ROWER Nick Ryan has won a European silver medal to cap a remarkable season.

The 19-year-old, from Hexham, excelled at the European University Championships, on Lake Munksjön in Sweden.

He was part of the Oxford University lightweight coxless four which represented Britain at the event.

The race for medal places was tight throughout the 1,810m course, and Oxford finished just 1.7 seconds behind Erasmus University of Rotterdam, which secured gold for the Netherlands.

In third place was the University of Hanover, which earned bronze medals for Germany.

The achievement came just four months after Nick was part of the winning Oxford crew at the 2019 Lightweight Boat Race, along the famous ‘Henley Reach’ stretch of London’s River Thames.

He previously won the U23 University Shield sat the British Rowing Senior Championships as part of the Oxford University lightweight coxless four.

Further achievements included success at the British Universities Championships Regatta, where he gained bronze medals in the coxless four, and coxless quadruple skulls. Nick was also part of the Oxford lightweight eight crew which competed at the Henley Royal Regatta.

The crew was invited to the World Rowing University Regatta, which took place in China, in August.

But Nick, who is starting his second year at Oxford, where he is studying mathematics, is not the only rower in his family.

His sister Lucy Ryan also compete at the European University Rowing Championships, in Sweden. She also represented Britain, rowing for Reading University in the women’s double sculls.

Lucy, and her doubles partner Chloe Knight, won their heat convincingly. But they came up against strong winds and rain in the final, and just missed out on the medals with a very respectable fourth place.

Nick and Lucy, who is also studying mathematics at university, were able to celebrate their achievements at the after-event dinner.

Both siblings have long been associated with Hexham’s Queen Elizabeth High School Rowing Club, where they learned and developed their skills under the guidance of Geoff and Pauline Higgins.

The rowing club has enjoyed a successful season in its own right, with success in the North-East and further afield for its young members.

For more information about the rowing club contact Pauline on (01434) 23068.