Photo credit: AllMarkOne
Filippi kickstarted 2025 with two from four category wins at the February staging of the GBRT Senior and U23 Trials, confirming our boats as the choice of champions.
George Bourne and Douwe de Graaf of Cambridge University reaffirmed their status as the country’s leading contenders for senior seats this summer, as they won the men’s pair division ahead of James Robson and Will Stewart, who were the spare pair at the Paris Olympic Games. “It’s been great racing in Filippi boats across all three long-distance trials this season,” commented George. “Great boats, combined with a great partner, have helped me to victories in all three events across the single and the pair. Racing the pair in the most recent February trials, the boat was incredibly smooth and, most importantly, fast. The boat feels really light to pick up at the catch, and this added feeling allowed Douwe and I to come together as a unit through the whole stroke. Thank you again to Filippi for their continued support.”
Our next highest-finishers in this division were Matthew Heywood and Luca Ferraro, again of Cambridge University, who finished fifth overall. Rounding out the top ten were Max Deering and Josh Burke of Thames Rowing Club, whilst in 13th and placing as the fastest all-U23 combination were Charles Warren and William Morgan-Jones of Durham University.
Continuing on the men’s side, the top three fastest-finishers in the double were all Filippi shells. The overall victory went to Callum Dixon and Cedol Dafydd of Leander Club and Twickenham Rowing Club, in an effort that saw them trump team-mates Jamie Gare and Tobias Schroder of Leander Club. Finishing narrowly behind were Matthew Haywood and Aidan Thompson of Nottingham Rowing Club and Twickenham Rowing Club. Not to be stopped. Filippi boats continued to fill out the top ten, as Rory Harris and James Cartwright of Leander Club placed fifth and double Olympic medallist Graeme Thomas of Agecroft Rowing Club paired up with Joshua Knight of Minerva Bath Rowing Club to finish sixth. Our final top-ten placing came via the U23 combination of Max Bird and Harry Ruinet, who were representing Marlow Rowing Club.
In the women’s pair, our best result came via Holly Youd and Anna Grace, who placed 13th overall whilst representing Northern powerhouses Durham and Newcastle Universities. Narrowly behind them were the all-Oxford University combination of Alexia Lowe and Sarah Marshall in 14th, whilst Daisy Jackson and Isadora Kennedy of Durham University were 18th overall.
For the women’s single, the field spanned 35 scullers and Filippi secured one top-ten berth via Cam Nyland, who placed tenth in Leander Club colours. Poppy Baker of Nottingham Rowing Club was 13th, narrowly clear of Vwairé Obukohwo in 14th (Twickenham Rowing Club) and Zara Povey in 15th (Reading University). Franny Hunt-Davis finished 17th (Leander Club) with Rebekah Court of Bath University in 18th. Ella Fullman – also of Bath – rounded out the top-20.
After another season of cancellations and weather-related disruptions, seeing so many of the UK’s top athletes out on the water in pursuit of international honours is fantastic. We look forward to supporting these athletes throughout the following months as their campaigns run up into the summer months.
