Oxford University student Rich Chambers thinks his Isis reserve crew have a good chance of ending Goldie’s two-race winning streak when the two crews meet in Saturday’s reserve race – the traditional forerunner to the Boat Race, which is sponsored by Xchanging.

The 22-year-old oarsman, from Bromsgrove, said: “We’re quietly confident. I know that we’re really ready for this race.

“It’s the hardest training programme I’ve ever done and the most intense, but I’m very much enjoying it."

He said the Isis crew won’t be put off by the big crowds expected on the day.

“We’re going to keep our heads inside the boat and make our boat go as fast as we can.

“We’re quietly confident that we’ve got the boat speed, and let’s hope it’s quicker than Goldie.”

The Goldie-Isis race takes place at 4pm on Saturday (7th April), with the Boat Race at 4.30pm.