Elite oarsman will compete against club rowers when 420 crews battle out the Head of the River Race from Mortlake to Putney on the Thames tomorrow (9.45am), writes James Felt.
While the Leander club, last winners in 2006, usually contain the nucleus of the Great Britain rowing team, they are this year facing the challenge of a Molesey crew featuring former world and Olympic champions from Great Britain and the United States, including six former Oxford Blues.
Leander are weakened this year as the senior GB team are undergoing trials in Belgium ahead of the Beijing Olympics.
As well as boats from clubs across Britain, 12 national federeations are also represented including Germany, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Sweden and Poland.
School crews are also competing, with St Paul's School defending local water against rivals Latymer.
All will be hoping for better luck than last year, when the race was cancelled because of sinking conditions along part of the 4.25-mile course, which follows the reverse course of the Boat Race.
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