TEENAGERS from Northwich Rowing Club returned from the British Junior Championships at the weekend with three medals, including one gold.

The quad scull, so disappointed to exit the Henley Royal Regatta at the last 16 stage, rallied to be best in class at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham.

After winning their eliminator on Saturday, Alex Bain, Leon Langmead, Finn Lawton and Zak Trigg eased to victory in Sunday’s final with closest rivals Leander Club some six seconds adrift.

Their reward, along with coach Jed Barlow, is an invite to represent England in the category at this weekend’s Home International Regatta in Ireland.

“It’s a testament to their strength as athletes that they were able to bounce back after Henley and dominate the field in the way they did,” said club captain Rachel Hooper.

Earlier on Sunday, Bain finished in third position in the J18 single sculls final.

Greg Murphy was a medal-winner in Northwich’s green and gold too, claiming bronze in the J15 single sculls final.

After winning his semi final, he was driven back to the start line to join his crewmates in a J16 coxed four that raced against older boys when narrowly missing out on a medal after finishing fourth..

George Crouchley, Lawrence Williams, Matthew Radford and cox Tom Swithenbank were in the boat too.

Fifth fastest of 19-strong field in a time trial on Saturday morning, Northwich’s J15 girls’ coxed quad of Amelia Berry, Hannah Cooney, Anya George, Beth Willford-Dutton and cox Saffron Coppock classified sixth in the final.

Hooper said: “It was great to watch our junior boys become national champions, but just as satisfying is to see the strength of our crews in other categories because it bodes well for the club’s future.

“We’ve got the strongest group of girls for a while and, with hard work and dedication, I’m confident have the potential to produce fantastic results on the national stage too.”

Callie Bloodworth, Abigail Davies, Victoria Gardner, India Trigg and cox Harriet Anderson bowed out at the first round stage in the women’s J16 coxed fours after finishing sixth in an eliminator.

The same fate befell a Northwich MJ16 quad scull of Alex Hine, Michael Lundy, Chris Malley and Matthew Roberts.

Meanwhile Grange School Rowing Club’s Katherine Owen was ninth in the women’s single sculls.