Reunion has silver lining for Bebington

ANNA Bebington enjoyed a glorious reunion with former rowing partner Annabel Vernon with the pair clinching silver at the World Championships.

The duo, who won the World Cup in 2006, saw off competition from Bulgaria, Australia, Czech Republic and USA to take the second spot in the women's double sculls final held in Poznan in Poland.

Bebington, from Longsdon, said: "I'm really proud of us. We did what we set out to do. We are pleased with silver."

Bebington and Vernon were fifth at the 500 metre stage of the race with all six boats separated by just over a length. The Brits pushed on rapidly to get into second spot and put some distance between them and third.

They put some pressure on leaders Poland but they couldn't overhaul the home-town favourites with Julia Michalska and Magdalena Fularczyk taking gold.

Team GB won a total of three gold medals, five silvers and a bronze.

They finished third in the medal table and Great Britain Performance director David Tanner said British rowing is in "good health" three years ahead of the Olympics.

"Over the past two days we've seen some exceptional performances from our rowers. To achieve six Olympic class medals from 11 boats is exceptional," said Tanner.

"We could have done with one more gold – but the problem of winning rather a lot of silver medals is a good one to have three years from an Olympics."