ROYAL Grammar School Worcester have once again struck gold at the highest level.

Rowers had a highly successful time over the past two weekends at national trials, the National Championships and at Burton Regatta.

Pride of place in the trials for the Great Britain rowing teams went to Colin Scott, who was was selected to row in a coxless four at the World Championships in Athens, with team-mates from Pangbourne College and Leander Club.

This newly formed crew then raced last weekend at the National Championships in Scotland and won gold in the Open Heavyweight Men's Fours event. This result gave Scott his fourth national gold medal, a record for an RGS pupil.

Also at the trials was Tom Dyson, who was ranked lower down the list, but was delighted to earn a place in the England VIII for the Home Countries match in Ireland, next week.

Meanwhile Charlie Fisher and Tom Crawford-Clarke were racing for selection for the Great Britain v France match for under 16s. In the trial they had to beat, among others, the National Schools champions from Molesey.

The RGS boys took the race by the scruff of the neck from start to finish and won the trial by 13 seconds. They too then moved on to Scotland for the National Championships but this time they did not have it all their own way.

An unknown crew from St Leonards School led them from the start and by half way were six seconds clear. Crawford-Clarke and Fisher fought all the way to the line, making up three seconds in the last 250 metres to take gold in a dramatic photo finish. This gave Fisher his third national gold, just behind Scott, but with two years to go.

Other RGS crews were not so fortunate at the National Championships. There were some brave and promising performances but no medals. Unluckiest crew was surely the J18 Coxless Four, who were lying in bronze medal position when their rudder broke off and they were unable to stay in their racing lane.

The J15 crews likewise missed out on the medals but were able to enjoy the consolation prizes of two wins at Burton Regatta. The quad (Nick Szmigin, Nick Henman, John Thompson and Marc Wright, coxed by Alli Rosie) won the J15 event and the four (with Nick Fenton taking Marc Wright's place) won the novice fours event in fine style.