Stroud district duo shine on world stage

Quedgeley's Redding bagged a splendid win at Silverstone to maintain his lead at the top of the Moto2 World Championship.

His win finished a great week for the 20-year-old after he penned a two-year contract to ride with the best riders in the world in MotoGP with Honda Gresini for next season.

Meanwile, Nailsworth's Reed helped the British men's eight gain a surprise victory in the rowing World Championships in South Korea.

Reed dedicated the Great Britain's men's eight gold medal to the memory of the late Acer Nethercott as Team GB stormed to a brilliant victory at the World Rowing Championships in South Korea.

Nethercott, who died of brain cancer in January, coxed the British Eight from 2005 to 2008, winning bronze at the 2007 World Rowing Championships in Munich.

A year later he won a silver medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing.

Reed said: " I have thought a lot about Acer recently (the 2008 Olympic cox who died recently) He was a good friend and I know he would have wanted us to be here and I am glad that we are bringing back a gold medal which I think we should dedicate to him."

The British crew finished ahead of Germany and the United States in Chungju, giving Britain a second gold of the event.

The team of Reed, Daniel Ritchie, Tom Ransley, Alex Gregory, Mohamed Sbihi, Andrew Triggs Hodge, George Nash, William Satch and cox Phelan Hill were leading throughout the race, but had to hold on at the end, with Germany finishing fast.

Reed added: "It was an amazing race. We are part of history now in the British eight.

"Not just the result but the performance backed up the result and the history.

"It was a pleasure and privilege to be part of it. Eight amazing guys to share that with and who contributed in such amazing ways all the way down the boat.

"We are up for this all week. I am absolutely thrilled. I have some fabulous memories that I can share in the future with these guys.

"The venue here is also magical. It looks like an Olympics. and you can see that people really care here."

Germany showed their hand first within the first 15 strokes to get a marginal lead. The British boat, stroked by Satch, did not let them get away. GB were a canvas down at 250m gone before pushing again to take the lead - but only just as the 500m mark approached.

France was also looking good on the far side with the USA slightly behind. Stroke by stoke the British inched up to a canvas lead over the green shell of the German boat.

At halfway they were a half length ahead and the heart-beast soared again in the British section of the crowd. GB, Germany and the USA were sitting in the medal slots as the race moved past the three-quarter mark. GB moved on again.

The Germans were coming back but not quick enough. Victory to the GB boat and a unique niche in the annals of rowing.

Redding thrilled a huge crowd to take victory and open up a 38-point advantage over Pol Espargaro. Japanese rider Takaaki Nakagami was second, with Espargaro struggling to an eighth-placed finish.

"To get a home win is amazing and it has done wonders for the championship as well," said Redding.

Redding became the first British rider in any solo class to arrive at the British GP leading the world championship, since Barry Sheene in 1977.

"The crowd were brilliant. The atmosphere pushed me on and kept me calm."

It is the second time he has won his home race after winning the 125cc event at Donington Park in 2008.

He celebrated wildly with the home crowd on an extended slowing-down lap. Redding, whose Marc VDS racing bike was sporting special Union Jack paintwork this weekend, made a great start to lead through the first corner as title rival Espargaro went backwards.

Nakagami moved through to take the lead with seven laps left, but when he ran wide at Village corner three laps later Redding was able to move back ahead and take his third win of the season.