A WELSH rower’s oar-some progress at club level has sealed her spot in the national team for a high profile international tournament against some of the UK’s top competitors.

Lucy Iball, 25, who works for Hadlow Edwards Wealth Management, based at the former Wrexham Lager building in Wrexham, has been chosen to represent Wales at the annual Home International Regatta for the second year running on July 21.

The Chester Grosvenor Rowing Club athlete only took up the sport when she began university six years ago but has been training intensively for her club since 2016, with aspirations to make Team GB.

During the past 12 months Lucy participated in the Team GB trials and landed a respectable ninth place finish in her event – the lightweight women’s single - before having to withdraw from the next stage of this year’s trials due to illness.

The former Connah's Quay High School student, who competes in lightweight single events and will also take part in the lightweight double at the Home International Regatta, is no stranger to success on the water.

She has already recorded a victory at a race meeting in Nottingham, finished second at Wallingford Regatta and been a semi-finalist at the prestigious Henley Women’s Regatta on the River Thames.

Lucy, who is currently working towards her Diploma in Financial Planning, began her love affair with the sport when she studied chemistry at Durham University.

It has now become a huge part of her life as she is required to train morning and night.

Lucy said: “I started rowing at university. I went to Durham where it’s a very popular sport. I just fell in love with it, it’s so nice to be outdoors.

“I was a swimmer when I was younger so I was used to water and both sports are similar in the required amount of time for training.

“I train twice a day, every day. It’s very demanding and time consuming. You have to row come wind, rain or shine. Even in the snow!

“You’ve really got to dedicate yourself to it, which is especially tough in the winter months when it’s minus six and windy.

The Home International Regatta is being held in Cork, Ireland, this year and in the past the tournament has been a pathway to Team GB for the likes of Welsh rower Graeme Thomas and England’s Charlotte Taylor.

Lucy added: “This will be the second time I’ve represented Wales at the Home International Regatta.

“Last year I came third in the lightweight single and third in the lightweight double.

“I was really pleased with that as it was the first time I’d represented Wales.

“Hopefully I can build on it at this year’s event. It’s a huge honour to represent your country."