It has been clear since last autumn that Oxford University looked to have the higher pedigree for this year’s Boat Race.

After the announcement of their crew on Tuesday, the odds were were still clearly in the Dark Blues’ favour.

They have five Olympic performers in their crew, two of them, president Colin Smith and New Zealander George Bridgewater, with silver and bronze medals to their credit from Beijing.

Cambridge have no former Olympians, while Oxford have six former world championship performers involved. Three of them, Smith, Bridgewater and Tom Solesbury, who is their oldest participant at 28, have medals to show for their efforts.

Only two of the Dark Blues’ nine-strong crew men are British. Four are under 23 internationals. Dutchman Sjoerd Hamberger and president Smith, have achieved world championship medals, both in single sculls.

Experience counts in Boat Races and Oxford have three old Blues to Cambridge’s five.

Oxford’s trio are Croatian Ante Kusurin, Poland’s Michal Plotkowiak and Smith, now approaching his fourth 4¼- mile test after two rows in the Blue Boat in 2004 and 2006 and one in Isis in 2005.

Cambridge’s coach is New Zealander Chris Nilsson, whose arrival was some two months late after difficulties in getting a work visa.

There were no such problems for Oxford’s Sean Bowden, now in his t12eh year with the Dark Blues.

Oxford went out onto the Tideway on Sunday in a private fixture against a good Washington University crew from America.

The crews raced the Putney to Mortlake Boat Race course in two halves, one from Putney to Chiswick Steps and the second from thereto the finish.

Oxford won both, the first by some four lengths after Washington were pulled back after a false start and led in the early stages before Oxford overhauled them, and the second by a narrower 1½ lengths.

BOAT RACE LINE-UPS.

Oxford: Plotkowiak (bow), Smith (2), Hearn (3), Harrison (4), Hamburger(5), Solesbury (6), Bridgewater (7), Kusurin (stroke), Groshong (cox).

Cambridge: Weitemeyer (bow), Pelly (2), McEachern (3), Marsland (4), Monaghan (5), Cubash (6), Ransley (7), Stafford (stroke), Dowbiggin (cox).

Oxford, until recently, always used the Reading Head as one of their build-ups, but this year they were absent, leaving the coast clear for their perennial rivals Oxford Brookes.

Brookes, though, were beaten to the top Elite crown by Molesey.

Osiris, the Oxford women’s Boat Race outfit, were the fastest women’s crew of the day in winning the senior 1 eights, while Tethys, the Oxford women’s lightweight crew, won the senior 3 eights.

They were just ahead of the girls from Headington School, who received consolation with wins in the women’s J18 and novice classes. Oxford Brookes took the men’s novice category.

l Oxford Colleges were involved in the Torpids where there were lots of “bumps” this year, leading to Christ Church heading the men’s top division after moving up from fourth.

St Catherine’s remained at pole on the women’s event, followed by Christ Church.