Dover Rowing Club’s Jo Johnston, Maria West-Burrows and Tony Burrows will take on some of the sport’s best after qualifying for the World Offshore Championships.

The trio booked their places after competing in the British Offshore finals at Saundersfoot beach in Wales, Johnston and West-Burrows in the woman’s double and Burrows rowing with Jon Osborn, from Eastbourne RC.

Burrows and Osborn had to go through qualifying with a 4km race and grabbed second at the 1km turn. They were unable to close down the leading Mayflower crew on the 1.1 km second leg, leaving them to settle into their qualifying place, finishing in 25min05sec.

Finals day saw the weather in Wales deteriorate with 6ft swells, heavy hailstorms and risk of thunder. Burrows and Osborn were up first, facing international opposition from former Swedish world champion Peter Berg.

From the start there was a clear break for the leading two crews. Burrows’ boat turned in fourth and finished there in 26.15 for third among British competitors to seal a place in the Worlds.

In their race, Johnston and West-Burrows fell behind the Irish Arklow and Coastal RA crews who would take first and second. Fighting for third against Exmouth/Tideway and Jersey crews, they dropped back by the second turn, leaving them fifth, but as fourth GB crew automatic World Offshore places were confirmed in 32.04.