Crews from Radley and Abingdon gave outstanding displays to come second and third respectively in the Schools Head on the Tideway.

The only one of the 252 competing crews to beat them were defending champions Shrewsbury.

For Radley, who moved up from a start place of 13th, it was an early pat on the back for their new South African coach John Gearing who said that the boys had responded well to his approach.

While it was a first taste success for Gearing, for the Abingdon coach Michael Martin it was rather more a case of business as usual since he maintained his school's enviable record of a top-three finish.

There was more for Abingdon to celebrate as they won the junior 16 honours, chased home by King's Chester and Radley.

Headington School were knocked off their top spot in the women's eights, but still came second.

Osiris, the Oxford Boat Race line-up, were the top local boat in the 286-strong Women's Head.

They finished sixth overall and were winners of the University Division in a record time.

Coach Ian Shore was pleased but will clearly show no relaxation up to the Women's Boat Race on April 1 since Cambridge, who finished 8th, were only four seconds slower over the 4-mile course.

Wallingford had a story of accidents, illness and injury and had to change all four of their stroke-side rowers.

But, stroked by 2006 Oxford star Amelia Van Manen, they still finished 11th.

Oxford Brookes and Pembroke crews were second and third in the novice section, but Pembroke had post-race problems when they hit Putney Bridge, smashed their boat and ended up in the river.

Happily they were all picked up safely.

5:24pm Thursday 22nd March 2007

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