Robin Bourne-Taylor has seen six years of hard work bring him his ultimate challenge - a chance to beat Cambridge University in this year's Boat Race, writes Mark Edwards.

When the Dark Blues sit parallel to the Light Blues on March 24, there will be nobody more determined to give Oxford their second successive victory than the 19-year-old from Frilford, near Abingdon.

And while Bourne-Taylor, who will row in the bow, is thrilled at being given his big chance, the man who encouraged him to take up the sport says he knew he could get to the top.

Mike Martin, who teaches rowing at Abingdon School, gave Bourne-Taylor the push towards a boat six years ago as the teenager started the sport at school.

And Martin is delighted that Bourne-Taylor is reaping the rewards of his hard work.

"He is the most determined person you will ever meet," Martin said.

"We've had coxes in Boat Race boats from the school recently, but it's been a long time since we had someone with Robin's intelligence and abililty actually in the boat.

"He was the one who we noticed over the past few years, that's for sure."

Now, with just over three weeks until the big race, Bourne-Taylor is being put through his paces as Oxford go for back-to-back victories.

"I'm really looking forward to it and can't wait for it to happen," Bourne-Taylor said.

"The official announcement was on the Monday (Feb 19), but the crew knew two weeks before that what the boat would be."

And the engineering student was keen to emphasise just how much training goes into the preparation for the race.

"The training is outrageously hard work - harder than anyone would imagine.

"Our training schedule takes up about five or six hours a day, but we have a really professional programme, good coaches and good funding.

"We have no weak links at all in the Oxford boat and have a great team spirit.

"We have been away on training camps, most recently to Spain, but the best one we did as a team-building exercise was when we went cross-country ski-ing.

"Cambridge have got some gold medallists in their team and have, if you like, some superstars, but our strong point is that we are a real team."

Bourne-Taylor, who moved to Frilford when he was eight, went to St Nicholas' Primary School in Abingdon, before moving on to Abingdon.