EUROPEAN junior champion oarsman James Cartwright has achieved more success at the World Junior Rowing Championships, just three years after taking up the sport.

The 18-year-old Hartpury College sculler from Churcham landed silver racing for GB in the quadruple sculls at the showpiece event at Racice in the Czech Republic.

And he’s not the only rower with Hartpury connections to taste international glory this summer, with former student Charlotte Hodgkins-Byrne winning the World U23 double sculls title in Poland last month in a world age-group record time, fellow alumni and former world junior champion Zoe Adamson taking bronze in the GB women’s quad scull, and current A-level student Rhiannon Morgan also landing third for GB at the 14-nation European Coupe de le Jeunesse U18 regatta in Ireland in the double scull.

Charlotte, who also took World U23 quads gold last year, has now been elevated to the GB senior team for this week’s World Championships in Bulgaria, where she wil race the double again, while her sister Mathilda - another Hartpury product - goes in the GB quad scull after taking bronze at last year’s senior worlds.

James is part of the Rowing ‘Start’ programme at Hartpury – a unique joint initiative between the college, the GB Rowing Team ‘Start’ Programme and Gloucester Rowing Club, aimed at identifying and developing the next generation of Olympic rowers.

The GB boat, with James in the three seat alongside crewmates Victor Kleshnev, Jake Offiler and Bryn Ellery held second through every 500m marker in the 2km six-boat final, finishing just over half a length behind the Czech winners and 1/2L in front of Germany in bronze.

Ben Jackson, FE Lead Coach of the Gloucester Hartpury Rowing Programme, said: “James has put in a lot of work over the last two years at Hartpury.

“To go from never having sat in a rowing boat to European Champion and world silver medallist within three years is a testament to his drive and attention to detail.

“He’s a great example of how the GB Rowing World Class Start programme can effectively develop the right people in the right way to achieve results at the top level.”

Ben, who was asked to coach the GB boys’ double at the championships, added: “James and his crew have done incredibly well to come together in three weeks from clubs across the country to put in a truly world-class effort.

“Under the full pressure of the competition, the crew were able to deliver a top-quality performance against the best athletes in the world. They should be very proud of what they have achieved.”

Charlotte and her partner Anna Thornton led all the way in their six-boat World U23 final in Poznan, coming home to win by 2/3L from Germany, while Zoe’s quad scull chased home Romania and Holland for bronze.

Fellow Hartpury alumni Sophia Heath and her GB women’s eight were squeezed out by just 0.19secs by America for bronze while Alice Bowyer was sixth in the coxless fours.