A HEREFORDSHIRE rower was once again in oar-some form as she helped her team retain the Henley Women's Regatta.

Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne, from St Weonards, teamed up with fellow Gloucester Hartpury crew members Frances Russell, Alice Bowyer and Flo Pickles at British rowing's showpiece event.

Seeded for Henley Royal, the quad went automatically into the quarter-finals and got off to a flying start against Sir William Borlase Grammar School.

Breaking the course record at the first of the three markers, the girls were then able to take their foot off the pace and still win comfortably.

They faced a much stiffer test in the semi-finals the following day when they raced the American National Champions.

The Y Quad Cities crew featured two rowers who have already been selected for the Junior World Championships, having been released by their Federation to race for their club.

In an incredibly exciting race, the crew ended up winning by around two lengths.

The final saw them pitted against their biggest rivals, Marlow, who they had pipped in last year’s Henley Royal Regatta final and in this year’s National Schools final.

The race lived up to expectations as Marlow led at the first two markers but Gloucester-Hartpury dug deep to find a late surge and claim victory to take the Diamond Jubilee Challenge Cup.Hartpury’s rowing coach, Tom Pattichis, said: “The girls showed incredible mental strength to come back from being behind against such tough competitors in both their semi-final and final and I couldn’t be prouder of them.

“We obviously had high hopes for them after they won the senior event and broke the course record at Henley Women’s Regatta and it was great to see them live up to their billing."

Hodgkins-Byrne will now prepare for the British Rowing Junior Championships which take place next wekend for Scotland.

Victory there should ensure her place at the Home Internationals ornament on July 25.