Rowing duo race in first global regatta

A duo of medal-winning rowers from the University has been selected to join the Great Britain team for the first World Cup Regatta in Banoyles, Spain.

The students are Bob Hewitt and Chris Boddy, are part of the lightweight men’s four squad in the Regatta. The course was where they staged the 1992 Olympic Games.

Bob and Chris are both part-time Sport and Exercise students. Chris is 21, from Thornaby, Stockton-on-Tees and Bob is 22 and lives in Stockton although originally from Scarborough.

Chris said: 'This is the first time in the senior team and I'm really looking forward to the World Cup. I'm expecting there's going to be a big step in performance and we'll be obviously racing some of the best people in the world.'

Bob rows for the Tees Rowing Club, and has previously represented Great Britain at Under-23 level.

He added: 'It's been a pretty long journey. I started rowing in Scarborough when I was about 14 in the coastal boats. I really enjoyed getting out in the sunshine and then began to get pretty fit and produce some relatively good scores on the ergo machines and I sort of got picked up from there and progressed forward. It's always difficult but it seems to be progressing quite well and quite fast.'

Bob’s ultimate goal is the 2012 Olympics. He said: 'I've got a picture in my head and where I want to succeed. That's what motivates me when maybe I'm feeling a bit down and I'm thinking 'why am I doing this?'

Ultimate achievement of representing their country Liz Barnes, Dean of the School of Social Sciences & Law, which teaches the Sport and Exercise degrees, said: 'I am delighted with the success achieved by Bob and Chris and it’s great to see their years of training leading to the ultimate achievement of representing their country. It is also fantastic when our students are able to apply their academic studies to support the enhancement of their performance and enable them to develop their international sporting career alongside gaining their academic qualifications.'

David Tanner, GB Rowing's Performance Director said: 'I am really looking forward to the start of the 2009 racing season. We have some truly outstanding rowers, some of whom are racing in fresh combinations. I'm sure that this season will be one of rebuilding but also one with some exciting potential.'

Bob Hewitt and Chris Body were recently part of teams that clinched gold medals in rowing at the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Rowing Regatta. They were part of a gold-winning team in the Lightweight Championship Four, beating Cambridge into second place. And they also clinched gold success as part of the Lightweight Championship Quad, knocking Imperial College into second place.

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