Oxford (competing as Isis) and Cambridge have both entered multiple crews in this weekend’s (Saturday 13.30) Fullers Fours Head as part of their early season build-up to the 2007 Boat Race*, sponsored by Xchanging.

The Fours Head - raced "in reverse" over the Boat Race course on the Thames - is the first opportunity for the two squads to test their competitive mettle, albeit it in coxed and coxless fours.

Cambridge President Tom James and last year’s Light Blue stroke Kip McDaniel join up with Colin Scott and Alastair Macleod - son of former Olympic oarsman Jamie Macleod - in the elite coxless four event.

Oxford President Robin Ejsmond-Frey, meanwhile, competes in the coxed four event with new arrival and American international Brodie Buckland, Terence Kookyer, Matt Brown and cox Dane Van den Aaker.

They look set to face stiff Light Blue opposition in the shape of 2006 Cambridge Blues Thorsten Engelmann, Sebastian Schulte and Kieran West along with Jesper Hasell.

This event also features a Leander coxed four with GB world champions Peter Reed (former Oxford Blue), Alex Partridge and Steve Williams together with GB oarsman Marcus Bateman on board.

2483 athletes in 546 crews will compete in 20 different events this weekend in the 52nd edition of this popular event which takes place on the Thames from Chiswick to Putney Bridge - a distance of four and a quarter miles.

Ejsmond-Frey was in positive pre-event mood this week about Oxford’s current training programme. "The whole thing is getting better every outing. We’re fit and we’re hungry".

MORE DETAILS, DRAW and RESULTS AT: www.hor4s.org.uk

*THE 2007 BOAT RACE, SPONSORED BY XCHANGING, WILL TAKE PLACE ON SATURDAY 7 APRIL AT 4.30PM.