Disappointment for Searle as farewell Henley win slips by

Posted: Sunday 3rd July 2011 | 22:12

GREG Searle's bid to end his Henley Royal Regatta career with a famous victory was denied by world champions Germany.

DISAPPOINTED: Greg Searle settled for second place as part of the British men's eight crew beaten by Germany in the Grand Challenge Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta (Reuters)

Searle, the 1992 Olympic coxed pairs gold medallist, who returned to international rowing after a ten year break last year, was part of the British eight that reached the final of the prestigious Grand Challenge Cup.

But their German rivals blazed to victory in a new record, covering the famous Thames course in just 5.57.

“They seemed to get away quickly and we matched them for speed in the middle of the race but, by that time, they had too much on us," admitted Searle, in what will likely be his final appearance at the regatta, with next year's event unlikely to be part of pre-Olympic preparations.

However, five British crews warmed up for next week's World Cup regatta in Lucerne with victories on home water.

The men's quadruple sculls - Stephen Rowbotham, Tom Solesbury, Bill Lucas and Sam Townsend - beat world champions Croatia in the Queen Mother Challenge Cup and Britain's double sculls crew of Matt Wells and Marcus Bateman claimed the scalp of US Olympic champions Scott Brennan and David Crawshay.

The Henley crowd also roared Pete Reed and Andrew Triggs Hodge, the men's pair world silver medallists, to victory over their Italian rivals in the Silver Goblets, equalling the overall 16-year old record of 6:56 set by Sir Matthew Pinsent and Sir Steve Redgrave in the process.

Single sculler Alan Campbell achieved a hat-trick of Henley wins in the Diamond Challenge Sculls and the Stewards’ Challenge Cup also fell to Britain when the men's four of Matt Langridge, Ric Egington, Tom James and Alex Gregory beat a strong American quartet.