KU students race against Olympic and world champions

On Saturday KU student James Marsden and his team raced against Olympic and world champions in rowing in Nottingham.

With only one and a half months of training and a goal of being in the top 50, the team was pleased with ending up in 17. place, after Sunday’s race was cancelled due to bad weather.

“Even though we are pleased with the results, we know we could have done better,” said Marsden. “The waves were coming over the side of the boat, and we never got used to the weather.”

KU students Hal Bedford-Payne and John Keen-Tomlinson and KU alumnus Alastair Lee competed in the coxless 4, where they ended up in fifth place.

According to Bedford-Payne, the plan is now to train even harder in preparation for the seven kilometre 4s Small Boats Head race in Kingston on November 8, where the rowing club will compete with a big crew.

“There are more than 300 teams racing, and we hope to get an overall place among the top 50,” said Bedford-Payne. “We hope to at least beat our biggest rival, Newcastle University.”