rowing Team
There are many other GB Rowing Team athletes entered here, from Olympic champions and medalists Lola Anderson, Hannah Scott and Lauren Irwin, and some development athletes just out of the U23 age group (Holly Youd, Finnola Stratton, Poppy Baker), looking to make their mark in their first senior season. It would be challenging to predict exactly where they may rank against each other based solely on their previous results in a boat, but given the high standards of results at both the U23 and senior levels from these athletes, it is certain that they will all be pulling exceptional 2k scores this weekend.
The ones to watch (non-national team athletes)
It looks unlikely that any of the club athletes will overturn the GB athletes, but there are certainly entries to watch out for. Molesey’s women have been going from strength to strength with their recent on-water results. They have two athletes entered, Madeline Pattison and Skye Austin-Burrows – I would suspect these athletes are new to the Molesey program, having not featured in any recent racing crews at Fours Head. Nevertheless, they will be looking to make the most of the atmosphere on Saturday and put in a performance reflective of their winter training so far.
Prediction
It does look like it is Lauren Henry’s title to lose, coming off the back of a very successful previous two seasons. However, with a plethora of other national team athletes nipping at her heels, it will be exciting to see what the podium looks like on Saturday.
