Heather Stanning is to reunite with Olympic gold medal winning partner Helen Glover at this month’s Rowing World Cup in Aiguebelette as part of a much-changed British line up.
Having won Britain’s first gold at London 2012 alongside Glover, Stanning returned to active duty with the British Army and only raced with her partner again for the first time at the British Trials.
She was then withdrawn from the team for the European Championships after showing signs of fatigue with Glover teaming up with Polly Swann to win women’s pairs gold in Belgrade.
But with Stanning fit once again, selectors have given her the nod at the forthcoming World Cup event in France, with Swann switching to the women’s eight.
The men’s pair will also have a new look to it, with Paul Bennett returning from injury alongside Matt Gotrel.
World men’s eight champions Tom Ransley and Dan Ritchie also return after injury to race in the second men’s four with Oliver Cook and Phil Congdon.
The first men’s four remains the same however, with the European title-winning quartet of Alex Gregory, Mohamed Sbihi, George Nash and Andrew Triggs Hodge one of 21 boats in Great Britain’s line-up.
And performance director Sir David Tanner said: “Once again, we are fielding a strong squad but one where we test out young rowers and new combinations.
“This is a critical year in the Olympic cycle and the chief coaches, Paul Thompson and Jurgen Grobler, are aiming to win medals but also to tease out our longer-term strengths.”
© Sportsbeat 2014