FVO Veteran Flyers defend their British Relay title

It may have been Boat Race day in England (same two teams in the final, AGAIN!), but the main sporting action was further up the Thames, at Henley, as the flyers of FVO sailed away with two British Relay titles to complete a memorable weekend of racing in Southern England.

The M40 team returned to the scene of last year's triumph with an identical lineup, and were never really threatened, as Steve Feltbower opened up with the quickest opening leg (28.33) allowing Roger Goddard and Will Hensman to maintain the front position for a finish in 91.04.

The W50 squad was able to call upon the services of two individual day medallists, and although Heather Fellbaum came back 48 seconds off the lead from the first leg, Beccy Osborn soon had the team back in front with the fastest middle split, and Rona Molly was able to run on, again with the fastest time, to seal the win in 87.36.

The Mens Elite squad was defending champions, but with a much-changed lineup this time, it was more in hope than expectation that they went out. Andy Llewellyn could only manage 12th on the first leg, as the team turned around 6 1/2 minutes back, but a stunning 28.18 middle leg from James Hammond, the quickest on the course, brought the Flyers back into medal contention.

Chris Smithard, the only member of last year's squad in action this time, was set the task of a 27 seconds chase behind international team-mate Will Gardner, and he nearly made the ground, finishing in 30.35, an agonising three seconds off the lead, for the silver medal.

The fourth medal of the day came for the W14 squad of Eilidh Connor, Hannah Inman and Esme Kelly, who went toe to toe with South Yorkshire, and ended up in the bronze medal position, seven seconds (57.00) off 2nd.