Rowing: Katherine Grainger seals ninth British trials title

SCOTLAND'S Katherine Grainger won the women's single scull at the British Rowing trials in Hazewinkel, Belgium, yesterday, to take her career trials tally to nine.

Grainger was briefly challenged by Anna Watkins in the opening 500m of her women's single scull final before moving away to a lead of some lengths which she held to win in eight minutes, 0.69 seconds. Grainger, who is in her second year in the singles, said: "A lot of people focus on history and number of titles but for me it's all about the next race. So winning here marks the end of winter training and it's exciting now to move on to the next phase.

"I truly don't know what that will be which makes it exciting. There are several people to talk to about what comes next."

Alan Campbell, Andrew Triggs Hodge and Pete Reed all took their sixth titles at the trials. Campbell won the men's single sculls by a clear margin, while Triggs Hodge and Reed lived up to their favourites' tag with victory in the men's pairs. Ric Egington and Matt Langridge were second and Tom James and Tom Ransley third ahead of Alex Partridge and Alex Gregory in fourth. Zac Purchase, Olympic champion in 2008 in the lightweight men's double scull, announced his return after a year out by winning the lightweight men's single scull in style.

Some close racing, won by Olivia Whitlam and Louisa Reeve, in the women's pair signalled an emerging strength in this section of the GB squad.

Andrea Dennis triumphed in the lightweight women's single scull from Beijing Olympian Hester Goodsell.

Meanwhile, Greg Searle, making his comeback after a nine- year break since winning Olympic gold in Barcelona in 1992, was second in the men's single scull B final behind Brendan Crean.