By Emily Goddard

Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler claimed gold for New Zealand in the women's pair at the 2014 World Rowing Under 23 Championships ©Getty ImagesNew Zealand has topped the medal table at the 2014 World Rowing Under 23 Championships in the Italian city of Varese, with the golds being spread among 23 nations.

At the end of the two days of finals, New Zealand finished the competition with three gold medals, two silvers and a bronze from the 21 boat classes, while the United States followed closely behind with three golds, a silver and a bronze, and Italy came overall third with two golds, three silvers and two bronze.

For New Zealand, there are now under 23 world champions in the lightweight women's double sculls, men's eight and women's pair, where Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler completely dominated their final and set a new under-23 world best time - the only one set at the regatta.

The US' golds came in the women's four, the women's eight and the lightweight men's single sculls, where Andrew Campbell successfully defended his 2013 title.

Senior women's double sculls world champion Milda Valčiukaitė (left) now also has an under 23 world gold in the women's single sculls ©Getty ImagesSenior women's double sculls world champion Milda Valčiukaitė (left) now also has an under 23 world gold in the women's single sculls ©Getty Images



Lithuania's Milda Valčiukaitė, the senior women's double sculls world champion, dominated her women's single sculls race to finish just a fraction of a second outside of the under 23 world best time, ahead of Italy's Sara Magnaghi and Germany's Anne Beenken, who took silver and bronze respectively.

Spain and Turkey also both went home with medals.

Spain clinched gold in the lightweight men's four, beating Great Britain and last year's under 23 world champions Italy, while Turkey's Enes Kuşku earned silver in the lightweight men's single sculls.

A number of the athletes from this event, including the Netherlands' Ilse Paulis who won the lightweight women's single sculls, will now join their national senior teams in preparation for this year's World Rowing Championships, which take place in Amsterdam from August 24 to 31.

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