Boat Race: Oxford fired by Beijing quintet

Powerful Dark Blues tipped for victory tomorrow as they include five Olympians

Cambridge University celebrated its 800th birthday by donating a new eight-oar for tomorrow's Boat Race, the first time that either university has given their boat clubs a penny of financial assistance in the 180-year history of the race.

Most of the oarsmen who took part in the first race in 1829 took holy orders. One of this year's Cambridge crew is studying theology, but it is a sign of the times that four of Oxford's men in the 2009 Boat Race are at the Saïd Business School (and some were saddled with exams this week). It is also a sign of the times that neither crew includes an undergraduate, and that Oxford has only one man born in Britain. Twelve foreigners out of 18 people equals the record of 2002.

Thus, alongside bloggers who dismiss the event as an irrelevance, comes the tired chorale asserting that the Boat Race should be for undergrads and that there are too many foreign and Olympic bums on seats.

The answer to the first is plain. A quarter of a million will turn out to watch it, and millions will view it on television. Last year almost as many tuned in as viewed the FA Cup Final, and more than watched the British Grand Prix or the London Marathon. Tens of millions more will view it abroad.

The answer to the second question is that foreigners and graduate students have taken part since the nineteenth century, and Olympians since the early twentieth. The recent increase in numbers at the universities consists mainly of postgraduates, foreigners and women. The pool of male undergrads available has not been comparatively increased.

A sensible plan for winning the Boat Race would probably rely on an even-pressure, constantly low stroke rate for the four-and-a-quarter miles from Putney to Mortlake. However, the nerve required to allow your opponents to streak away, even knowing that you will grind them down in the end, is probably wanting.

This year's Oxford crew are heavier, taller, older and probably faster than Cambridge, and their temptation will be to step on the gas from the first stroke, grab the tide and close the door in the first mile. If Cambridge have any chance, they must thwart this with a quick start themselves.

Oxford show formidable power and apply it rhythmically. Cambridge match them on fitness, flashes of lightning and speedy starts off the stake boat, but were unsettled yesterday morning. Ryan Monaghan felt a twinge in his back and was replaced by the Goldie oarsman George Nash for the afternoon. Tom Ransley, only just reinstated to the crew after a similar injury, moved down the boat to the seven seat. "It was a precaution to take Ryan out," said coach Chris Nilsson. "A decision on the crew will be taken in the morning."

Cambridge have more Boat Race experience on board than Oxford, but Oxford have the edge on international affairs. Five Dark Blues rowed in Beijing including their president, Colin Smith, a silver medallist with the British eight, and George Bridgewater, who won bronze in the New Zealand pair. The stroke is the Croatian double sculler Ante Kusurin, a Blue and an oarsman as tenacious as Smith. The engine room contains Tom Solesbury of the GB pair and Sjoerd Hamburger, the Dutch Olympic sculler. The Polish international Michal Plotkowiak occupies the bow seat.

Almost all of the Light Blues have aspirations to row at London 2012. President Henry Pelly, Peter Marsland and Ransley are Henley winners, the Canadian bow-man Rob Weitmeyer is a seasoned international, and Silas Stafford, Deaglan McEachern and Monaghan are on the fringe of the United States squad. Monaghan will find out today if he is going to row.

The forecast is blustery wind. It was turning about between northwest and northeast yesterday, and could ruffle up the water.