Calpe RC at GB trials

Last weekend and for a second year in a row Calpe Rowing Club (CRC) were trying out at the GB Rowing Team J16 Trials Regatta held at the Nottingham Water Sports Centre on Sunday the 29th of June.
Last year CRC were agonisingly close to qualifying just beaten to the line in the WJ16 double scull event. This year Sofia Charrington and Katie Zammitt stepped up to the mark in the WJ16 pair event. Having had strong wins at the Abierto de Andalucia in December and at Copa de Andalucia races, the Calpe coaches felt that the combination had proved their potential to compete against the best of Britain at trials for the yearly GB v France match.
After overcoming some logistical issues to secure a competitive boat to race in, Sofia and Katie with the help of their coach adjusted and setup their pair and oars in a tight timeframe on the Saturday, and were ready to row in the warm, relatively calm conditions on Sunday. The stakes were high as only an overall first place ensured consideration for qualification.
Their first test was a time trial over 1500m to qualify for the all important A final to have a chance to compete for top spot.
Katie and Sofia were focused and measured within a high intensity burn and came off the water pleased with their pace. The results sheets reflected their efforts where they placed second out of fourteen boats missing fastest by 0.7 seconds.
Within 2 hours the CRC pair were back on the water for the A final where there was no holding back in the hunt for a GB vest.
All crews set off at a furious pace and the CRC pair were marginally down in 6th place into the headwind. Sofia and Katie held steely determination to wear down their heavier opponents and edged their way up the order, the finishing line coming too soon to complete their move, with the girls finishing in third place a few seconds off their coveted prize.
After the initial disappointment, the elation of competing strongly at a high end event set in and the Calpe team signed off from the event with the now familiar faces from the British rowing management team encouraging the pair to continue their progress with GB rowing.
CRC now look forward to Katie and Sofia competing with the whole CRC squad at the British Rowing Club Championships in the 18th of July.