Holly Hill and Melissa Wilson show promise at maiden World Rowing Championship

CUWBC duo produce strong performance in final

Holly Hill and Melissa Wilson narrowly missed out on a medal in their World Rowing Championship debut.

The Cambridge University Women’s Boat Club duo were called up to race for Great Britain in the women’s pair in Sarasota-Brandenton, Florida.

After comfortably winning their repechage to reach the final, Downing College student Hill and Lucy Cavendish College postgraduate Wilson finished in fourth place to cap a promising season – their first year in the senior squad.

They clocked 7min 13.74sec as New Zealand’s Kerri Gowler and Grace Prendergast lived up to their favourites tag by winning in 7.00.53. The USA were second and Denmark third.

Cath Bishop, the CUWBC chairman and silver medalist in the women’s pair at the 2004 Athens Olympics, said: “I know that all of CUWBC were supporting Melissa and Holly in Sarasota last week and will have felt huge pride watching them step up to the highest levels.

“They got better with every race they had, qualifying confidently for the final and racing a mature race in their first ever world championship final to come fourth behind three crews containing Olympic medallists and world record holders in the event.

“Few of us can boast such an impressive start to our international careers. It is clear that they have brilliant international careers ahead of them, and it will be great for us to have Light Blue representation at the highest level to cheer on alongside our Boat Race crews.”

There was not such good news for Lance Tredell, Tom Ransley and cox Henry Fieldman in the men’s eight as the former Cambridge University Boat Club trio were unable to help Great Britain reach the A final, instead having to settle for the B final; a race they won.