Oxford University coach Sean Bowden expects a sea-change in attitude in his inexperienced Dark Blues camp following Tuesday’s trial eights over the Boat Race course in blustery conditions.

Club president Karl Hudspith, the only returning Blue from last year’s victorious Oxford crew, helped ‘Hell’ to victory over ‘High Water’ by a length and three-quarters after some early clashing.

Bowden said: “Now everyone has experienced the physical pain of competing over the four-and-a-quarter mile cou-rse.

“Until they have really done it, they don’t have the understanding of the intensity at which you have to race at key times.

“That is the bit they have to start to get their heads around, how easily they would be punished for small things.

“Without the trials you would never get that message across.”

The Boat Race is on Saturday, April 7.

  • Wallingford’s Emily Booker won two medals at the Walton Small Boats Head on Saturday.

Booker came second in both the women’s masters B and senior single categories.