Crooks was educated at
Radley College and raced in the World Youth Championships in 1967. He won the
Thames Challenge Cup at
Henley Royal Regatta in 1968 competing for
Leander Club, then won
Silver Goblets in 1971 competing for Leander Club and partnering Glyn Locke. He raced in the 1971
World Rowing Championships in the
coxless pair, then in 1972 switched to the
double scull with
Patrick Delafield, winning the
Double Sculls Challenge Cup at Henley and the double sculls with Delafield, at the inaugural
1972 National Rowing Championships. Crooks and Delafield reached the final rowing for
Great Britain at the 1972 Summer Olympics at Munich and led briefly before finishing out of the medals in fifth. In 1973 Crooks moved to the
eight, winning the silver medal at the
1974 World Rowing Championships behind the U.S., and the
Grand Challenge Cup at Henley in 1975 (in which year he also finished 4th in the World Championships in the
coxed four). He won the silver medal in the eight
rowing at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, behind the
East German crew. Crooks then competed in the
single scull winning the
Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley and the
Wingfield Sculls in both 1977 and 1978. In 1980 he repeated his win of the Wingfield Sculls. In 1977 he came fourth in the World Championships in the single scull. He won the single sculls title, rowing for the
Kingston Rowing Club, at the
1982 National Rowing Championships and competing again at Henley in 1983, he won the
Queen Mother Challenge Cup and came second in the Diamond Challenge, then in 1984 was runner-up in the Double Sculls. == Other activities ==