Former Walton Rowing Club youngster Angus Groom continued his breakthrough 2015 campaign by winning his first senior international gold medal at the first rowing World Cup of the summer on Sunday.

Th 23-year-old former RGS Guildford student, who caught the eye with a fourth-placed finish for Team GB in the single scull at last month’s European Championships, stepped in to replace the injured Charles Cousins in the men’s quad at Lake Varese in Italy.

And it was a smooth transition, with Groom, Sam Townsend, Graeme Thomas and Peter Lambert producing a perfectly-judged race in the final to beat Germany to gold.

“It’s just awesome”, said Groom, who first rowed Walton’s Sunbury Lane base.

“It was just really, really high quality. We really dug deep and it felt like the rhythm of the boat was just what we wanted it to be.”

Molesey Boat Club’s Henry Fieldman hailed the power and intent of the men’s eight after coxing them to a thrilling victory also over Germany. Clubmates Surbiton’s Moe Sbihi and George Nash – among seven reigning World Champions in the boat – were in the engine room as the British crew produced an awesome surge in the second 1,000m to overhaul the Olympic and European champions.

Fieldman, in the cox seat for the first time this season, said: “We are very, very pleased with that. Winning is always good, especially against competition as tough as Germany and the US. “We found a really good rhythm through the middle section, there was so much power and intent from the guys. We are all proud of what we achieved.”

Twickenham’s John Collins and Team GB  men’s double sculls partner Jonny Walton got a taste of how tough it will be to qualify for an Olympic final – let alone win a meal – on Sunday.

The pair won their B final, having failed to qualify for the six-boat main event at the first World Cup regatta of the summer in Italy.

Richmond-based London 2012 bronze medal winner Alan Campbell, inset, was fifth in the men’s single sculls final.   

All Pictures: Peter Spurrier/Intersport Images