WHILE at Abingdon School, Tom Digby was no stranger to breaking records on the rowing machine, writes John Wiggins.

Now studying at Yale in the USA, he has lost none of his enthusiasm and has just added four under 19 world records to his name.

The most recent saw him cover 18 kilometres in a gruelling one-hour effort, followed by a half-marathon in 70 minutes to add to his 6km and 10km records.

Those still at the school, hoping to emulate Digby as junior internationals, were at the GB trials in Boston, Lincolnshire.

Four of Abingdon’s pupils remain in contention from the pairs racing, while Connor Brown won the J16 double scull.

Danielle Semple was the pick of Headington School’s scullers, finishing in a strong fourth place, while Radley College’s Archie McChesney and Josh Bowesman-Jones were third in the pairs.

Despite the absence of their top four boys, Abingdon School picked up a win in IM3 senior eights at the Henley Fours and Eights Head.

Their successful crew was Freddie Bermingham (cox), Ed Fry, Ed Hall, Alex Watkinson, Rob Harris, Alex Jorgensen, Harry Cover, Josh Braithwaite and Josh Ascroft.

Oxford University college crews, in preparation for Torpids bumps racing, celebrated multiple victories.

Keble came away with the women’s novice eights, while Wadham captured the men’s novice title and Hertford the novice fours.

Pembroke College, with wins in both IM2 and IM1 eights over the Henley course, might be confident of retaining the Torpids title for another year.

At Varsity level, it was the turn of the women’s Boat Race squads to gain racing experience on the Tideway.

The Oxford crew, despite a strong recent record, are starting from scratch with a squad bereft of Blues.

Head coach Ali Williams has only the president Rebecca te Water Naudé, from the losing Osiris (reserve) boat, back from 2016.

Added local interest comes in following the prospects of former Cheney School, Oxford pupil, Alice Roberts, who is in contention for a place.

In the two races against a strong Oxford Brookes crew, the better rhythm of Dark Blues saw them finish clear in the first piece and also take the second, despite never breaking clear.