WYE steerswoman Morgan Baynham-Williams again pulled off a masterstroke steering a Leander Club 8 packed with Olympic and world medallists to victory in the world’s biggest women’s rowing race.
The Ross Rowing Club member, who steered GB’s Paralympic four to the world title in the Czech Republic last September, had her hand on the tiller as her crew stormed to the 320-boat Women 8s Head title over the reverse Boat Race course on Saturday.
The annual race from Chiswick Bridge to Putney Pier saw boats start every 10 seconds, with Morgan’s boat as defending champions going off first.
It wasn’t a procession in terms of the result though, with another GB-heavy Leander boat starting second finishing the time-trial just eight seconds behind on the clock, with Oxford Brookes third another eight seconds back.
Former Newent Community School pupil Morgan, who launched her career at Ross RC, is one of the best coxes in the world, winning world U23 medals with the GB team before steering Oxford Women to Boat Race glory in 2016.
Last year, she steered a GB women’s squad 8 to the Henley Royal Regatta title, beating the US squad before rowing down the much-fancied Australia crew in the final.
The boat then went on to land European silver in Munich before she swapped into the Paralympic mixed four, which then retained the world title for GB in a new world best time.
Leander crossed the line on Saturday in 18mins 38.1secs.
And Morgan wasn’t the only Wye-trained rower toasting a good performance with Ross Rc product Yasmin Howe swapping two blades for one to finish a superb 23rd and third best junior crew in her Wycliffe scullers boat in 20.04.