Minerva Bath's Helen Glover says she is determined to be inspired and not intimidated by her rapid rise from beginner to Olympic medal contender. 
The former Oldfield School PE teacher only took up the sport three years ago but goes into this weekend's World Cup meeting in Switzerland as one half of Britain's most promising crew. Glover and University of Bath graduate Heather Stanning have made great strides since being put together in the women's pair last year and have already won one World Cup title this season. That followed their breakthrough performance in last year's World Championships, where they won silver, and Glover says she feels right at home battling it out for global honours.
"Heather and I were only talking the other day about how we were the underdogs last year and now we are one of the top crews," said the 25-year-old.
"Rather than putting us under pressure, we have to use that as a positive – we are there for a reason and that is because we have put in a lot of strong performances. The pressure comes from ourselves to keep it up.
"Heather and I have put in a lot of hard work to get where we are, it hasn't just happened for us, so to be winning World Cups is very rewarding."
Glover handed over the trophy she won at the World Cup in Munich to Miverva Bath to thank the club for supporting her early career.
"I've still got friends in Bath and it's good to go back and see them when I can but we do not really get much time off," said Glover, who rows in Minerva Bath colours and trains in Reading.
"Minerva Bath are a great club so it is nice to give something back to them. Being a rower is quite a selfish job really, you have to look after yourself, so it's nice to be able to share the success when I can."
Glover also revealed that the seeds of her winning partnership with Stanning were sewn on the River Avon.
"Paul Stannard was my first coach at Minerva Bath and he also worked with Heather while she was with the University of Bath Rowing Club," she said.
"We had never trained together because we were in Bath at different times but, when I got into the British team last year, Paul thought we would be a good partnership.
"It's worked out really well as we have a similar outlook, probably from working with Paul."
Minerva Bath are one of 12 clubs taking part in this Saturday's City of Exeter Regatta, the oldest and biggest rowing event in the South West.
Neil Rose
Sport@bathchron.co.uk
The former Oldfield School PE teacher only took up the sport three years ago but goes into this weekend's World Cup meeting in Switzerland as one half of Britain's most promising crew. Glover and University of Bath graduate Heather Stanning have made great strides since being put together in the women's pair last year and have already won one World Cup title this season. That followed their breakthrough performance in last year's World Championships, where they won silver, and Glover says she feels right at home battling it out for global honours."Heather and I were only talking the other day about how we were the underdogs last year and now we are one of the top crews," said the 25-year-old.
"Rather than putting us under pressure, we have to use that as a positive – we are there for a reason and that is because we have put in a lot of strong performances. The pressure comes from ourselves to keep it up.
"Heather and I have put in a lot of hard work to get where we are, it hasn't just happened for us, so to be winning World Cups is very rewarding."
Glover handed over the trophy she won at the World Cup in Munich to Miverva Bath to thank the club for supporting her early career.
"I've still got friends in Bath and it's good to go back and see them when I can but we do not really get much time off," said Glover, who rows in Minerva Bath colours and trains in Reading.
"Minerva Bath are a great club so it is nice to give something back to them. Being a rower is quite a selfish job really, you have to look after yourself, so it's nice to be able to share the success when I can."
Glover also revealed that the seeds of her winning partnership with Stanning were sewn on the River Avon.
"Paul Stannard was my first coach at Minerva Bath and he also worked with Heather while she was with the University of Bath Rowing Club," she said.
"We had never trained together because we were in Bath at different times but, when I got into the British team last year, Paul thought we would be a good partnership.
"It's worked out really well as we have a similar outlook, probably from working with Paul."
Minerva Bath are one of 12 clubs taking part in this Saturday's City of Exeter Regatta, the oldest and biggest rowing event in the South West.
Neil Rose
Sport@bathchron.co.uk
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