Horsburgh aiming high as he sets his sights on securing place on GB squad
Lochwinnoch’s Gavin Horsburgh is part of a Scottish Rowing 13-strong team that heads to Caversham for the GB Rowing trials.
The meet will be the final opportunity to secure places on international teams this season.
Horsburgh and Maddie Arlett, silver medallist and finalist respectively at the 2017 senior World Rowing Championships, and Josh Armstrong, Under-18 World Champion in 2015, are the better known Scots in the group which includes 12 rowers from the highly successful Edinburgh University Boat Club.
The trials process began back in November at Boston with Glasgow teenager India Somerside and England’s Lauren Gray taking first place in the women’s pair.
This Scottish winter has been memorable, both for the poor weather and two-month closure of the main training venue at Strathclyde Park.
Horsburgh and Armstrong are almost veterans of the trials process, but as standards improve each season, neither has been resting on past laurels.
During Strathclyde Park’s closure the Edinburgh athletes made Auchinstarry Quarry their on water base whilst continuing to train indoors.
“I’m improving but I’m also seeing people that had previously been slower than me make a big push, particularly in the Edinburgh squad, so having them nipping at my heels keeps me on my toes and pushing hard in training,” said Horsburgh, who would like to get back into the GB under-23 Rowing Team this season.
“Whether or not I’m fast enough to get in the senior boat again we’ll see. It’s literally going to be how well I’ve been able to perform in the single. Last year at Caversham I put in a good performance in the time trial, so I’d like to emulate that, if not better it.”