March 28, 2012, by Harry Waddle

Rowing success for University Boat Club

We’ve all seen them, torture machines lurking in Fitness Centre corners. What some may not know is that there is a thriving series of races around the world, held on the Concept 2 Indoor Rowing machines.

Recently the University hosted the 21^st British Indoor Rowing Championships (BIRC), combined for the first time on UK soil with the European Indoor Rowing Championships.

As hosts our Boat Club turned in some outstanding performances. British University Lightweight Champion Ben Mitchell added the British and European Student titles to his CV in the under 75kg class, smashing a BIRC record that had stood since 2001 in the process.

Club stalwart George McKirdy picked up a well deserved Bronze in the same race, while Hugo Warner won the Student Open Bronze medal. But it was the Boat Club Ladies who really excelled.

Jo Heywood, Eleanor Whittle and Josie Blanchard led a first-ever BIRC clean sweep in the Student Open, with Sophie Berckham picking up an excellent silver in Student Lightweights.

Other highlights of the day saw two World Records set, while Graham Benton smashed the 1998 BIRC record set by our Honorary Graduate Sir Steve Redgrave.

All in all an excellent day of rowing at The University of Nottingham … Indoors …

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