CRAVEN'S Andy Hodge takes his place in the heaviest ever crew for the 151st Boat Race this Sunday.

The former Upper Wharfedale School pupil, from Hebden, lines up as strokeman for Oxford in a crew weighing an average of 15 stone 7lbs per man - one and a half stones heavier per man than Cambridge. At the offical weigh-in on Monday, Hodge emerged as the second heaviest in the Oxford boat at 16 stone.

Only twice in history has one crew outweighed the other by more than a stone - in 1988 and 1990 when the heavier Oxford crew won both times - and such a weight difference makes Oxford the bookies' favourites. But Hodge said the weight advantage would not automatically guarantee success.

The 25-year-old said: "We knew we were heavy but we didn't realise just how heavy. Traditionally, the heavier the crew, the faster you go, but this was disproved two years ago when the lighter crew won. It's down to technique and ability to row the boat. You can't rely on weight."

A strong headwind would favour the heavier Oxford crew, but Hodge said wind conditions usually varied during a race.

Hodge, who at strokeman next to the cox will play a key role in Oxford maintaining a good rhythm, believes his team also have the brains as well as the brawn.

"Our technique has really progressed. If you were to plot it on a graph, it was level for a while but it has really ramped up and hopefully it will keep on going through the race," he said.

Having won the Great Britain national team trials with Alex Partridge and performed at the Olympics last year, Hodge is relishing being involved in a race which, due to the quality of both squads, some are predicting could be the best ever in the event's long history.

Both squads boast considerable international and Olympic experience, with Canadian Barney Williams - famously beaten by the Pinsent four in Athens - among the Oxford eight.

Hodge, who has two World Cup bronze medals and one World Championship bronze to his name, said a win for Oxford would rate very highly among his achievements.

"The quality of the Cambridge team is very high and not to be played down. I know some of their guys and they have some excellent oarsmen. They have an awesome array of talent and beating them would be a big achievement."