St Andrews Rowers Strike Gold at 2025 Home International Rowing Beach Sprints
The fourth annual Home International Rowing Beach Sprints Regatta (HIRBS)brought together the best of beach sprint rowing from across the four home nations, with teams of 10 athletes each competing for the prestigious Guin Batten Trophy. Hosted by Rowing Ireland and Loughros Point Rowing Club, the event delivered a thrilling day of racing against the dramatic backdrop of the Wild Atlantic Way.
Challenging coastal conditions added excitement and unpredictability to the regatta. Crews navigated strengthening winds and increasingly sharp swells, testing their skill, steering, and resilience throughout the day.
Among the standout performances were University of St Andrews Boat Club athletes Tom Mitchell and Hansine Marshall, who earned their first Scotland Rowing Team vests after just one year in the sport. In the final race of the day, the duo powered through the waves to claim gold in the Senior Mixed Double (CMix2x)—Scotland’s second gold medal of the competition.
Reflecting on the experience, Tom said: “It has been a great experience racing and being part of the Scotland Rowing Team here in Donegal, allowing us to gain more racing experience in rougher conditions. Winning the Senior Mixed Double after three races in rough and wavy conditions has been a great way to finish off both of our first years in rowing.”
Scotland finished third overall in the team standings, just three points behind England and three ahead of Ireland, with Team Wales becoming the first nation to win the Guin Batten Trophy away from home.
Hansine’s gold medal capped off a remarkable debut season. A Saints Sport Scholar, she made headlines earlier this summer by becoming the first-ever University of St Andrews athlete to win at Henley Women’s Regatta, triumphing in the Bernard and Pauline Churcher Cup for Aspirational Single Sculls—an extraordinary achievement with less than 12 months of rowing experience.