ST EDWARD’S girls stole the show at the Star Regatta in Bedford, writes John Wiggins.

But it also proved a memorable event for Abingdon School, whose J15 crews proved unstoppable.

Competing in eight events on the Great Ouse river, St Edward’s girls' won five titles, having reached six finals.

There was a double success for the girls' senior coxed four, before they joined with four of the school’s J15s to triumph in the J17 eights category.

Victory in both the A and B J14 quads was matched by the school’s senior quad in the J14 single.

Though fewer in number, the Teddies boys also had reason for celebration, with three finals from four events and a win for the J14 boys quad.

Their J15 eight went close, but had to watch rivals Abingdon take victory by half a length.

It provided one of four success in the age group, with the Abingdon crew also successful when split into two coxed fours winning both the A and B categories.

Their dominance in the category was completed when their J15 B eight ensured a clean sweep.

With further success in the J14 coxed eight, Abingdon had plenty to celebrate.

Hinksey Sculling School’s junior regatta on the lake at Blenheim Palace proved a great success.

Three-lane racing over a 500m course was enjoyed by hundreds of young scullers aged 10-14 from 21 clubs.

Leading the way were Headington School, who claimed the Victor Ludorum thanks to the four bronze, three silver and four gold medal-winning crews in the J12 and J13 singles, J13 doubles and the J13 quad.

The Dragon School took away a bronze for their J13 boys quad, while the hosts collected a gold, two silvers and a bronze from the J12 band two singles.

Elsewhere, the Walton and Weybridge Regatta saw success for Radley College.

Their crews reached finals in the fours, quads and octuples, but their sole success came in the Open eights event, with their third boat.

Making best use of the infrastructure, the same course was employed for the Weybridge Ladies Regatta where Falcon RC’s masters E crew overcame an 11-second age-handicap to win the E/F double sculls.

ZOE Lee will return to the international stage for the second World Cup event in Austria later this month.

The Oxford Blue has been named in the Great Britain team having recovered from a knee surgery which has kept her sidelined since her Olympic silver medal at Rio in 2016.

Lee will race in the quad scull, one of many changes to the team since the Belgrade World Cup a fortnight ago.

Josh Bugajski and Oli Cook raced together in the 2017-winning Oxford Boat Race crew, but now race in different GB pairs.

Cook is paired with Matt Rossiter, who started rowing at Abingdon School – as did his brother, George, who again races in the four.

Former Radley College pupil Oli Wynne Griffith and Matt Tarrant (Oxford Brookes) are in the eight.

The women’s eight is no longer relying on athletes doubling up so Headingtonian, Fiona Gammond and another Blue, Anastasia Chitty, can focus solely on the four and pair respectively.

In the lightweights, Abingdon and Oxford Brookes sculler, Jamie Copus moves from the single to the double, while Wallingford’s Ellie Piggott continues in her double but will be competing against teammate Gemma Hall.