ALICE Davies stormed home first with Leander in the first Women’s 8s Head since 2019.

The Wales and GB rower’s boat started and finished in pole position in the 4 1/4-Mile Chiswick to Putney championship time-trial, rowing clear away from the chasing pack.

The Leander boat finished in 19 minutes 15.7 secs to take the headship in the 296-boat event by a giant 34 seconds, with Welsh cox Harry Brightmore steering Oxford Brookes to second by three seconds from Tideway Scullers.

Brookes team with cox Harry Brightmore

Thames RC’s top boat was another five seconds back just pipping the Leander B boat of Wales’ Issy Powell by 0.4 secs, who made it under the 20-minute mark with a second to spare.

Llandaff RC product Rhiannon Morgan helped her London University crew to the University title one place back in sixth, finishing in 20.13, seven seconds up on the all-star GB masters boat containing seven Rio medallists, including Cardiff Metropolitan graduate Helen Glover.

Wales Home Countries champion Lucy Iball was on board the Thames B boat that placed 10th in 20.23.8, 3.9 secs and one place up on Welsh GB rower Ruth Siddorn’s Leander C crew.

Cardiff University finished top Welsh club with a highly creditable 66th in 22.16, followed by their B boat in 23.39 who placed 151st.

Monmouth Rc’s veterans, including two over-70s, battled over in 25.20 to place 229th, beating Swansea University who incurred a 10-second penalty by 1.4secs and two places.

A Swansea University/Cardiff City composite also crossed in 26.36 to finish 256th.