1 June 09: As the British rowing team took their biggest-ever medal haul at the World Cup regatta in Spain last weekend Leander athletes were once again at the heart of the action. The overal medal tally for GB was nine golds, a silver and a bronze - a result which placed Britain firmly in the lead of after the first round of this year's Worlc Cup series.

But with many of the world's leading rowing nations sending diminished teams, or choosing not to attend, the competition was diminished, and led to an embarrassment of riches for the British rowers, who at one point took seven consecutive gold medals!

The new men's four, which includes Leander's Olymic silver medallists Alex Partridge, Rick Egington and Matt Langridge, together with Reading University's Alex Gregory at 3, cruised to their first victory more than 3 seconds clear of the second-placed Czech Republic, with Greece third.

"We're a new four and we all want to improve on what we've done before" said stroke Matt Langridge.

The new GB men's pair features two Olympic champions from the GB four in Beijing - Leander's Pete Reed and Molesey's Andy Triggs-Hodge. Only the South Africans Di Clemente and Keeling came anywhere near as the British duo powered their way down the 2000m course at Banyoles, venue for the '92 Olympic regatta.

"The South Africans are a classy crew and they stayed with us longest today but we felt comfortable in the last 450m" said Reed.

Leander's Matt Wells and Steve Rowbotham are the only men's crew to remain unaltered for the new season. As bronze medallists in Beijing they started the regattas as favourites but it was France's lead boat who led by a second at the half-way point.

By 1500m the British duo had closed the gap to just 0.3 of a second. In one of the best quality and closest fields Rowbotham and Wells went eyeball to eyeball with the opposition in the final 150m and took the verdict by just six hundredths of a second at the line in a finish that had the crowd on its feet.

"We knew the French would be good today and Jurgen told us to watch them", said Rowbotham.

Leander's Anna Bebington and her Marlow partner Annie Vernon took gold in the women's double scull final, with Katie Greves and Beth Rodford coming sixth in the other British boat. All four British women then doubled up for the final of the quad sculls - the event in which Vernon had won silver in Beijing. In a straight final the GB quartet lef from the start and ploughed on mercilessly to take another victory ahead of Netherlands and Italy.

Olympic finallists Louisa Reeve and Olivia Whitlam held off a determined challenge from Russia in the women's pairs, building a lead at 1500m and controlling the race in the final 300m.

With one gold medal already round their necks they then doubled up in the new women's eight, which also featured Leander's Jo Cook. In a two-boat final they made easy work of Poland to record yet another British win.

The GB men's quad scull, with Leander's Marcus Bateman on board, also made a podium finish, taking silver in a tight finish with Olympic champions Poland.

In the last race of the regatta the GB men's eight, including Leander's Tom Wilinson, Tommy Burton, James Orme and cox Phelan Hill added a bronze to the final tally.

GB CREWS in BANYOLES

(Leander athletes listed in bold)

18 May 09: A further nine Leander Leander athletes have been named among the GB squad which will contest the first World Cup regatta of the season in Banyoles.

Among the newly assembled GB men's eight will be multiple Henley winner Tommy Burton, under-23 medallist Tom Wilkinson, and Cambridge Blue James Orme, with the experienced Phelan Hill taking his place in the cox's seat.

Marcus Bateman has switched from sweep to sculling and now finds a place in the new men's quad, while 2008 Diamonds winner Ian Lawson has been given a ticket in the single to test his mettle against Alan Campbell.

There's a first World Cup vest for Jo Cook in the new women's eight, while Katie Greves, who stroked the eight in Beijing, has now moved to sculling. She will partner Beth Rodford of Gloucester in a double, and both athletes will team up with Anna Bebington and Elise Laverick to contest the women's quads.

Among the lightweights Chris Bartley has been named to stroke the new GB men's lightweight four.

29 April: Nine Leander athletes have been among those already named for the GB squad to contest the opening World Cup regatta of the season in Spain next month.

But as the selection process continues for the quads and eights that total looks set to rise before the final announcement in advance of the trip to the lake at Banyoles, the setting for the '92 Olympics.

Back in the double scull for the fourth successive year are Steve Rowbotham and Matt Wells, who won bronze last year in Beijing.

"It seems like we've never been away, but every time we get in the boat it's still a challenge so it's still quite nice. I never feel that we're standing still there's always stuff to work on" said Rowbotham.

Matt Wells has more than rowing on his mind right now - just last Sunday his wife Georgie delivered their first baby boy, and he is experiencing the first few days of fatherhood.

"I'm not getting much sleep right now, even though they're both still in hospital!" he admitted.

Olympic champion Pete Reed has been named in the men's pair with his fellow Beijing gold medallist, Molesey's Andy Hodge. The two men have won four successive GB trials together over the last Olympic cycle, and their first appearance together in the pair in international competition has been keenly awaited.

Meanwhile an entirely new-look men's four will include three more Leander athletes. Rick Egington, Alex Partridge, and Matt Langridge were all members of the silver medal men's eight in Beijing, while the fourth member of the crew will be Olympic spare Alex Gregory of Reading University.

For Partridge it marks a return to the boat in which he won two world titles before being transferred to the eight at the tart of the Olympic year.

"It feels nice to be be back in the racing season again and to be honest I'm not concerned about what boat I'm in. I just want to race well" he said.

Another returning Beijing medallist is Anna Bebington, who will partner Marlow's Annie Vernon in this year's double scull.

Also back for another year is Louisa Reeve, who qualified the women's pair for the Olympics and then reached the Beijing final, all at the last possible chance, partnered by Agecroft's Olivia Whitlam.

ENDS