Senior British Rowing Championships 2018
This weekend offered the first chance for new crews to test themselves against some of the top rowers across the country, with senior members of clubs and universities heading to Nottingham for the final regatta before head season kicks off. Saturday saw the men’s squad racing in two openweight coxless fours, while the women took to the water in an openweight and lightweight double. In the openweight double now racing up a weight category Imogen North was joined by first year Jade Lindo in one of the toughest women’s events of the weekend, competing against senior members of the GB rowing team. They put in 3 good rows, improving across the day to place well for their first event. With more of a history, lightweights Nina Giambrone and Lucy Gillbanks went out with a statement to make, improving on last Brit Champs result to make the A final. The crew raced maturely against the top doubles in the country to finish 6th overall in the doubles category as U23 lightweights. The men were racing in the open coxless fours, aiming to retain the University Shield for 2018. Coming together late both crews put together strong races, with the second crew made up of mainly first years taking a comfortable win in their minor final, and the senior boat having a tussle with Oxford Lightweights in their semi-final to secure the University Shield, holding it for the third year since its inception. 
With a good day of results under the belt the club returned on Sunday to put out two lightweight men’s quads, a women’s lightweight quad, and women’s eight. Mixing a strong set of new rowers to the squad and some returning members of the women’s squad the eight demonstrated good potential for the coming year, piecing together a punchy time trial and ended their day by taking control of their final. Back on the water for a second day, Nina and Lucy were joined by first years Eva Hill and Katie Benson in the lightweight women’s quad. With the wind picking up and swinging across the course it was a hard day for lightweights, but the women showed determination against another strong field and banked some experience for the next few races this term. In the men’s squad it was another case of seniors and first years taking it to some of the best crews in the country. The second crew made the most of their familiarity with the course to put in a good demonstration in their final against a number of other university crews. The first quad with first years Harrison Rowe, Lewis Howlett, and John Lewis, lead by EUSA medalist George Crouchley, earned themselves a place in an impressive semi-final alongside the likes of Molesey, Reading, and Edinburgh. Unable to break the top 3 in this group the crew were left to make one last demonstration in their final later in the day.
This was a good start to the season for UoNBC, retaining the shield, and placing higher again on the Victor Ludorum against an increasingly strong field. Next on the calendar is another race on home turf, with senior and intermediate crews boating this coming weekend at Nottingham Autumn Head.