A group of 22 St Peter's School rowers, teamed up with one from St Leonard's School, Durham and two from Lancaster Royal Grammar School, hauled in a raft of medals from the Belgium National Junior Rowing Championships.

Ghent International Regatta, which includes the Belgium National junior championships, is used by many Northern European countries as a testing ground for national crews and aspiring international rowers.

The first medal was a silver in the Under-18 coxless four won by a new combination of the Durant twins (Lancaster), Nathaniel O'Donnell (St. Leonard's) and Rory MacLeod (St. Peter's).

Bronze medals were gained by the U18 coxless pair of O'Donnell and MacLeod and the boys' eight in the senior men's event.

The U18 girls' eight, rowing with poise, were the only crew to strike gold on the first day, though there were many personal bests.

The U18 men's coxless four put in a sizzling display early on the second day.

At half-way they were led by more than a length by a well-drilled German crew. But they used all their strength, fitness and experience to tear through for gold by 2.5 seconds.

Within two hours St Peter's boys' coxed four of Henry Law, Phil Rulf, Richard Lum, Richard Swan and Tom Binns (cox) took silver, just shy of the top German boat.

O'Donnell and MacLeod then overhauled a Belgian team over the final 300 metres to grab gold in the U18 coxless pairs.

The U18 girls' eight won silver in the senior women's event, while David Cook and Will Eastwood, rowing with two rowers from Durham, took bronze in a tight finish to the open men's quad sculls.

In the last race, two St Peter's boys' eights finished in creditable fourth and tenth places.

Updated: 10:51 Wednesday, April 26, 2006