Two Hartpury rowers are a step closer to Great Britain selection following a strong second placed finish at the recent selection trials in Lincolnshire.

A-level student Frances Russell and BTEC Sports Coaching student Bryony Lawrence teamed up to produce a silver medal performance, just behind a duo from Glasgow featuring one of last season’s Great Britain Junior squad.

The pair will now have their sights set on the next round of trials which will determine a team to race at Munich Regatta. Two years ago, Gloucester-Hartpury rowers Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne and Flo Pickles represented the GB team at the event.

Russell and Lawrence also competed in the single sculls on the opening day of the trials with both placing in the top 20 and within one place of each other - Russell in 17th and Lawrence 18th. The duo were joined by fellow Hartpury rower Freya Webb, who finished in 40th place in the singles.

Hartpury’s Rowing Coach, Tom Pattichis, said: “All three girls did well this weekend and with Frances’ and Bryony’s second place finish, those two will have a strong chance of being invited back to the next trial to challenge for a place in the squad that will go to the Munich Regatta. We’ll keep working hard with them here at Hartpury and do our best to support them to achieve these goals.”

Following the Munich Regatta there will be further Great Britain trials in April and July during which a team will be picked for the 2016 World Junior Rowing Championships, held in Rotterdam.

Away from the Great Britain trials, Hartpury’s rowers will be involved in a first as they race in eights at the Women’s Head of the River Race in London on March 8th before then boys then race in the men’s equivalent on March 19th.

In between those two events, Hartpury’s girls will be looking to better last year’s second placed finish at the Schools Head of the River while the boys’ quad will also be racing.