Gregory joins Reed to claim trials win

Posted: Saturday 14th February 2009 | 15:36

ALEX Gregory has stepped into the limelight with Olympic champion Pete Reed to win the men's pair title at the third GB Winter Assessment Trials at Boston, Lincolnshire.

Gregory, a graduate of rowing's lottery and Siemens-backed world class start scheme and racing today for Reading University with Leander's Reed, took the time trial title in 17.26.08 to make up for his disappointment at missing the Beijing Olympics.

They were also fastest to the half-way mark in 8.39.33 and kept up the pace in the second half. Dan Ritchie and Tom Wilkinson were second in 17.43.92.

Meanwhile many of GB's other leading men raced today in single sculls.

Specialist sculler Alan Campbell took the honours in a time of 18.11.91 beating both Marcus Bateman, fourth today in 18.33.35 and Olympic men's four gold medallist Andrew Triggs Hodge, third in 18.29.27 in a reversal of December's battle between the three men.

Ian Lawson of Leander was second in 18.27.63.

Katherine Grainger, perennial winner in recent years of most GB Rowing trials of any description, found herself in an unaccustomed place today when she finished seventh - perhaps a reflection on her late re-entry to the squad after a prolonged post-Olympic break.

Gloucester RC's Beth Rodford won in a time of 20.09.09 with world champion and Olympic silver medallist, Annie Vernon, in second in 20.12.31 and Durham University's Sarah Cowburn taking a surprise third in 20.12.80.

Cowburn, originally from Worcester, is a former world junior championships single scull finalist.