Triggs-Hodge to go it alone at GB trials

OLYMPIC gold medallist Andy Triggs-Hodge will be flying solo at the Great Britain senior trials this weekend in Belgium.

FLYING SOLO: Triggs-Hodge (right) will be going it alone in the sculls at the GB trials in Belgium (Getty Images)

The 30-year-old was a member of the victorious coxless fours crew at the Beijing Olympics, along with Tom James, Steve Williams and Peter Reed.

But with both James and Williams taking time out from the sport, the quartet have disbanded, with Triggs-Hodge choosing to focus on the single sculls.

"I am enjoying the challenge and I just want to do myself justice," said Hodge.

"I've always enjoyed sculling and miss it when I go back into the pair each winter.

"So I've given myself an opportunity to hate it again like the old days but, aside from this, there are a lot of benefits like evening out the body, forcing myself to think about rowing in a very different way and not only technical ideas.

"But I'm sure I'll be back rowing rather than sculling before the month is out."

Also in Belgium will be Reed, who will be racing in the men's pairs with Alex Gregory, as are Alex Partridge and Ric Egington - who both won silver medals in the men's eight in Beijing.

The World Cup season starts in May in Banyoles, Spain before moving to Munich in June and Lucerne, Switzerland in July.