GREAT Britain junior international Emily Ford, from Grange School Rowing Club, has made the grade to race at next week’s Henley Royal Regatta.

The teenager came through a qualifying race for the five-day event at Henley-on-Thames, which starts on Wednesday.

She formed part of a Newcastle University Boat Club composite in the Remenham Challenge Cup for eights, with crewmates from Aberdeen and Nereus in Holland.

Ford hopes to study at Newcastle – as older brother Ed did – from September after completing her A-Levels earlier this month.

Exeter University and Molesey Boat Club made it through in the same event, joining five other boats to have pre-qualified.

It completes a successful week for Ford, who competed in a double scull with fellow Grange School student Claudia Kimpton-Smith in a double scull that reached the semi finals of last week’s Henley Women’s Regatta.

They successfully negotiated a time trial to qualify for the Rayner Cup, progressing through the first two stages after comfortable victories against rivals from Belfast Boat Club and crews Emanuel School.

Nottingham Rowing Club’s tandem of Kyra Edwards and Olivia Kay proved too strong for their Grange counterparts in the semi finals, winning by two lengths.

“The girls put up a good fight but were eventually overpowered,” said head coach Graham Jump.

“Emily and Claudia’s efforts were superb to make it so far against tough opposition.”

Norske Studenters, a student crew from Norway, were victors against Nottingham in the final.