Rowing star smashes targets off the water (From This Is Local London)

Rowing star smashes targets off the water

12:50pm Tuesday 23rd June 2009 in

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SARAH Winckless did not make a fairytale return to rowing victory as she missed out on double sculls triumph in the Henley Women’s Regatta at the weekend.

But, racing with Victoria Wood in the double sculls, she achieved far more than she hoped to by raising more than three times her target for the Scottish Hungtingdon’s Association.

The double world champion retired from international rowing earlier this season but was tempted back into the boat for charity.

Her mother suffers with Huntingdon’s and Winckless is gene positive and says the cause gave her new enthusiasm for the sport.

She said: “We were both tired with rowing being a joy only if you win and the pressures that go with it. But rowing to win funding for Huntingdon’s is a whole new motivation.”

The target Winckless set herself at the start of the week was £10,000. But in a matter of days she saw donations fly past the £30,000-mark even though she and Wood missed out on their goals on the water.

The pair won their heat by a length to reach the semi-finals and set up a dream final against fellow Olympian and Beijing silver medallist Debbie Flood.

But defeat to a composite crew from Maidenhead and Australia meant an early exit from the competition.