New World and British Records set at the British Rowing Indoor Championships 2024 At BRIC 2024, which took place during FitFest 2024 at the NEC in Birmingham on 7 December 2024, 1 World Record and 23 British Records were achieved. The British Rowing Indoor Championships returned to the NEC in Birmingham as part of FitFest […]
New World and British Records set at the British Rowing Indoor Championships 2024
At BRIC 2024, which took place during FitFest 2024 at the NEC in Birmingham on 7 December 2024, 1 World Record and 23 British Records were achieved.
The British Rowing Indoor Championships returned to the NEC in Birmingham as part of FitFest 2024 for the second consecutive year. With a total of 51 British Champion titles up for grabs, more than 1,800 competitors battled it out across 178 categories.
Masters Events
The Masters categories saw a flurry of new British records, with five new times established during the thrilling day of competition. Justine Reston had a remarkable race, securing the Masters 55-59 Lightweight Women’s 2000m British Record in a time of 07:30.9, surpassing the previous record by 13.2 seconds and just missing the World Record by 0.3 seconds. Reflecting on her performance, Justine stated, “I’m always really hard on myself, but I’ve trained so hard, I’ve left no stone unturned … the British Record: I’m not mad at it.”
Two new 2,000m British Records were established in the Masters 65-69 age group, with Fiona Jamis achieving an outstanding time of 08:05.8 in the Lightweight Women 2000m event and Marcus Harvey triumphing in the age group’s Open 2000m with a time of 06:46.1.
The Championships’ oldest female competitor was the 84-year-old Hazel Perkins, a member of the London indoor rowing group Cool Rowings, who completed 2,000m in a remarkable time of 12:27.8, shattering the previous British Record by over four minutes!
Graham Benton, a 17-time British Champion, five-time World Champion, and 2-time European Champion, took a hiatus from racing this year, opting instead to join the commentary team. At the end of a successful racing day, Graham shared that commentating has been “petrifying, exhausting, but a lot of fun … it’s been a really good event.”
Junior Events
The Sixth Form Girls 500m race could hardly have been closer. After securing silver and bronze respectively in the 2000m, Grace Jane and Daniella Raguckaite from Hartpury University and College Boat Club ended up tying for first place with a time of 1:34.1. Their teammate Matilda Hudson-Hulls claimed third place in 1:35.2.
Immediately after the race, Grace expressed, “I’m so happy and so proud to be in the position where I am, sharing it with one of the greatest teammates anyone can ask for … and that I was able to show what I can do, what we can do, what Hartpury can do today.”
Hartpury’s boys event was equally successful with Alex Repton clinching gold in 1:20.7, followed by Royal Grammar School Worcester Boat Club’s Daniel Foster in silver (1:21.9) and Luke Mein from King’s School Worcester Boat Club in bronze (1:23.0).
The youngest competitors at the Championships participated in the Year 7 2 Minute timed event, where Trent Rowing Club’s Leon Rupp impressed with a distance of 508m. Silver and bronze were secured by Gorse Academy rowers Harvey Ford with 500m and Edward Turner with 494m.
Gorse Academy replicated its podium success in the girls event, with Jessica Mason-Kelly and Jessica Davis winning silver and bronze behind Jasmine Howe from Northampton School, who achieved a distance of 514m.
Open / Women’s Events
The Open and Women’s events featured athletes from the GB Rowing Team. Among the competitors in the women’s events were the Paris 2024 Women’s Quadruple Sculls Olympic Champions Lauren Henry and Georgie Brayshaw. Lauren surged to victory in the Women’s 2000m, finishing in an impressive 6:40.9. GB Rowing Team athlete Vwaire Obukohwo took silver with a time of 06:43.7, followed by USA indoor rowing team athlete Elizabeth Gilmore.
The GB Rowing Team Olympic Talent Pathway had a remarkable day, with University of Bath athlete Josh Knight racing against Paris 2024 Olympians Matt Haywood and Callum Dixon, both of whom began their journeys at a GB Performance Development Academy. Josh Knight achieved gold in an impressive time of 5:47.6, with Matt Haywood earning silver (5:51.6) and Gabriel Obholzer taking bronze (5:52.0).
The women’s squad from the GB Rowing Team also participated in the Adult Women’s 4km Relay event, where Lauren Henry, Juliette Perry, Eleanor Brinkoff, and Amelia Standing competed against 11 other teams. The quartet finished second with a time of 12:22.3, just behind the indoor rowing group Erg Power Serious, who claimed gold in 12:08.4. Team Dominus also made the podium, securing bronze in 12:48.0.
Marlow RC finished in both first and second positions in the Open Relay 4km, with the winning ‘A’ team completing the course in 4:58.9, followed by the ‘B’ team’s time of 5:53.3.
Agecroft RC defended their Championship title in the Adult Mixed 4km Relay event, leading from start to finish to win in a time of 11:33.5, which was nine seconds better than last year’s title-winning time. Manchester-based group Agecroft Bales followed in second (12:02.3), with Auriol Kensington Rowing Club taking third (12:12.1).
Adaptive Events
BRIC 2024 featured the highest participation in Adaptive categories to date, with 50 athletes representing We Are Invictus. Thirteen British records and one World Record were broken in both adult and junior Adaptive categories.
In the Women’s events, Jess Dowdoswon from Stratford-Upon-Avon Boat Club set a World Record in the PR1 Women’s 1 Minute event, covering an impressive distance of 213 meters, exceeding the previous world record holder by 97 meters. Lauren Graham from Seal Personal Training took second place with 133 meters. Other British Championship records were achieved by Daniela Cachis in the PR2 Women’s 1 Minute event (183m) and Georgia Carmichael in the PR1 Women’s 2000m with a winning time of 08:34.8.
In the Open events, Stephen Montague not only won but also broke the British record in the PR1 1 Minute event after rowing 261 meters. Following his performance in the PR3 Open 2000m, Paralympic Pathway athlete and Invictus rower Ben Gallagher claimed both the gold medal and the Championship title in the PR3 Open 1 Minute event. British Records continued to be broken in the PR2 Open 1 Minute event, with Graham Burns rowing 152 meters.
In the Junior Open Adaptive categories, three Year 9 students achieved British titles and records. Adam Hussain from Marlow Rowing Club made history as a new British record-holder after rowing 793 meters. This success was mirrored by fellow PR3 athlete Graham McClelland, who triumphed in the Year 9 Boys PR3 4 Minute event with 867 meters. Records were also achieved in the PR3 Open 2000m event, with Gabriel Phillips taking the British title in 07:20.7.
In the Junior Women Adaptive events, Alba Robins set a new record in PR3 4 Minute event by rowing 447 meters. New records were also established in the Sixth Form Girls PR3 2000m event with Eimear Slee completing the race in 8:07.9.
Access all results from The British Rowing Indoor Championships here:
