Benjamin Pritchard stormed to yet another world title as Great Britain won six gold medals at the third and final World Cup regatta of the season in Lucerne.

Alongside Pritchard’s title, success came in the women’s quadruple sculls, men’s quadruple sculls, men’s fours, women’s eights, and women’s single sculls.

After making history by becoming the first two PR1 athletes to race at the Met Regatta, Pritchard and Jake Woods lined up against each other on the Lake of the Gods in today’s A Final.

The reigning European, World, and Paralympic Champion did what he did best and let from start to finish to add another gold to his trophy cabinet. He beat Australia’s Erik Horrie by 15 seconds as he crossed the line.

Woods came fourth in the final and in the process beat Israel’s Shmuel Daniel and Spain’s Javier Garcia Martinez, both of whom raced at the 2024 Paralympic Games.

“I was conscious about where Erik was,” explained Pritchard.

“My coach, David, says, ‘Always row to the line.’ So, that’s what I did.

“We’ve come away with a win, but the big tournament championship is mine and Jake’s Backgammon game, and I’m currently losing 5-1, so my rowing might be OK, but my Backgammon isn’t!

“Having Jake to train with is fantastic. It makes every session accountable. It’s nice that when we come together, we can really push each other on. In Trials, he’s pushed me more than anyone has. He’s a fantastic sculler, and I can’t wait to see that come through on the international stage.”

Elsewhere, the British Men’s Four extend their unbeaten run after winning gold on the Lake of the Gods.

After winning the World Rowing Championships last year, Dan Graham, James Robson, Douwe de Graaf and George Bourne won World Rowing Cup I in Seville and replicated that dominant performance in Lucerne. Behind them, Romania took silver ahead of France in third place.

“It means a lot. Congratulations to France and Romania because that was super tough and they kept coming the whole way,” said Bourne.

“To win here is very special; it feels like the Monaco of rowing and a jewel that shines slightly brighter.”

In the Women’s Quadruple Sculls, Great Britain were back on the top spot of the podium.

With three Olympic Champions onboard, Lola Anderson, Hannah Scott, and Imogen Grant in the stroke seat, with Reading University BC’s Finn Stratton in the three seat, there were flashes of Paris and Shanghai as the Netherlands mounted a charge in the closing stages, but Britain held on to win gold in a time of 06:30.98.

The Men’s Quad kept the gold rush going on the Rotsee. Fortune favours the brave. Cedol Dafydd, Callum Dixon, Tobias Schröder, and Rory Harris were just that as they led out the field in the opening 500. It was close at the finish, but the British had done enough in the early stages to win by a quarter of a length ahead of the Netherlands.

In the Women’s Single Sculls, Lauren Henry made it five golds as the sun beat down on the Rotsee. The all-important third 500 was where the Olympic Champion made her move.

Having been led out by Ireland’s Fiona Murtagh, Henry kicked on at halfway and by 1500m into the race, had clear water, a margin she held to the finish as Murtagh took silver ahead of Australia’s fast-finishing Tara Rigney.

The sixth and final gold came in the Women’s Eight.

Lizzie Witt, Jade Lindo, Amelia Standing, Katherine George, Lauren Irwin, Annie Campbell-Orde, Heidi Long, Megan Slabbert, and Jack Tottem blasted out of the blocks and never looked back as they led from start to finish.

Come the grandstands and the roars from the bank, Australia were going through the gears, closing down the gap, but it was never going to be enough as Tottem called them home to gold, also beating the World Champions, the Netherlands, who finished out of the medals behind the United States.

The British team also won an additional silver and bronze, topping the medal table in Lucerne.

“The team were exceptional today. It is a special day when British crews hold a presence on the podium across 7 consecutive races,” said Interim Performance Director Tom Dyson.

“It is also special to have a first Paralympic class win in Lucerne, and credit to the 4 team members who won their first World Rowing Cup medals today.

“Coming to Lucerne we were looking for a step on and every crew delivered this. That is a credit to the training and we’ll need to refocus on this as we return to the UK.

“Elements of the team will hone their racing at Henley and European Rowing Championships in the coming weeks, but the training around this will be the basis of taking another step for the World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam.”

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