Oxford University president Alec Dent, twice a member of the reserve crew Isis, has resigned at the beginning of his year of office.

The 21-year-old former pupil of Oxford’s Dragon School has been suffering from a back injury and is not confident that he will be doing much rowing this side of Christmas.

He said: “I am really disappointed about it, but I had to think about the club.

“I don’t know how quickly I might recover. There is uncertainty and the club doesn’t need that.”

Ben Myers, the only returning Blue from the 2010 squad, has been elected as the new president.

The physics student, who attends Exeter College, competed for Wales in the Home Countries International regatta between 2007 and 2009.

He was also a member of the Welsh eight that won the junior title for the first time in 2008.

The former Kingston Grammar School pupil, who turns 20 next month, said: “I’m very happy to be leading the squad into the 2011 Boat Race and hope that Alec will recover from injury to be able to join us.

“But whatever the future holds for Alec, I’m confident that Oxford will be able to mount a strong campaign in taking on Cambridge next March”.

The 2011 Xchanging Boat Race will take place on Saturday, March 26 (5pm).