No clear favourite for Boat Race, says Oxford coach Bowden

THE American millionaire twins who claimed Facebook was their idea and promptly sued the founder, have been named as part of the Oxford crew, bidding for its eighth win since the turn of the century.

HEAD TO HEAD: There is little to choose between Oxford president Sjoerd Hamburger's crew and that of his Cambridge counterpart Deaglan McEarchern (Getty Images)

Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss are part of defending champions Oxford's crew with Dutch Olympic Sjoerd Hamburger their only surviving member from last year.

Oxford president Hamburger helped the Dark Blues to victory by three-and-a-half lengths in 2009, while he is one of three Olympians, after the Winklevoss twins finished sixth in the Beijing pairs final.

The American duo, 28, sued Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg for stealing their idea, and settled out of court for a reported £65m (£43m) two years ago.

But despite striking it rich, the pair have still opted to study for MBAs at Oxford University and insist there is more to the duo than meets the eye.

At the end of the day we're students trying to row for the Blue Boat," said Tyler. "For me becoming the best you can be in something that you love, like rowing.

"Cambridge is going to be a very good opponent so we have to prepare to be at our best."

Indeed, despite Oxford collecting victory in seven of the past ten races, chief coach Sean Bowden insists there is no heavy favourite as they weighted in just eight pounds and six ounces lighter than the Cambridge crew, but has every faith in his selection.

"This crew has the potential to be right up there with our better crews in recent years and is improving technically all the time," he said.

The Cambridge crew includes American president Deaglan McEachern, last year's president and stroke Henry Pelly and Canadian bow Rob Weitemeyer.

The Light Blues also feature three rowers from the 2009 Goldie boat that lost to Isis - Englishmen Fred Gill and George Nash, plus American Code Sternal.

"Last year we had five returning Blues, but it's going to be a good crew with a combination of some international experience and exciting new talent," said Cambridge chief coach Chris Nilsson.

"The choice of cox went down to the wire and it was a close thing between Ted Randolph and Liz Box."

Had Box made the boat, Cambridge would have been coxed by a female for four consecutive years, as Rebecca Dowbiggin steered the Light Blues in the last three Races.

Cambridge currently lead the series that began in 1829 with 79 wins to Oxford's 75, with one Race declared a dead-heat in 1877.

The 156th Boat Race takes place on Saturday, April 3, 2010 at 16:30.