NORTHWICH Rowing Club won three medals at the British Rowing Junior Championships, including gold for Sophie Gillbanks and Georgia Shirley.
They were the outstanding crew in the under 16s girls’ double sculls field, storming to victory in the A final at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham on Sunday.
Sir William Perkin’s School trailed a distant second.
The Northwich combination had laid down a marker on Saturday when they were quickest in a time trial.
A comfortable win in their semi-final then secured the best lane on Sunday, and they controlled the race from start to finish to take the title in emphatic fashion.
There was a silver gong too for Rachel Cooney and Charlotte Almond, who joined forces with Warrington Rowing Club’s Ella Stanhope and Libby Myers in a composite under 16s girls’ quad that set the second-fastest time during a time trial.
They were victors in their semi final, ahead of Tideway Scullers, and trailed a crack composite boat made up of rowers from three Cambridge clubs in a race for medals.
Northwich Rowing Club's Charlotte Almond, second left, and Rachel Cooney celebrate winning a silver medal in the under 16s girls' quad with Warrington Rowing Club crewmates Ella Stanhope and Libby Myers
Tom Swithenbank and Will Miles pushed Wallingford all the way during the under 16s boys’ pairs final before finishing third.
They had progressed directly to the final as a reward for their performance in Saturday’s race against the clock, at the end of which they were third on the time-sheet.
It's one of each from @BritishRowing Championships. Well done all!! 🥇🥈🥉
— Northwich RC (@NorthwichRC) July 16, 2017
A fourth Northwich crew, this time a junior men’s quad that had represented the club at Henley Royal Regatta earlier this month, narrowly missed out on a podium place.
Josh Burke, Rhys Coffey, George Crouchley and Kevin Dudley ranked fourth in a time trial on Saturday before trailing Leander Club – the eventual champions – in their semi final.
The quartet attempted to chase down neighbours Warrington in the final, but had to settle for fourth spot.
Grange School student Ellie Cushen improved throughout the course of the weekend to classify fourth in the under 16s girls’ single scull.
She had shared ninth position with Orla Supple (Tideway Scullers) in a time trial after they both timed 7.31.2.
A third-place finish in the first semi-final earned for her a chance to go for a medal, but she could not overhaul Angharad Broughton (Llandaff) in a gruelling race to the line.
Superb effort by Ellie to pull back from 9th in the TT to finish 4th in the A final. Thanks to coach Rachel for getting her there!#inspired pic.twitter.com/eJdXrjHak0
— Grange Rowing (@GrangeRowing) July 16, 2017
Two more Northwich boats completed their campaign on Saturday.
Patrick Brogan, in an under 15s boys’ single, finished 17th overall.
Meanwhile an under 15s girls’ coxed quad, with Frances Campbell, Olivia Dunnett, Molly Garlick, Amber Sperring-Toy and cox Sophie Garlick on board, classified 13th after winning their boat class’ C final.
Grange's Jack McGinn was eliminated after a time trial in the under 15s boys' single scull.
British Junior Rowing Championships
Sunday, July 16
Results
A finals
Junior men’s quad
1 Leander Club 6.33.95; 2 Lea RC 6.37.24; 3 Warrington RC 6.42.65; 4 Northwich RC (Josh Burke, Rhys Coffey, George Crouchley and Kevin Dudley) 6.44.86; 5 St Leonards School 7.00.95; 6 Marlow RC 7.07.04
Under 16s boys’ pair
1 Walton RC 7.38.13; 2 Wallingford RC 7.42.12; 3 Northwich RC (Tom Swithenbank and Will Miles) 7.45.41; 4 Tideway Scullers 8.10.73; 5 Marlow RC 8.15.85; 6 City of Bristol 8.29.88
Under 16s girls’ quad
1 Cambridge 99/Isle of Ely/King’s Ely 7.40.03; 2 Warrington/Northwich (Rachel Cooney, Charlotte Almond, Ella Stanhope, Libby Myers) 7.52.08; 3 Tideway Scullers 7.58.31; 4 Thames RC 8.06.58; 5 Henley RC 8.10.34; 6 Worcester RC 8.11.44
Under 16s girls’ double
1 Northwich RC (Sophie Gillbanks, Georgia Shirley) 8.14.24; 2 Sir William Perkin’s School 8.21.26; 3 Inverness RC 8.31.48; 4 Maidenhead RC 8.36.39; 5 Warrington RC 8.47.68; 6 Strathclyde Park 9.00.43
Under 16s girls’ single
1 Cambridge 99 8.50.00; 2 Lady Eleanor Holles 8.56.48; 3 Llandaff RC 9.08.12; 4 Grange School (Ellie Cushen) 9.17.91; 5 King’s Ely A 9.22.29; 6 Tyne RC 9.28.73
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