Oxford University have included two oarsmen who have overcome serious setbacks for the 157th Xchanging Boat Race against Cambridge on March 26.

The Dark Blue crew, announced in London on Monday, will be stroked by 27-year-old Londoner Simon Hislop, who is back to full fitness less than a year after undergoing surgery for testicular cancer.

And Alec Dent, from Bampton, near Witney, will be in the three seat after recovering from a back injury which forced him to resign the presidency at the start of the year.

Nineteen-year-old Constantine Louloudis, one of the rising stars of British rowing, also features. He finished seventh in the recent national trials and has a chance of competing at London 2012.

Oxford coach Sean Bowden will be looking for a tenth victory at his 17th attempt, four of which came with Cambridge in the 1990s.

Cambridge have named a more experienced and marginally heavier crew, featuring three members of the victorious 2010 boat, plus Australian former world champion Hardy Cubasch.

The only returning Blue in the Oxford boat is the club president Ben Myers, while the dark blues concede a total of 13 kilograms.

Cambridge have a new coach at the helm in British Olympic gold medallist Steve Trapmore.

Oxford (from bow): Moritz Hafner (Ger), Ben Myers (GB), Alec Dent (GB), Ben Ellison (GB), Karl Hudspith (GB), Constantine Louloudis (GB), George Whittaker (GB), Simon Hislop (GB), cox: Sam Winter-Levy (GB).

Cambridge (from bow): Mike Thorp (GB), Joel Jennings (GB), Dan Rix-Standing (GB), Hardy Cubasch (Aus), George Nash (GB), Geoff Roth (Can), Derek Rasmussen (US), David Nelson (Aus), cox: Liz Box (GB).