Alice Freeman, of Wallingford, who was a reserve in Beijing, but ended up rowing in the women’s eight in the final, showed she has used the winter well by finishing second in the pairs at the final Great Britain trials in Belgium, writes Mike Rosewell.

Paired with fellow Olympian Jess Eddie, Freeman was only bettered by Olivia Whitlam and Lisa Reeve, the British 2008 Olympic duo.

Wallingford member Paul Mattick, racing under Leander colour, was involved in one of the memorable races of the trial.

Mattick, a coxless four Olympic finalist and 2007 world champion, looked to have the lightweight single sculls sewn up when he led by one-and-a-half lengths after 1500 metres.

He was thenovertaken by a remarkable finishing sprint from Rob Williams, the lightweight reserve man in Beijing.

Williams snatched first place by a fifth of a second.

Richard Chambers, formerly of Oxford Brookes, was third.

Three Oxford Brookes men, Peter Chambers, in a lightweight single, and Matt Tarrant as well as Scott Durant in a pair, claimed tenth places.

Two other Wallingford members, Lindsey Maguire and St Edward’s product Atlanta St John, finished ninth and 12th in the women’s singles.

Katie Greves, now an Olympian who began her international career as a junior at Headington, finished sixth in this tough event.

Tom Solesbury, from this year’s Oxford Boat Race crew, made a swift change from rowing to sculling and finished 12th in the men’s singles.

The British team for the first World Cup, held in May in Spain, will be announced on April 29.

Meanwhile, the Abingdon Head will be held on Sunday over a 2,000 metre upstream course.

The event will be held in four divisions, the first at 9.30am and the last at 3.30pm.

A total of 264 entries has been received.