Alex Gregory and Pete Reed forced to pull out of GB Rowing trials

Illness forced Olympic champion Alex Gregory to pull out of the GB Rowing team's assessment trials in Boston, Lincolnshire, yesterday.

Gregory, from Wormington, was due to race in a pair with Nailsworth Naval officer Pete Reed.

The duo won gold at London 2012 in the men's four, along with Andy Hodge and Tom James.

Yesterday morning, however, Reed tweeted: "Good morning from Boston. Poor old @AlexGregoryGB is sick in bed (send some love to him). We won't race sadly."

A spokeswoman for GB Rowing said that the pair's inability to race would be unlikely to have any impact on future selection in the build-up to the first World Cup of the season next month.

Caroline Searle said: "The two are such established names, and are tested and assessed all the time, that missing today is unlikely to affect their chances of selection."

Reed tweeted further yesterday afternoon: "Both back home safely. We're sad about not racing. Plan for today, don't start vomiting. Either way, tomorrow will hurt. No day off now."

* You can keep up with Pete Reed's latest news by following his tweets at @PeteReed, or via his online blog.

* Gloucester Olympic finalist, Beth Rodford, who came sixth in the women's quadruple scull at London 2012, won her women's open single trial yesterday. 

* The Samsung World Rowing Cup season begins in Sydney, Australia, on March 22.

* The second event is at Eton Dorney - the venue for London 2012 - from June 21 to 23, and the final event in Lucerne, Switzerland, from July 12 to 14.

* The World Championships are in Chungjiu, South Korea, from August 25 to September 1.