OLYMPIAN rowers Richard Egington and Olivia Whitlam won gold medals in Sunday’s World Cup.

Former Lymm High School pupil Egington and his reigning world champion crewmates in the men’s four were comfortable winners on the water in Bled, Slovenia, in the season’s first showpiece regatta.

Daresbury’s Whitlam, who joined Egington in representing Team GB at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, achieved success in the eight.

Egington revealed his boat almost did not make it to the start and admitted the four were below their best even though they struck gold.

“We raced as we thought we would but a few weeks ago we did not even know if we would be there,” said Egington, whose career started with Warrington Rowing Club.

“One of the guys had a problem with his spine and I have been ill so it was touch and go.”

His quartet, including Northwich rower Matthew Langridge at stroke, Alex Gregory and Alex Partridge, were also victors in their heat and semi final.

They quickly opened up a lead over Serbia in the final, remaining steady in a sprint finish despite a late challenge from their closest rivals.

There was disappointment for Whitlam and Louisa Reeve in the women’s pair, finishing fifth in the final, but they were strong from the start in the women’s eight, joining Jess Eddie, Alison Knowles, Jo Cook, Lindsey Maguire, Vicky Thornley and Natasha Page.

They took victory by just under half a length from Holland and China.

“Since the trials we have known that we have a fast eight. There is a buzz about it,” said 24-year-old Agecroft Rowing Club’s Whitlam, who started out at King’s School, Chester.

The next World Cup regatta is in Munich from June 18.