NORTHUMBERLAND rower Jamie Kirkwood completed a successful return from serious injury as he won the lightweight men’s single scull at the GB Rowing Team Trials for the second year in succession.

The 25-year-old had a disrupted winter due to knee surgery but looked back to his best as he beat a strong field including Chester-le-Street’s Will Fletcher and Olympic silver-medallists Richard and Peter Chambers.

“That was awesome, I really can’t believe it,” said Kirkwood. “I felt like I had come back really strongly after my knee surgery. I didn’t know whether I would be able to get to the form I had last season, but I felt good in my semi-final and then just gave it my in the final from the first stroke.

“I had to really dig deep in the second kilometre and just keep pushing my legs as hard as I could. I can take a lot of confidence into the summer. Boat selection (for the European and World Championships) is the next step, but I’m just going to enjoy this moment now. It feels great, I won’t lie.”

Fletcher, who finished in second, added: “I’ve had a pretty rough winter with injuries so to come back and finish second wasn’t too bad.

“I definitely think the lightweight is one of the most challenging events and we were racing against Olympic medallists, so it was really hard. It’s nice to know I have some fitness to take forward and I have put myself in the best possible place for the season ahead.”

Tees Rowing Club’s Kat Copeland, who claimed the Olympic title in 2012, suffered a surprise defeat in the lightweight women’s final. Having set the pace in the time trials and semi-finals, she led the final until the closing stages, but was pipped on the line by the fast-finishing Imogen Walsh and Charlotte Taylor.

Yarm’s Tina Stiller also suffered frustration in a high-quality women’s single scull final, won by Vicky Thornley and featuring four-time Olympic medallist Katherine Grainger on her return to the sport.

Stiller was pushing Grainger all the way, but almost capsized in the closing stages and eventually had to settle for fifth place.

“I was trying to push, but didn’t get my blade fully out of the water and thought I was going to go for a swim,” she said. “It wasn’t a great finish but I was pleased with the bit before that. I put myself in a good position, I just didn’t finish it off.”

Tees RC team-mates Jo Wratten and Bethany Bryan were second and third respectively in the C final.

Durham’s Jess Eddie partnered fellow Olympian Louisa Reeve to an excellent second place in a women’s pair final dominated by reigning World and Olympic champions Helen Glover and Heather Stanning.

Durham’s Nathaniel Reilly-O’Donnell – who helped the British men’s eight to gold at the 2014 World Championships – partnered Alan Sinclair to victory in the B final of the men’s pair.

Making a surprise A final appearance was Thornaby’s Chris Boddy, who partnered Matt Rossiter to sixth place overall in a men’s pair competition packed with reigning Olympic and World champions.