The long haul to this year’s Boat Race begins for the Cambridge University Boat Club tonight.

Any man in statu pupillari who wishes to be considered to row for the Light Blues in the 2007 University Boat Race next April is invited to Goldie Boat House on the bank of the River Cam at 6pm tonight

There, new Club President Tom James will introduce his team of professionals, led by Chief Coach Duncan Holland, who will be responsible for producing a boat fast enough to avenge last Spring’s defeat at the hands of the old rivals in Dark Blue.

The meeting will take place in the Captains’ Room, where 178 years of Boat Club history adorn the walls in the form of wooden plaques bearing the names of each year’s first crew.

The following morning at 9am everyone will be put through a maximal ergometer test, at the start of a gruelling two-week training camp and a gradual process of selection by attrition.

Once term starts the normal routine will begin five days a week of early morning land training at Goldie Boathouse, lectures and study time then afternoon training on the water at Ely.

Of an estimated 35 to 40 who are expected to come to the initial session, around 20 will remain by the end of the Michaelmas Term.

Five members of last year’s Blue Boat are back to trial for this year’s Boat, as well as two members of last year’s Goldie crew, two previous Goldies, one of last year’s Reserve Team and at least seven of the CUBC Development Squad, all of whom were rowing with college crews last year.

The Development Squad was created last year to give college oarsmen the chance to train with Blues rowers and raise their standards, encouraging people to break through to the University Crews.

Duncan Holland was introduced as the Light Blues Chief Coach in Autumn 2005. He is a former New Zealand international rower who has coached New Zealand, Switzerland and the Netherlands, and has been coach of a World Championship-winning crew. Tom James is British and an undergraduate studying Engineering.

The 2007 University Boat Race, sponsored by X-Changing, will take place on Saturday 7 April at 4.30pm.

The Cambridge University Women's Boat Club and Lightweight Rowing Club will be racing against Oxford at Henley on Sunday 1 April.

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