SEB Devereux shot to the top of the GB junior rowing squad pecking order with a not one but two victories at the GB trials at Boston last weekend.

The Chesham Grammar School pupil won the single scull race over 5km before adding another victory in the double scull alongside Sir William Borlase’s Michael Tymofijiw.

The 17-year-old is now in prime position to secure a place in the GB squad for the European/World Junior Championships later in the year.

It continues a remarkable rise for Devereux, who is new to the sport but showed his obvious potential last year when he helped Marlow Rowing Club to golds at the National Schools Regatta, British Championships, Marlow International Regatta, and Maidenhead Regatta.

He was also part of the GB squad that beat France 7-6 in their annual international match.

However, a 12th place finish at the early identification trials in November, when his glasses steamed up during the race, didn’t hint at what was to come at the main event.

He said: “It was so cold this weekend I needed to clear the ice from the bottom of my boat before I raced, but I’m absolutely delighted with my results.

“I’m not really surprised as it was what I have been aiming for and I knew from the early identification results which boys were going to be toughest to beat.”

Another good showing at the spring assessments in April and his place at the European and World Championships should be secure.

He said: “I enjoy pushing myself to the limits and achieving the goals I set for myself.

“Getting into the GB squad would mean everything to me, it's what I train for.”

However, Devereux wasn’t the only one flying the Marlow Rowing Club flag with distinction in Boston.

Out of 50 competitors, Josh Kent finished 15th and Charlie Simon 24th in the single scull event on Saturday and then combined to race to fifth position in the double scull on Sunday.

In the Junior Women’s competition, Abi Armstrong was 12th out of 64 and in the J16 section Heidi Long was ninth and Tegan Foister was 16th from 27.

In the double sculls on Sunday, Armstrong and her crewmate Alessandra French were fourth with Long and Foister 19th.

These results follow on from a strong performance by Marlow Juniors at the Hampton Small Boats Head earlier this month where Devereux, Kent, Simon and Harry Glenister took silver in the J18 quads.

In the J15 boys, the coxed quad sculls of Alex Haynes, Fraser Russell, George Buckle, Ed Davis and cox Tom MacPherson took gold.

Haynes and Russell then made it a double triumph in the doubles, while the J15 girls won in an eight, with silver medals coming in J14 coxed quads sculls and J15 double sculls.

l In the February 10 edition of the BFP we reported that Saskia Devereux and Molly Harding won silver at the Thames Valley Head Trials. It’s even better than that, they actually won gold.