TOM Ford endured a testing time with Great Britain men’s eight when the European Rowing Championships started on Friday afternoon.
The former Grange School Rowing Club captain and his crewmates could only cross the line fourth in their heat after surprise package Romania stormed to an unexpected victory.
It means the British boat must come through a repechage on Saturday morning if they are to remain in contention to win a medal the following day.
The Romanians set off at high-speed, maintaining their stroke-rate for the entire 2,000m course at Racice in the Czech Republic.
Poland closed a gap in the closing stages, only to run out of water, leaving Netherlands – bronze-medallists at the Olympic Games last year and a victor at the World Cup regatta earlier this month – and Great Britain trailing behind them.
Super racing in the M8+ heats - ROU, POL, GER, RUS are straight through to the final. Stay tuned! #ERChamps
— World Rowing (@WorldRowing) May 26, 2017
Ford, from Holmes Chapel, is part of an unchanged crew – save for Tom Jeffrey replacing Leander Club teammate Tim Clarke – that finished as runners-up in Belgrade.
They are part of a five-strong line-up for tomorrow’s repechage, along with Belarus, Italy, Ukraine and the Dutch, when the first two boats to the finish will qualify for Sunday’s final.
The race starts at 11.50am.
Results
European Rowing Championship
Men’s eight
Friday, May 26
Heat One
1 Romania 5.42.96; 2 Poland 5.43.58; 3 Netherlands 5.45.20; 4 Great Britain 5.46.58; 5 Italy 6.04.51
Heat Two
1 Germany 5.47.56; 2 Russia 5.49.46; 3 Ukraine 5.5539; 4 Belarus 5.59.56
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