Olympic heroes Frances Houghton and Andy Triggs Hodge head Oxfordshire’s challenge at Henley this week, writes Mike Rosewell.

Houghton from Wheatley is in a selected (seeded) women’s quad, the crew being composed of the GB double and pair crews, both gold medallists at the recent World Cup at Eton Dorney.

Other selected boats with local rowers involved include the wo-men’s eights where one crew has Oxford University involvement and the other contains Oxford Brookes members. Oxford’s Olympic gold medallist Triggs Hodge will go straight to the final as stroke of the Great Britain men’s eight in the Grand Eights – their only rivals are combined Pol-ish and American crew.

In the Schools Eights, Abingdon and St Edward’s – first and second in the National Schools Regatta – are selected in different halves of the draw. Abingdon, looking to complete the big treble of Schools Head, National Schools and Henley for the second year running – have crews from Australia and America to overcome.

Teddy’s will have to better rivals from Hampton, St Paul’s and a selected outfit from Germany.

Other selected crews from Ox-fordshire are Griffin BC (Abingdon School alumni) in the Thames Cup eighths, Taurus (Oxford Brookes old boys) in the Britannia, Isis in the Prince Albert Fours and Oxford Brookes in the Temple Eights.

Non-selected local crews involved include a City of Oxford eight in the Thames Cup, a Wallingford wo-men’s quad scull, and ‘dark horses’ Radley in the Schools Eights.

l Six local wins were notched up at Reading Town Regatta. Radley won both the J15A and B classes in eights, Abingdon monopolizing the J14 sculling classes and St Edward’s and Oxford University lightweight women took a win apiece.