ROWING: Just 0.16 seconds denied Stourport Boat Club pair Debbie Taylor and Jacqui Phillips the National Veteran Championships title.

Racing in the double scull B section, they won their heats convincingly and looked certain winners in the final against Leicester with only a handful of strokes to go.

But their East Midlands opposition forced a photo finish which went in their favour at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham.

A resurgent Smokie Hart won silver in the C single sculls title after a14-year absence from the sport.

The former Bewdley oarsman easily won through to the final where he faced stiff competition from established scullers.

Following his now customary explosive start, a close race ensued with the Stourport sculler just beaten into second place by a Dart Totnes rower.

Hart joined the C quad sculls of Richard Lloyd, Don Taylor and Tom Edwards for a bronze medal with Tideway Scullers claiming gold.