Most of the Oxford area’s Olympic medal winners were at Henley on Saturday, feted at a Leander Club-based day of celebration.

This included a reception at the River and Rowing Museum, followed by a row down the river and then an open-bus parade around the town.

Thousands turned up to cheer and meet the athletes, who eventually returned to Leander for a late lunch.

Oxford University’s new president, Colin Smith, stroke of the British silver medal-winning eight, was one of the last arrivals, having been involved in the Boat Race squad’s early season sort-outs.

Smith has started the campaign with 32 candidates for Blues, calling them “a group very mixed in ability, age, experience and country of origin”.

 Wallingford had two good wins at the Pairs Head on the Tideway, from Mortlake to Hammersmith.

Youngsters Ertan Hazine and Simon Steele took the junior 18 doubles, leading home a large entry by a clear 15 seconds. Veterans Mike Edge and Orlando Warner, with a great season behind them including Henley qualification, won the veteran B/C coxless pairs.

  A total of 25 St Edward’s School rowers, achieved four wins, four seconds and four third places at the Bedford Small Boats Head.

The most eye-catching wins came from Stewart Innes in the senior 4 singles, and the senior 2 coxed four.

Abingdon RC completed a hat-trick, winning the women’s senior 3 fours, the women’s senior 2 doubles and the men’s senior 3 doubles.