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They may be elite Olympic athletes, but switching from a bobsleigh to a boat can be a tricky task, as the leading British squad found out yesterday.

British Boblesigh and Skeleton took its athletes on a surprise teambuilding day to Marlow Rowing Club (MRC), where the team switched disciplines and took to the water – some of them for the first time.

After a crash course in rowing from MRC’s expert coaches at its new £2.8m HQ, the winter Olympians faced one another in a series of short races.

A complete surprise to the athletes, the event was part of a secret exercise by BBSA and the crews involved had no idea what they would face until they arrived at the riverside.

John Kirtland of Marlow Rowing Club, who helped organised the day, said: "The rowing activity came as a complete surprise to the athletes and coaches of the BBSA. 

"They arrived, though, with the level of self-belief and determination which you would expect in an elite squad. 

"As with all new activities, there's a lot more to it than there first appears and each member of the BBSA faced different challenges - whether it be the technique, the timing - or the amount of wobble you get in a boat full of novices. 

"They all came off the water having had a great time and with plenty of 'harrowing' stories to tell of their experience. 

"It's not often we get the chance to work with elite GB athletes from such a different sport to rowing.”

This video shows the downhill crews first taste of being crewmates aboard a very different type of water-borne vessel – with much less gravity than they are used to.