Defending champions Great Britain powered into the final of the women’s quadruple sculls at the World Rowing Championships in Shanghai, winning their opening heat. Led by Olympic gold medallists Hannah Scott and Lola Anderson, the GB crew showed their strength with Becky Wilde and Sarah McKay completing the line-up.
Women’s Quad Sculls: GB’s Strong Start in Shanghai
Great Britain’s women’s quadruple sculls opened their campaign in style, winning their heat to progress directly into Thursday’s final. The crew of Hannah Scott, Lola Anderson, Becky Wilde, and Sarah McKay demonstrated sharp teamwork despite competing together for the first time this season.
Scott and Anderson, part of the gold-medal crew from Belgrade in 2023 and Paris 2024, returned to the boat with new additions Wilde and McKay. Their combination proved effective, pulling away from Romania in the final quarter of the race to secure a half-length victory.
Kildunne’s Olympic Teammates Return to Winning Form
For Scott, it was her first race since the Olympic final more than a year ago. She admitted she felt “free” heading into the competition, embracing a short season and focusing on enjoying racing again.
Wilde, an Olympic bronze medallist in double sculls, moved into the crucial stroke seat, while McKay made her debut in the senior squad. Together with the experience of Scott and Anderson, the crew executed their race plan with precision.
Men’s Quad Sculls Keep Momentum Alive
It wasn’t just the women’s quad shining for GB. The men’s quadruple sculls of Cedol Dafydd, Callum Dixon, Matthew Haywood, and Rory Harris continued their dominant season. After becoming European champions and winning World Cup gold in Lucerne, they secured a semi-final spot by controlling the second half of their heat.
Ireland’s men’s quad, however, missed out on progression after struggling to match the pace.
Women’s and Men’s Pairs Battle Through
In the women’s pair, GB’s Lizzie Witt and Jade Lindo finished third in their heat but advanced to the semi-finals as one of the fastest losers. Witt, inspired by the 2012 Olympics, is competing in her first full-time season, while Lindo was discovered through the Discover Your Gold talent ID programme.
Ireland’s Emily Hegarty and Aoife Casey were unable to qualify.
The GB men’s pair of James Vogel and Harry Geffen surged into the lead early but were overtaken in the final stretch by Spain and Sweden. Their third-place finish was enough to move them into the semi-finals as one of the quickest non-automatic qualifiers.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s Ross Corrigan and Nathan Timoney advanced comfortably by finishing second behind Romania in their heat.
Eyes on the Final and a Potential Showdown
The women’s quadruple sculls final promises to be a thrilling showdown, with Great Britain likely to renew their rivalry with the Netherlands — the team they edged out in Paris for Olympic gold. The Dutch also impressed in their heat, setting up a potential clash for the world title in Shanghai.
With GB’s men’s and women’s boats also progressing, the championships are shaping up to be another strong campaign for British rowing.
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