Lucky 13 for champ

DOUBLE Olympic champion James Cracknell returned to a single scull for the first time in 13 years on Saturday.

Cracknell, who won gold medals in Athens and Sydney, was competing in the Henley Sculls and won the Masters C 1x.

The event is organised by Henley Rowing Club.

He was one of more than 540 rowers competing on a 3,000m upstream course from Greenlands to the Henley Royal Regatta finish line.

Cracknell, 44, last raced in a single scull at the national trials in 2003.

Writing on Twitter, he described the race as a “painful” experience.

“It showed why we used to train so much,” he said. “Won (just), so got away with it.”