Harry Leask’s return to home water after almost five years may have come as a surprise but the Scottish rower now has his eyes firmly set on a European Rowing Championship medal.

The Edinburgh rower was only asked to step in for Angus Groom this week as he accompanied Jack Beaumont in the men’s double sculls at Strathclyde Country Park.

But the transition couldn’t have been more seamless as the pair cruised through to the semi-finals in a time of 6:17.34.

Leask, who’s traditionally a single sculls rower, thoroughly enjoyed being back on Glasgow water and although teaming up with Beaumont was unexpected, the young rower is in determined mood to clinch a maiden senior rowing medal.

The 22-year-old said: “It’s great to be in Scotland again. I’ve not raced up here in nearly five years so it’s fantastic to be back.

"Angus (Groom) has been under the weather and a decision was made not to let him race.

“I stepped into the boat and it’s been a good feeling. It’s a nice change from the single sculls. It’s a nice boost of speed and it’s really good fun being out there with Jack.

“I’m confident I can get a medal. I’m personally in the best condition I’ve ever been in.

“I’ve stepped up into the senior squad this year and it’s been really exciting. Racing has been going really good so far so I just need to keep stepping up.”

There were plenty of positives from fellow Edinburgh rower Melissa Wilson as she goes in pursuit of a podium place in the women’s quadruple sculls.

Wilson, along with Mathilda Hodgkins-Byrne, Alice Baatz and Zoe Lee, finished third in their heat meaning they’ll go in the repechage for a place in the final on Saturday.

But the 25-year-old is still upbeat about the crew’s medal chances despite finishing nine seconds behind Poland.

She said: “I think it was a really useful chance for us to see where we need to go next and for us.

“We felt we rowed well in the middle but we need to work on a competitive start and that’s something we’ll aim to do in the repechage.

“We’ll get ourselves focussed again and re-energised so we can get back on it early and get going.”

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