ALEX GREGORY, from Wormington in Gloucestershire, and Mohamed Sbihi – the reigning world champions in the men’s four – teamed up as a pair at the GB rowing team’s winter assessment to win one of the most gruelling tests ever set by head coach Jurgen Grobler.

Gregory and Sbihi came home ahead of five other world gold medal-winning men – George Nash also from the four; Paul Bennet and Matt Gotrel; ex Cirencester Deer Park pupil Peter Reed (racing with Scott Durant) as well as Nathaniel Reilly O’Donnell (racing with Alan Sinclair) from the men’s eight.

Grobler had his men completing three back-to-back 2k time-trials with only the paddle back up to the start as recovery time.

“Today very much took us out of our comfort zone," said Sbihi afterwards.

"It was a new experience, making sure you didn’t push too hard in the first one but also not leaving it too little, too late.

“It’s an important event. The reason for this is that it keeps us on our toes for the summer racing. Everyone wants to establish themselves at the highest possible ranking in the squad.

"The bigger picture, of course, is that because everyone wants to do well, we get a stronger international team out of it."

Sbihi and Gregory were the overall winners with Reed and Durant in fourth.