Scots among medals in Italy

Five of the eight Scots racing for GB in yesterday’s finals at the Rowing World Cup in Varese, Italy, won medals, including golds for Lossiemouth’s Heather Stanning and Glasgow’s Angus Groom.

Stanning and partner Helen Glover kept their four-season unbeaten run going in women’s pairs, resisting an early challenge from New Zealand, who eventually took bronze, and a strong-finishing push from silver medallists USA.

Groom, the Commonwealth single sculls champion, is in his debut season at full international level and was in the bow seat of the British quadruple sculls crew that took gold.

Earlier this month he had finished fourth in the European Championships single scull final and was promoted into the quad for this event because of injury elsewhere.

Olympic champion Katherine Grainger, continuing her return after a two-year break, took bronze with new partner Vicky Thornley in women’s double sculls.

Victoria Meyer-Laker, from Premnay in Aberdeenshire, raced to bronze in the women’s eights after returning from early season injury.

Kirriemuir’s Sam Scrimgeour took silver with partner Jono Clegg in the non-Olympic lightweight pairs category to start the British medal haul, which totalled four golds, one silver and three bronzes, making GB the top performing nation of the event.