Oxford Blues Pete Reed and Constantine Louloudis put down a solid marker for the 2016 Rio Olympics with second place at the first of the year’s senior GB trials, writes John Wiggins.

With fewer than 300 days to the Olympic Regatta it was, barring a few doctor’s notes, a full squad turn-out at Boston for the opening set of trials racing on the River Witham over 5km in pairs and single sculls.

Behind Reed and Louloudis in the pairs event were Oxford Brookes’ Scott Durrant (fourth) and Teddies’ old boy, Stewart Innes (sixth).

They were just ahead of Matt Tarrant, another product of the Oxford Brookes contingent, all of whom were all rowing with partners from their medal-winning World Championship crews.

The senior women raced in singles, where Wheatley’s Frances Houghton finished sixth with Brookes’ Olivia Carnegie-Brown ten places behind.

Oxford Brookes past and present rowers dominated the lightweight men’s race.

Richard Chambers won, seven seconds ahead of brother, Peter with current students, Jamie Copus and Joel Cassells – still under 23s – fifth and sixth.

With Brianna Stubbs absent through illness, Wallingford RC still had fifth and sixth places for Ellie Piggott and Gemma Hall.

At Kingston Small Boats Head, Wallingford RC, while encouraged by second places for the men’s and women’s IM3 doubles and for Eve Newton in the IM1, it was their novice quad of Leigh Bard, Sara Ball, Libby Johnston and Becky Collier who came away with victory.

In the Henley Sculls, Radley College had third places in novice and IM2. Wallingford’s Masters G double went one better while Charles Parry again won the Masters G.

Further Masters success went to City of Oxford’s D double scull of Nick Stargardt and Chris Platt.