Coleraine's Olympic champion Hannah Scott 'pretty excited' as World Cup in Seville sparks start of international rowing season
The rowing season’s first major international features Northern Ireland connections on four fronts in Seville – including Paris 2024 Olympic champion Hannah Scott from Coleraine.
Squads representing Great Britain and Ireland will join the 37-strong entry list for competition that ends Sunday following three days of elite racing.
Methodist College Belfast’s Sophia Young partners experienced Alison Bergin in Ireland’s women’s double scull.
It marks another stepping stone following Young’s progress across the under 19s and under 23s programmes, with time on the water now gained at World and European championships.
Ireland’s men’s quad scull includes Queen’s University’s Konan Pazzaia alongside Andrew Sheehan, Ryan Spelman and Martin O’Grady.
His 2025 highlights included bronze across both the European Championships and World Rowing Cup in the men’s double scull.
Scott will be joined in the Great Britain women’s quad scull crew by Sarah McKay and Lola Anderson – plus Finnola Stratton, the latter Bristol-born but with her mother, Cathy, from Northern Ireland.
"My mum is from Cullybackey and I have quite a few relatives there...aunts and uncles and cousins and other relatives from Northern Ireland elsewhere in the world, a lot of supporters," said Stratton on BBC Sport NI, who offered high praise for Scott by adding “Hannah was a big one for me”.
Scott described Stratton as “oozing” with potential on BBC Sport NI and “you can definitely see the Northern Irish in her”.
Scott’s Seville appearance comes off what she described to BBC Sport NI as “a really positive training year”.
"I've been pretty excited about this season to come because I think last year, post-Paris, it was a bit of a building-back year for me and I was managing a bit of illness and trying to get on top of things and also manage the Olympic comedown,” said the 26-year-old. "But I think this year I've been very clear on what I want to do with the season, and I want to get good, consistent training in and see what I can do.”
She added: "I'm trying to still treasure every moment of being an elite athlete because I won't be this forever.”