Olympic medallists joined by Enniskillen newcomer in European squad

Alan Campbell in action at the 2015 FISA World Cup III on Lake Rotsee. Mandatory Credit. Peter SPURRIER/Intersport Images.

They will be joined at the regatta in Brandenburg from May 6-8 by two rising stars from Northern Ireland, Joel Cassells and Holly Nixon.

Campbell will start his tenth successive year in the men’s single scull, with a European Championships medal the only honour missing from an impressive collection that includes bronze from the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Richard Chambers – provided he is passed fully fit after a minor hand injury – will reprise his promising lightweight men’s double scull partnership with Will Fletcher.

They won a silver medal on their first outing at last year’s European Championships in Poznan, Poland and repeated that result at the World Championships in Aiguebelette, France.

Peter Chambers has seen off some fierce internal competition to secure a place in the lightweight men’s four, a boat in which he won Olympic silver alongside older brother Richard at London 2012.

He will be joined in Brandenburg by Mark Aldred, Chris Bartley and Jono Clegg – the same combination that qualified the boat for Rio.

One of the rowers to miss out on a place in the four is Coleraine’s Joel Cassells, who won European gold in the non Olympic-class lightweight men’s pair with Chambers last year.

Cassells will be looking to retain the title, and keep up the pressure on the four, when he rows in Brandenburg alongside Sam Scrimgeour – that partnership won the World title in September.

Making her European Championships debut for GB will be Enniskillen’s Nixon, who has been selected in the women’s quadruple scull after finishing an impressive runner-up in the women’s single at the GB Trials.

The quad of Nixon, Jess Leyden, Tina Stiller and Ro Bradbury will also race at the Varese World Cup in Italy from April 15-17 as they build towards next month’s final Olympic qualifying regatta in Lucerne, Switzerland.

The full team selection for the European Championships can be found at http://www.britishrowing.org/gb-rowing-team

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