HEBDEN rower Andy Hodge made a successful start to competitive action in 2006 last Saturday when he won the final Great Britain winter assessment trials with Peter Reed (writes Mike Crowther).

The pair were comfortable victors by 13 seconds on the 5km course at Boston in Lincolnshire with a time of 17 minutes 35.19 seconds.

The trials provide an early marker for the Great Britain selectors ahead of this year's international calendar.

And Hodge and Reed - half of the World Championship-winning gold medal four of last year - gave a reminder that they intend to hold on to their places in the men's top boat.

"Things hadn't been going amazingly well beforehand, but we rose to the occasion on the day and produced a really solid race," said Hodge, a former pupil at Upper Wharfedale School and South Craven School.

Starting as the second boat out in the time trial event, Hodge said they had been spurred on after seeing the puddles made by the boat of Tom Stallard and Josh West in front of them.

Stallard and West had won the second assessment trial in November when Hodge competed as a single due to Reed being injured.

"They fancied their chances and rightly so as they have been going well, but we found a great rhythm and really closed up on them," added Hodge.

Alex Partridge and Steve Williams - the other half of the gold medal winning four - finished a disappointing sixth.