DART TOTNES sculler Barney Stentiford was the only sculler from the West Region to compete at the GB Rowing Team Senior and U23 Trials. With most of this year's GB squad exempted from competing, the trials were an opportunity for new 'blood'.

Stentiford was competing for a place in next year's GB Under 23 squad following his successes in the GB Junior Squad. Now at Durham University, he was suffering from 'freshers flu' but put in a reasonable effort to finish 56th overall over the 5000 metre course at Boston in a time of 20 minutes 42.0 seconds.

The winner was Greg Searle in 19:32.4 who, with the spectre of competing at the 2012 Olympics, has come out of retirement at the age of 37. Along with brother Jonny and cox, Garry Herbert, he won the gold medal in the coxed pairs event at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. He also won a World Championship gold medal in 1993.

In the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, he finished third in the coxless fours event. Following Atlanta, he converted briefly to competing in the single scull and reached fifth in the 1998 Rowing World Championships. He was a finalist in the coxless pairs at the 2000 Sydney Olympics with Ed Coode, finishing a disappointing but close fourth, having led for much of the way.

Barney will have the opportunity to improve on his position at the next trials which are to be held at Boston on December 19.