Top rowers from the Isle of Ely rowing club secured top five finishes in the National Schools Regatta.

Kate Lyster impressed and took the silver medal in the J17s single skulls, while ex-Ely College student Rebecca Welch skulled to fifth place in the same race.

The pair joined over 3,500 other rowers from clubs and schools around the country to take part in the Regatta on the Olympic course at Eton Dorney.

Isle of Ely were also represented in the J18s quad sculls competition where they bagged sixth place overall, with three of the four crew members rowing up a year against much more experienced teams.

Rebecca was proud to see her club succeed on the national stage. She said: “When the marshall came to call teams to the start line I had to repeat the name of my club because she hadn’t heard of it! It feels good to get our small club up there with the big club names in rowing.”

The girls will now be attempting to qualify for the internationally renowned Henley regatta at the end of the month and will also be off to the British Junior Rowing Championships in July, where Rebecca and other girls from the club won the national gold medal as J16 quad scullers last summer.