Oxford will take on an American eight, including former world champion and 2006 Oxford Blue Paul Daniels, on the Thames this weekend as part of their warm-up for this year’s Boat Race, sponsored by Xchanging and due to take place on Saturday April 7th at 4.30pm.

Oxford’s fixture, at 4pm this Saturday, will be preceded by a run-out for their reserves against Imperial College half an hour earlier.

Both races will give coach Sean Bowden the option to view his men in action before finalising his Blue Boat and Isis (reserves) line-up before the official crew announcement next Monday (12th March).

Cambridge were on the river last week against a German national crew and both Universities will have two more head-to-head races before the actual event - Cambridge against Molesey Boat Club on Friday 23 March and Oxford versus Leander Club on Saturday 24. Cambridge will also participate in the annual Head of the River Race on March 31st.

Cambridge lead the series since 1829 by 78-73, with one dead-heat. Oxford, though, have won four of the last five encounters.

CREW LISTS

Oxford

Bow: Michal Plotkowiak 2: Adam Kosmicki 3: Andrew Wright 4: Magnus Fleming 5: Robin Ejsmond-Frey 6: Brodie Buckland 7: Terence Kooyker Stroke: Ante Kusurin Cox: Nick Brodie

"Reserves"

Bow: Paul Kelly 2: George Hilton 3: Anthony Mullin 4: Matthew Brown 5: Nick Marriott 6: Lucas Dalglish 7: Richard Chambers Stroke: David Knezevic Cox: Philip Clausen-Thue

US Crew (seat order to be confirmed)

Alexander Schade Hearne Giuseppe Lanzone Cameron Howard Winklevoss Tyler Howard Winklevoss Patrick Michael O’Dunne Kyle David Larson Jason LeClair Read Paul Nicholas Daniels Marcus Mc Elhenney (Cox)

Coach Matthew Gavin Imes