London Rowing Club’s Jess Eddie helped GB win gold at the European Championships, and then dedicated it to a lost friend.

The 31-year-old was part of the ladies eight boat that beat Holland and Russia in Sunday’s final held in Brandenburg, Germany.

It was a close run thing however, with the crew almost a boat length down on the Dutch with three-quarters of the race still to row.

However, a last gasp burst over the final 10m saw Eddie and co finish just four tenths ahead of their nearest rivals.

Afterwards, Eddie hailed former coach Ron Needs, who passed away earlier this year.

She said: “That was for Ron. He was a massive advocate of women’s rowing and we are proud to have produced that kind of performance for him.

“I am sure he will be up there critiquing it and enjoying it”.

It was almost double gold for London Rowing Club, but Mark Aldred came up just short in winning silver as part of the light men’s four.

They were beaten into second place by reigning World Champions Switzerland, but it was a big step up from their own Worlds performance when they finished ninth.

Aldred added: “We have worked hard and made a lot of improvements over the winter”.

In the men’s eight, cox Phelan Hill from Wandsworth won bronze behind winners Germany and runners-up Russia – it was a close run thing however, as GB recorded the same time as fourth place Belarus, and they had to be separated by a photo finish.

The crews were also battling a strong crosswind that made for tough racing.

Hill, who rows with Leander RC, said: “Those were some of the worst conditions I have ever rowed in, but we still made the most of it. There is more to come”.

There was less good news for London Rowing Club’s Imogen Walsh who finished sixth in the light women’s single scull.

In the B final of the lightweight women’s double scull, Putney’s Charlotte Taylor and London 2012 gold medal winner Kat Copeland finished second behind Sweden by less than half a second.