Medals for Michael Glover in Lucerne

Congratulations to Michael Glover who won Silver and Gold in Lucerne last weekend. Along with Max Hearnden, Marek Lapham and Harry Vardigans, he made significant contributions to Great Britain’s overall team victory in the Coupe de Jeunesse. Strong performances from the British team saw them ease the Swiss hosts into second place and triumph over international competition that included Austria, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain. Training hard for three weeks after Henley Regatta, the oarsmen had to learn how to row together though it was certainly beneficial for the Coxed Four that it included Hearnden, Vardigans and Lapham at 2, 3 and stroke respectively. They began well with victory over the Spanish crew on Saturday with a margin of just over a second. Michael Glover joined his Shiplake colleagues for the JM8+ on Saturday but it was the Italian crew, who finished just under a second ahead of the British crew, who took gold. Sunday was another busy day for the Shiplake trio in the coxed four. Spain, eager for revenge after Saturday’s reversal began well and the Coxed Four did enough to stay ahead of third placed Italy, contribute valuable points to the final team tally and preserve arms, legs and lungs for another tussle with the Italians in the JM8+. Recovering throughout the sculls the four Shiplake boys were ready for the penultimate race of the regatta. Experiencing technical problems, they were placed sixth out of seventh at the start. By the 750 metre mark they had pulled through the field to place level with the Italians. In a tense finish they gained a lead of just under a length and reversed Saturday’s result with a time of 5.48, quicker than the Italian’s Saturday winning time. It was a very impressive conclusion to a weekend of great international racing for oarsmen who had trialled and trained for ten months for those prestigious GB vests. RESULTS: Coupe de Jeunesse: GB 1st GB Junior Men’s Team 2nd GB Junior Ladies’ Team 1st Saturday results involving Shiplake oarsmen GB JM 4+ 1st GB JM 8+ 2nd Sunday results involving Shiplake oarsmen GB JM 4+ 2nd GB JM 8+ 1st