WYE rowing cox Jack Tottem and his GB women's rowing eight backed up European Championship gold with a commanding victory in the first World Cup regatta in Italy on Sunday.

The Old Monmothian, who steered Oxford's men to Boat Race victory in 2022, had his hand on the tiller as the US and Australian boats joined the party following last month's Europeans in Bulgaria.

But the new challengers couldn't stop the Brits – strengthened by the return of Welsh Olympic medallist Eve Stewart – racing away with it, as GB blasted into a lead of nearly a length at the 500m quarter-way mark.

The lead was a full length at half-way as the US and Aussies went bow ball to bow ball.

And with the Americans moving clear in second in the third quarter, GB sustained their advantage before coming home 2.49 seconds up in six minutes 01.56 seconds, with the US taking silver and Australia bronze 2L back, followed by Germany, Italy and China.

Jack, whose family home is in Devauden, said leading from the start “made it easy as a cox! I had complete trust that we could do what we needed to after that start and, it's always good in an eight to be on the front foot".

Elsewhere, 14-year-old Sebastian Lee – son of Monmouth Rowing Club’s Simon – impressed again, racing to triple success at the prestigious two-day Reading Amateur Regatta.

The Whitebrook teenager made the final of the British U14 Championships singles last year after just six weeks in a sculling boat and despite being nearly a year younger than many of his opponents.

And having already won British Inter-Regional and British Junior Sculling Regatta medals this season, he impressed again stroking the Henley RC eight to U15 success over his own school Shiplake and then St Paul's London over 1500m, both by comfortable margins.

He then stroked the U15 four to wins over Shiplake by 5L and Radley in the final by 3 3/4L, and capped it next day by taking the U15 singles, beating a Wallingford singler by 3 1/4L in the semi and then a Henley club mate by 2L in the final.

Meanwhile, Monmouth RC's veteran rowers have headed for the beatutiful Lake Bled in Slovenia this week, for five days of racing at the European Masters Championships.