Straight to gold

JERSEY’S Natacha Searson and Colin Wallace of Scotland secured a historic gold medal for Great Britain at the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Italy last weekend. The pair were racing in the PR3 coastal mixed double sculls class, where crews consist of one para rower, classified as PR3, and one able-bodied rower. Searson said she was delighted with the result, exclaiming: “I’m so proud of us and all the hard work that we have both put in.

“On the day of the final, I was feeling nervous, but confident in our ability. “The training camp we had in Jersey earlier this month really helped us gel together within our boat and as a team. “Colin and I have been focusing on rowing as efficiently as possible.



“Our plan was to row straighter courses than our opposition and make tighter turns, which we thought we executed really well. “It’s a really exciting result and I can’t wait to see what more there is to come.” Facing stiff competition from Olympians and world championship medallists, Searson and Wallace topped the leaderboard in their time trials in Genoa, putting them in a strong position for the knockout rounds the following day.

Competitors included Italy’s Marco Frank, coming straight from the Paris Paralympic Games, rowing with world champion Arianna Noseda. Progressing through the quarter-finals after a win over South Africa, the pair faced tough competition in the semi-finals against the Australian team of Macintyre Robinson, last year’s champion, and Olympian Lily Alton-Triggs, who raced in the women’s four in Paris. Progression through the rounds is quick, with limited time for recovery.

Scottish rower Wallace was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018, at the age of 32. “Having spent most of my life doing sport, I then looked to para sport to help me deal with my diagnosis,” he said. In the finals, the pair faced a USA crew with experience at the highest level: Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games silver medallist Danielle Hansen, rowing with World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals 2022 silver medallist, Gary Rought.

Wallace continued: “I am delighted to win the world championship gold alongside Natacha. “I came out to Genoa with the aim of enjoying myself and using this experience as an opportunity to build for the future, so to win was outside any of my expectations. “I feel our result is testament to the hard work in the boat, but equally as importantly the relationship we have managed to develop as a crew, almost reading each others’ minds and knowing what is needed on the water.

“The superb week we spent in Jersey the week before the worlds really helped us, with the support and expertise from Jersey Rowing Club, which was second to none. “I’m looking forward to a future in beach sprints, riding along with Natacha. “Fingers crossed it will be included in the Paralympics as well as being introduced to the Olympics.

” The inclusion of Beach sprints into the 2028 Olympics meant a bumper number of entries – and a high calibre of rowers – in the championships. Races see athletes sprint from the beach to their boats, slalom 250m out to sea around a series of buoys, and then row hard back to the beach. One rower then jumps out of the boat as it reaches the beach and sprints back up the beach to hit the buzzer.

Before heading out to the Italian coastal port, the GB mixed doubles pairing of Laura McKenzie and Sam Scrimgeour had joined Searson and Wallace in a week-long training camp in Jersey, with Scottish Rowing coach Iain Docwra. “Being part of the team which helped secure Colin and Natacha’s Gold at the World Rowing Beach Sprint Championships has been an exciting learning curve and hugely rewarding,” said Docwra. “Working within the para discipline relies on open conversations between both Natacha, Colin and myself to solve unique problems.

“This worked particularly well on training camp, where the sessions could be made more effective. The teamwork showed from the pair clearly paid off. “Training in Jersey played a crucial role in the team’s success, where club members were super helpful and accommodating.

“They assisted in driving the coaching launch and setting up buoys, giving up a lot of their own free time, as well as lending us oars. I’d like to say a massive thank you.’ JRC captain Gerald Howe added: “I’m very proud of Natacha’s achievements in representing the Island and club on the international stage and winning.

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