Two University of Aberdeen rowers will represent Great Britain in one of Europe’s premier rowing competitions this week.
Stephanie McDowall and Elizabeth Crighton will take on the continent's finest at the European Universities Rowing Championships in Barcelona, Spain (September 6-8).
The girls will race over the same course that hosted the Olympics in 1992.
Both rowers are bursars funded by the alumni of the University, which gives them financial support. They also receive professional support from the University's high performance co-ordinator, Donald Pirie.
The pair qualified for the Great Britain team by winning the double skulls event at the BUSA (British Universities Sports Association) regatta earlier this year.
Elizabeth said: "We competed in our single sculls at the BUSA regatta and then combined to form an 'unpractised' double scull. We won our heat easily, but unfortunately the wind picked up in the afternoon, and when we arrived to boat for our final the course resembled the North Sea on a bad day.
"The race got cancelled and reset three times as different umpires made assessments on safety before it was decided we would race. We sat on the start line with Steph struggling to keep the boat straight as I bailed out the water coming over the side. But with our experience of rough water in Aberdeen we ended up winning comfortably, and we're both now really looking forward to competing in Barcelona."
David Beattie, Director of Sports and Recreation, said: "Both Elizabeth and Stephanie have had excellent seasons and thoroughly deserve their place in the British team. They've worked exceptionally hard, constantly juggling their studies with punishing training schedules, and we wish them every success in Barcelona."
Visit http://www.udg.edu/eucr2007/Inici/tabid/4206/Default.aspx for more information about the Championships.