NEWCASTLE and Durham universities will battle for supremacy on the River Tyne this Sunday in the region's 12th University Boat Race.
Confidence in both camps is high following outstanding performances at the recent national British Universities Sports Association (BUSA) championship.
Durham and Newcastle took first and second places respectively against competitors from 40 universities, including some of the country's strongest squads.
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Newcastle's senior men's eight will seek to avenge their defeat by Durham at Strathclyde when Durham were six seconds faster over the 2 km course.
Newcastle's senior men's captain, Fred Gill, 22, has never been on the losing side in the University Boat Race.
He was in the winning freshmen's eight in 2006 and last year rowed in the men's senior eight race which Newcastle won by two lengths.
Mr Gill said: "I love rowing against Durham, especially in the University Boat Race. There is definitely a David versus Goliath feel to the event, with Newcastle's smaller, hungrier squad pitched against the might of Durham's much larger club.
"The pressure is all on Durham to win comfortably but we'll going all out to ensure that will not be the case.''
Durham University Boat Club President, Rob Stark, said: "At Durham we have been working hard all winter, and we are reaping the rewards of hard training, organisation and focus.
"We were incredibly successful at BUSA, and our eights performed extremely well at the Head of the River Race.
"The club would like to follow our successes with a win on the Tyne and we look forward to a competitive event and the excitement of side-by-side racing in such a picturesque venue.''
Colin Blackburn, chairman of the race executive committee, said: "The University Boat Race has helped to raise the profile of both rowing and the North-East.
"This year's event promises to be another epic battle on the Tyne between the top two BUSA ranked rowing universities in the country, with internationally ranked rowers within both crews.''
The race takes place over 1,800 metres from Dunston Staithes, Gateshead, to the finish line under Millennium Bridge.
The programme is: 12.15pm Dragon Boat Race 1; 12.45pm Dragon Boat Race 2; 1.30pm Schools Mixed Eights; 1.50pm Freshwomen's Eights; 2.10pm Freshmen's Eights; 2.30 pm Women's First Eights; 2.50pm Men's First Eight; 3.15pm Crews' presentations in Baltic Square, Gateshead.
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