ZAC PURCHASE stormed to the top of the world rankings with a superb display of sculling from the front on Switzerland's Rotsee course.

The 20-year-old former King's Worcester student was unstoppable as he led from the first stroke to take gold at Lucerne's World Cup Regatta -- just weeks after returning from four months out with a torn wrist ligament.

His punch of delight on the line showed just how much it meant to the world silver medallist after coming home nearly two lengths clear of Canada's Douglas Vandor.

Purchase said: "I was expecting it to be a lot closer to be honest, but to come back and win gold after being out for so long feels great.

"It was always my aim to get back racing this season, but it doesn't get much better than coming back from a long lay off and winning at the world's top open regatta.

"I won silver at the World Cup in Munich last year and the world championship silver in Japan, but it's great to be top dog."

Purchase cruised through the 72kg lightweight singles semis in the fastest time, and then blasted off the blocks in the six-boat final to grab a third of a length lead from Spain's Juan Zunzunegiu Guimerans at 500m.

He was out to three-quarters of a length at the 1000m halfway mark, where Vandor had moved into second and was almost a length to the good at the 1500m mark.

But no one could live with Purchase's pace as he put the hammer down in the last quarter, pushing the rating to 36 strokes a minute to finish 5.4 seconds up on Vandor who just held off the Spaniard for bronze with Germans Michael Wieler and Jonathan Kock and Dutchman Gerard Van Der Linden trailing.

"It worked a treat and now I can't wait for the worlds on home water at Windsor's Dor-ney Lake in six weeks time," added Purchase.

"I guess I'll be favourite now and the fact that it's also in front of a home crowd with friends and families all shouting for you brings extra pressure.

"So I'll have to stay really focussed and block out all the distractions, but I was fav-ourite at the world U23s last year and handled that and hopefully I'll be able to handle it again."

Saxaphone player Purchase was forced to busk to fulfil his rowing dreams last year, but lottery funding and other support has changed all that.

"Last year I was the new kid on the block, struggling for funding and back-up. But the world U23 title and then the silver in Japan helped change that.

"I was hoping to do a double this year, which is an Olympic class boat, but my injury, which left my arm in plaster from January to March, put a spanner in the works.

"So I just concentrated on getting back in the boat again as soon as possible, working on improving my fitness cycling in an altitude chamber.

"I wanted to be back competitive again and raced for the first time in Amsterdam two weeks ago, but to come to the World Cup regatta and win gold feels pretty special."

Worcester RC's Matt Bee-chey suffered semi-final agony in his GB lightweight four, leading to within 400m of the line only to be beaten by feet for the three qualifying slots by Egypt, Holland and Greece.

But there was some consolation in winning the 'B' final for seventh place, cracking Belgium on the line with Canada, South Africa, Poland and Italy all behind.