Two Jersey Rowers Selected for Team GB

Jersey Rowers Earn Team GB Selection for World Beach Sprint Championships

Two rowers from Jersey have been named in the Team GB squad for the 2025 World Rowing Beach Sprint Championships, set to take place in Antalya, Turkey, in November.

Natacha Searson will compete in the Olympic-class mixed doubles, returning for her third World Championship appearance. She has also secured selection for the European Championships in October.

Chris Thompson, meanwhile, has earned a seat in the men’s quad as he enters his first competitive season in the beach sprint discipline.

Thompson said representing Great Britain was a proud moment:“Balancing training with full-time work as a data engineer has been tough, so it feels especially rewarding that the effort has paid off. It’s great to have two athletes from Jersey Sport’s Performance Sport Programme in the GB setup this year – their support has been immense. Thanks to everyone at the rowing club who’s built up the beach sprints programme in Jersey.”

Searson — who last year claimed World Championship gold in the PR3 mixed doubles alongside para-athlete Colin Wallace — said she was delighted to be competing in the Olympic boat class.

“Beach sprints is a new Olympic sport and will debut in LA 2028, so to be selected for the Olympic-class boat this year is amazing,” she said. “I wasn’t sure how trials would go, but the training paid off and now I’ll be racing at the Europeans for the first time before heading to the Worlds.”