Sickle, racing against Hammer, won the Oxford Trial Eights this afternoon by four lengths in squally conditions.

Both crews were a mixture of oarsmen from Oxford University Boat club and the traditional "trial" was an opportunity for coach Sean Bowden to view his rowers under pressure in race conditions.

Each of the crews sought the shelter of the shore in several sections of the race today but it was the eight stroked by Croatian Ante Kusurin and coxed by Philip Clausen-Thue, with Oxford President Robin Ejsmond-Frey in the seven seat, which pulled away just beyond Hammersmith Depository and stayed ahead to the end.

"If conditions are like this on Race Day then today will have been invaluable - especially for the newer members of the squad", said Ejsmond-Frey afterwards.

Sickle had earlier won the toss and chosen Surrey. Umpire Pete Bridge started the race, unusually, close into the Surrey side because the conditions were so windy.

Whilst both crews went off sharply on his call, Hammer probably got the better of the early phase, moving up by a about a third of a length as the race passed the boat-houses along Putney hard.

With both crews rating the same in choppy conditions, Sickle pulled back on the lead and established one of their own by about a third of a length at Craven Cottage, Fulham’s football ground.

During this phase of the race Sickle’s cox was instructed by umpire Bridge to move back on station several times.

As Hammer drew away their cox, Clausen Thue, stole a number of glances behind him to check on the opposition. By Chiswick Steps his crew had opened up a good lead.

Both crews then cut across the river and sought the shelter of the Middlesex shore - only venturing back out into the stream to shoot through Barnes Bridge before running back to Middlesex.

"You can do it, start believing it", yelled cox Nick Brodie to his line-up in Hammer but by then the race, bar a swamping, was done.

"The rough water was fine", said coach Bowden afterwards. "It was a good test of the crews. We also got the opportunity to see how certain combinations worked together. Some people did a good job today and others, perhaps, have a question mark over them".

Oxford, with one returning Blue (their President), as opposed to five at Cambridge, are being seen already as underdogs. "I’m happy to be seen as underdogs, just as we were last year", smiled Bowden when asked about the Dark Blues’ chances come Race day. Oxford, of course, won the 2006 Boat Race, sponsored by Xchanging.

BOAT CREW LIST

(Listed: Bow, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Stroke, Cox)

Hammer

Paul Kelly

Lucas Dalglish

Michal Plotkowiak

Magnus Fleming

Andrew Wright

Matthew Brown

Terence Kookyer

Adam Kosmicki

Nicholas Brodie

Sickle

Matthew Suggit

George Hilton

Nicholas Marriot

David Knezevic

Richard Chambers

William Buckland

Robin Ejsmond-Frey

Ante Kusurin

Philip Clausen-Thue