THERE were plenty of medals for Oxfordshire competitors in the World Under 23 Championships in Poznan, Poland, writes John Wiggins.

Silvers were won by the men’s eight in a photo-finish for Oxford Brookes University’s Matt Aldridge and former Abingdon School pupil Tom Digby.

The new Oxford University BC president, Felix Drinkall missed the semi-final through illness, but was fit enough to return to stroke the four to a silver medal, backed by Brookes’s Sam Nunn and Radleian, Charlie Elwes.

Danielle Semple celebrated a bronze medal in the lightweight double having, in one year, transitioned from a Great Britain junior to an under 23 international.

The former Headington School pupil’s boat raced aggressively but could not quite hold the lead in the closing stages.

Other A finalists included Sophia Heath (Oxford Brookes) – missing bronze by only 0.2secs in the eight – and fifth places for Oxford Blue, Ruth Siddorn in the single and for the four with Henry Blois-Brooke, Matt Rowe, with cox Gavin McWilliams (Oxford Brookes) and Oxford University’s Tobias Schroder in harness.

The Coupe de la Jeunesse was held in Cork, Ireland, where Britain’s juniors retained the overall trophy with major contributions from local school rowers – all racing twice over the two days.

Abingdon School’s Connor Brown and Radley College’s Luke Miles were in the eight that won two golds, while the women’s four had mixed success with Headington schoolgirls, Alice Plucknett and Alice van Onselen collecting gold and silver.

They also led from start to triumph in the eight, when coxed by another Headingtonian Annelise Perkins.

St Edward’s School’s Max Thompson, rowing with Radleian Theo Metcalf, came away with two silver medals, but was frustrated not to overturn Saturday’s result despite leading on Sunday for most of the 2,000m race.

This weekend, former Headingtonian Fiona Gammond will be part of the senior team racing at the European Championships in Strathclyde, Scotland.

She again races in the eight with Oxford Blue, Anastasia Chitty while other Blues include Zoe Lee at stroke of the quad and Ellie Piggott (Wallingford RC) in the lightweight double.

Ollie Cook has dual local qualifications as an Oxford Blue, but he and his partner, Matt Rossiter are former Abingdon schoolboys in common with Brookes’ Jamie Copus in the lightweight double.

Also from Brookes is Matt Tarrant in the eight with Radleians, Oli Wynne Griffiths and Tom George.

l City of Oxford’s junior scullers continued to plunder the silverware at the Staines Regatta, where they had wins in quad sculls for both their J14 boys and girls as well as in the doubles for the J14 and J12 girls.

At Bewdley Regatta, City clinched the mixed double scull while Naomi Sharma won for Falcon in both the open and masters B singles sculls.