8 of the CUWBC Squad travelled to Boston, Lincolnshire for the 1st U23/Senior GB Rowing Team Assessment of the season this weekend. The trials are the first step of the Tokyo Olympiad and towards the World Senior & U23 Rowing Championships in 2017. The assessment involved a 2000m on the ergometer (rowing machine) on Saturday and a 5000m time trial on the water on Sunday.

- Top U23 Lightweight Sculler
- Three in the top 10 of Openweight singles
- 1st and 4th in Coxless Pairs
- 5 of 8 the GB Triallists learned to row at Cambridge University

Imogen Grant, who learned to row at Cambridge University and progressed through the CUWBC Development Squad, was attending her first ever set of GB Rowing Team Trials. Imogen was competing in the lightweight category and with a personal that performance on the water on Sunday where she placed 6th overall, making her the top U23 level sculler. Her strong position put her ahead of Junior & U23 Internationals.

CUWBC also entered two coxless pairs in the event. Lucy Pike and Rachel Elwood both attained strong results on the ergo with Lucy achieving a personal best. On the Sunday, they were the fastest pair of the trials, finishing 7 seconds ahead of Edinburgh University. Oonagh Cousins and Thea Zabell both achieved solid personal bests on the ergo test finishing 6th and 7th respectively out of 89. They finished 4th place in the pair on the Sunday.

It was the first time at GB trials for all 4 CUWBC rowers in the pairs. Lucy, Oonagh and Thea all learned to row at Cambridge University and have been nurtured through the CUWBC Development Squad. Rachel Elwood first rowed at Broxbourne Rowing Club and is now in her third year with CUWBC.

Melissa Wilson, a familiar face within the GB Rowing Team, finished 2nd out of 89 openweight women on the ergo. Melissa was set off 12th in the time-trial and gradually worked her way to a 4th place finish. Melissa was closely followed by Holly Hill who took 7th place. Alice White has previously raced with the GB Rowing Team, but was new to the Boston experience.

Despite having spent very little time in the single scull, Alice achieved a very promising 10th place in the time trial, ahead of several very experienced scullers. The results from the GB Rowing Team Assessment also count towards a ranking for British

Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) points and medals. The BUCS results were not available at the time of publication, but early indicators show that CUWBC will achieved several medals and BUCS points.

CUWBC's GB Triallists

W1x
Alice White (Homerton)
Holly Hill (Downing)
Melissa Wilson (Lucy Cavendish)

LW1x
Imogen Grant (Trinity)

W2-
Oonagh Cousins (Gonville & Caius) /
Thea Zabell (Downing)

Lucy Pike (Trinity Hall) /
Rachel Elwood (Gonville & Caius)