HANLEY Swan’s Anna Bailey has boosted her hopes of retaining her British age-group championship with victories in recent events.

Due to the British Indoor Rowing Championships being held a month early this year, the only opportunities to get in some race practice ahead of the event have been the new Grimsby championships and the stablished Newark cham-pionships. Both races were held over a mile instead of the usual 2,000 metres race distance. Combined with the popular Evesham Golden Mile held in July, the three races have led to the creation of the Mile Grand Prix, with competitors earning points at each event.

Bailey, of Worcestershire’s Old Wrecks club, took part in the women’s 50-59 races and improved on her Evesham time by winning both races in six minutes 0.9 seconds and 5:59.5 respectively to seal her win overall in the Mile Grand Prix. Races over 500m were also scheduled at both meetings which Bailey also won in 1:42.6 and 1:43.4 respectively. The women’s team event over 3,000m at Grimsby was won by Bailey and Old Wrecks team-mates Megan Brown, Donna Hall and Kelly Sapsford.

The British Championships take place on Sunday, October 26, at Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena. Bailey will be bidding to retain her individual title for the ninth year running.