Oxford's Blue Boat looked in impressive form today (Saturday) on the Tideway in beating a Leander boat brimful of Olympians - albeit a boat which was recently formed and with a minimal number of outings under its belt.
Both crews shipped on board quantities of the Thames in rough water in the early stages of a racing piece from the start at Putney to Chiswick Steps.
Leander, racing on Surrey station, probably suffered more in the splash. But Oxford were up by a length by the end of the Fulham Wall.
Leander never clawed back the difference and in the smoother water after Hammersmith Bridge, Oxford looked particularly smooth and connected.
Coach Sean Bowden was pleased with the progress made by his crew in the past two weeks.
"We have made good progress. We've come on a lot. We have got over a bout of illness and changed the crew order. We've settled down and the latent learning is coming through. We pushed them pretty hard three or four weeks ago and we are now seeing the benefit. We have been working on understanding the rhythm".
Meanwhile, Dan Topolski, former GB lightweight rower and many times winner of the Boat Race when he was Head Coach at Oxford, suggested, having watched both Universities in training, that the 2005 Blue Boats were "the strongest ever produced by either University".
"In post-Olympic year top athletes will take a year out from international rowing as it's a chance for them to catch up with studies and career and the Boat Race is able to benefit from these high-calibre oarsmen. This year we will have two powerful crews who also have a great deal of experience", he said.
The scene is, therefore, set for a top-quality Race in the first year of Xchanging's sponsorship and with ITV as a new broadcaster.
"Both crews have a very different character and profile. Cambridge are smoother but less powerful whilst Oxford are more powerful and are working on producing a rhythm.
"The quality of both boats would put them at the top of the world rankings this year. Both are good enough to make the Olympic final", added Topolski.
Cambridge, who were practising starts on the Thames this afternoon, will race a composite German eight at 2pm today(Sunday).