Great Britain team manager, David Tanner, who started his rowing career at Abingdon School, is often more conservative than many in his predictions of likely success.

He was correct in caution and his team's performance last weekend in the Lucerne World Cup was less than spectacular with a tally of four medals - and just one gold.

Wheatley's Frances Houghton - a three-time world champion - is much more accustomed to picking up gold medals rather than the bronze achieved with the women's quad in Lucerne.

Oxford's Robin Bourne Taylor and cox Acer Nethercott were in another bronze medal position in the men's eight.

Wallingford's clutch of GB performers just missed out World champion Paul Mattick, in the men's lightweight four with Oxford Brookes's Richard Chambers, finished fifth, while Andrea Dennis was fourth in the lightweight singles.

Perennial Helen Casey, racing with a new partner, finished eighth in the women's lightweight double One boat not yet qualified for Beijing is the women's single, so Wallingford's Tina Stiller, eleventh last weekend, could be given the chance.

In the Metropolitan Regatta at Eton, City of Oxford got a first and a second.