Best of 2016: Northwich Rowing Club juniors step onto international stage with Great Britain

What? Coupe de la Jeunesse and World Rowing Junior Championships

When? July 29-31 and August 21-18

Where? Poznan and Rotterdam

Northwich Rowing Club sent another pair of talented youngsters to represent Great Britain at an international regatta over the summer.

Beth Willford-Dutton helped a women’s eight to victory in the opening race of the Coupe de la Jeunesse – a contest for teenage rowers in a dozen teams from across Europe – in Poznan.

Her clubmate George Lawton, a medallist at the Coupe in 2015 edition, joined forces again with Rory Harris (Pangbourne College) in a men’s pair at the World Rowing Junior Championships in Rotterdam.

The duo classified 14th overall after finishing fourth in their quarter-final.

How we reported it: http://bit.ly/2i26xex (George Lawton)

http://bit.ly/2hyouhv (Beth Willford-Dutton)

How we Tweeted it:

So @willforddutton, of @NorthwichRC, starts international career as a winner with #GBRTJuniors at #Coupe in Poznan. https://t.co/khBEz0N2oN

— Andrew Simpson (@simmo_on_sport) July 29, 2016

Our sports writer remembers:

“I had the pleasure of being able to prepare a feature interview with both athletes on their return home.

“Both remarked on what the experience had meant for them in terms of an introduction to elite-level competitive rowing, and how much they had learned.

“More striking though was their awareness, and gratitude, of the role volunteer coaches at Northwich had played in their development.

“There was an appreciation as well of the role played off the water by friend and teammates at the club in terms of encouragement and support.

“’So many people there follow what you do and send messages, not just those of us in the squads but parents and friends too,’ Lawton told me.

“It is important not to become complacent about what an extraordinary achievement it is for a club of Northwich’s size to continue to nurture some of the best young rowers in the country.”