Oxford weighed in fractionally the smaller crew at yesterday’s challenge for the Xchanging Boat Race, the 156th in the historic series, but coach Sean Bowden remains confident of success.

“Our chances are good, but it looks tight, with no runaway favourite,” said Bowden, after his crew turned out to be half a kilo per man lighter.

Wearing dark blue colours on Saturday, April 3 will be nine men from six different countries, including twins Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, and Oxford’s genial president, Sjoerd Hamburger. All three are Olympians. Stroke Martin Walsh and cox Adam Barhamand, have earned promotion from last year’s reserve crew Isis, along with Exeter College’s Ben Myers, who has risen impressively quickly from college level since last year.

Oxford’s stroke is double under 23 medallist Charles Burkitt.

Oxford: bow B Myers (Exeter) 15st 2lb 8oz, 2 M Walsh (Green Templeton) 13.9.13, 3 T Winklevoss (Christ Church) 15.9.9, 4 C Winklevoss (Christ Church) 15.5.3, 5 S Hamburger* (Oriel) 15.10.14, 6 M Evans (University College) 14.5.8, 7 S Gawlik, 24 (Kellogg) 14.7.12, stroke C Burkitt (Wolfson) 14.3.5, cox A Barhamand (Wolfson) 8.5.15.

Cambridge: bow R Weitemeyer* (St Edmund’s) 14.0.4, 2 F Gill (Hughes Hall) 15.8.11, 3 C Sternal (Hughes Hall) 14.2.2, 4 P McClelland (Pembroke) 15.13.1, 5 G Nash (St Catharine’s) 15.5.3, 6 D McEachern* (Hughes Hall) 15.12.10, 7 D Rasmussen (Hughes Hal) 13.4.9, stroke H Pelly* (St Edmund’s) 15.2.2, cox E Randolph (Peterhouse) 8.9.0).

* = old Blue