GREAT Britain’s men’s eight, with Northwich’s Matthew Langridge on board, missed out on a medal during Sunday’s World Cup final.

After declaring themselves disappointed to only take bronze at the European Championships, they have work to do if they are to fight for gold at the Olympics later this summer.

A crew affected by the enforced absence through illness of Pete Reed, replaced by Alan Sinclair, finished third – behind the Netherlands and Olympic champions Germany – in a preliminary race on Friday to decide lane order for the final.

Langridge and company kept pace with the fast-starting Dutch in the Lucerne showpiece’s early stages.

USA, who came through an Olympic qualification regatta earlier in the week, joined the leading crews by halfway.

The Dutch, winners at the season’s first World Cup in Italy, kept their foot down to take gold ahead of Germany – crowned European champions last month – and the Americans.

Britain followed them in fourth place.

“We’ve had the frustration of illness before we even arrived,” said Sir David Tanner, GB Rowing’s performance director.

“We’ll hope to get healthy again soon to be ready for our final pre-Olympic race later this month.”

The season's concluding World Cup regatta takes place in Poland from Friday, June 17.