Oxford and Cambridge Trial Eights Take to the Tideway Tomorrow

Barnes Bridge, Tideway, London (Photo: © B. Kitch)
Tomorrow morning, Oxford and Cambridge will send their Trial Eights down the Boat Race course (from Putney to Mortlake) on the Tideway in London, in what will be an important, intra-squad tune-up for the main event, set for 31 March, 2013 at 4:30pm GMT. Dark Blue and Light Blue athletes seeking selection for the top boats have been divided into four crews.

Two crews from Oxford, this year called 'Hurricane' and 'Spitfire' for the two most important British fighter planes during the Second World War, will face off against one another. Hurricane includes Yale alum William Zeng at stroke (perhaps most famous for his eloquence following the disruption of the Boat Race last year), and GB 2012 bronze medalist Constantine Louloudis in the six seat, while the latter includes Canadian Olympic gold (Beijing) & silver (London) medalist Malcolm Howard at stroke.

Cambridge will line 'Bangers' up against 'Mash' in a culinary battle royale. The Bangers include two former Washington Huskies, Ty Otto (2012 Olympic alternate with the U.S. team) and Niles Garratt, and former Wisconsin Badger, Stephen Dudek, while 'Mash' will be coxed by another former Husky, Sam Ojserkis, and includes another Olympic medalist in Britain's George Nash at five seat.

Complete crew lists can be found on the official website of the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, with racing set to kick off at 11:10am local time in London.

-RR

[Updated 13 December, 2012]: The official results from the Oxford and Cambridge Trial Eights are now posted.

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