The chances are that if you’re not a rower and you don’t listen to Radio 5 live, you won’t be aware of the dramas that have been unfolding in the last week on a picturesque lake in Bled, Slovenia (which, incidentally, has now been added to my Must Visit list – what a stunningly beautiful place). If you don’t know about it, I’m here to bring you up to date, because I think it’s a shame that more people haven’t heard the good news.
Whilst the eyes of the world have been turned towards Bolt’s false starts and Mo Farah’s gold medal, Britain’s rowers have been quietly proving themselves in the World Rowing Championships, coming top in the medal table with an extraordinary total of seven golds, three silvers and four bronzes, and setting themselves up nicely for 2012 (which makes me even sadder that I didn’t manage to get any tickets). Why the BBC website has rowing hidden away under “Other Sports” I can’t understand; our rowers are amongst our most successful and impressive athletes.
The championships weren’t without their ups and downs. There were last minute surges, photo finishes, illnesses in the squad and the odd disappointment, but the medal haul established GB once again as a force to be reckoned with.
If you missed all the fun, you can catch up here. Oh, and don’t rule out Slovenia for your next holiday.
LM2x gold L to R Zac Purchase Mark Hunter 2011 World Champs in Bled. Photo by Intersport Images/GB Rowing Team
