A FORMER Grange School student is a contender to win a medal at the World Under 23s Championships later this week.

Emily Ford was part of a Great Britain’s women’s eight that won a repechage in convincing fashion in Rotterdam on Monday morning, securing a spot in Friday’s A final.

Impressive while finishing second behind USA, the defending champions, in their heat on Sunday, they were similarly so on their return to the water on the Willem-Alexander Baan course.

After taking the lead a quarter of the way through, they stayed there to cross the line half a boat-length clear of their closest rivals.

The 21-year-old, a student at Newcastle University, won bronze as part of the women’s four at last year’s edition.

She is joined in the boat by Holly Hill – another member of the four last summer – plus World Junior Championships medallists Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne and Anna Thornton.

Alice Bowyer, Chloe Brew, Madelaine Badcott and Heidi Long complete a crew coxed by Sasha Adwani.

Lucy Burgess, part of a British women’s quad, was left frustrated after they finished third – behind France and Australia – in their repechage.

Only the top two progressed to the final.

Competing on the world stage for the third time after two previous appearances while a member at Northwich Rowing Club, the 22-year-old’s crew closed a gap at halfway over the next 500m.

However despite dragging themselves back into contention again, they could not overhaul Australia.

Instead they contest a B final on Thursday afternoon.

Northwich Rowing Club’s George Lawton, who will race in a men’s double in the World Rowing Junior Championships at the same venue, begins his campaign on Wednesday.

Together with Rory Harris (Pangbourne College), he takes on crews from Greece, Japan, Korea, Latvia and Spain in the first of five heats.

Results

World Rowing Under 23 Championships

Monday, August 22

Rotterdam, Netherlands

Women’s quad scull

Repechage Two: 1. France 6.28.34; 2. Australia 6.30.09; 3. Great Britain (Florence Pickles, Kyra Edwards, Georgia Francis, Lucy Burgess) 6.30.79; 4. China 6.36.55

Women’s eight

Repechage: 1. Great Britain (Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne, Alice Bowyer, Emily Ford, Chloe Brew, Holly Hill, Madeline Badcott, Anna Thornton, Heidi Long and cox Sasha Adwani) 6.18.80; 2. New Zealand 6.20.05; 3. Australia 6.20.53; 4. Germany 6.22.77; 5. Czech Republic 6.29.12; 6. France 6.34.62