Molesey Boat Club's Greg Searle made a golden return to international rowing on Sunday as Team GB collected nine gold medals at the first World Cup regatta of the summer in Slovenia.

The 38-year-old 1992 Olympic coxed pairs champion, who is bidding to make the 2012 Games in London, helped the men’s eight pip the strong Dutch and Polish crews to first place at the weekend.

It was his first appearance in a British vest after a ten-year break from the sport having finished fourth in the coxless pairs with Ed Coode at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, and help inspire the team to 16-medal haul over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Clubmates James Foad and Surbiton’s Moe Sbihi also formed part of the crew that sneaked home by a second and the pair acknowledged the experience they gained in the competition last year proved crucial.

“It’s a massive difference to last year. There is an ability to control what we are doing,” said Sbihi.

“We’re older and more mature and we’re more internally driven.”

Foad added: ”I got a bit of experience from last year and took that away and worked on what I thought were the mistakes. As a crew we have come together well.”

Molesey skipper Andrew Triggs-Hodge and Peter Reed finished just over a second behind New Zealand pair Eric Murray and Hamish Hamilton to pick up silver.

It was the seventh time in succession the British pair had lost out to their Kiwi rivals, but was the closest losing margin of all their encounters leaving Triggs-Hodge to point out there must be no let up.

He said: “We will go away and work on every stroke. These guys are very strong, so we need to work every day to improve.”

Two hours later Reed jumped into the men’s eight crew that won gold, as a late replacement for Tom Wilkinson.

“I'm exhausted, but such credit must go to this crew. There a lot of young guys who are not experienced and they have an exciting future ahead of them, “ he added.

Wimbledon’s Sophie Hosking - and partner Hester Goodsell - clinched silver in the women’s lightweight double sculls behind the USA leaving her dream of gold at the World Championships later this year.

“We haven't been to any regatta when we haven't been on the podium,” she added.

“Obviously there is one step on that podium which is better than the others and that’s where we aim to be in New Zealand later this year. That’s the long term goal.”

Putney’s Stephanie Cullen - and partner Andrea Dennis - finished the same race in sixth.