Oxford's "rowing eight" Waikato bound

Oxford Universities "rowing eight" have agreed to race Waikato University Down Under in Sept with George Bridgewater in tow

The rowing fraternity at Waikato University is mobilising quickly to put up strong competition against Oxford University.

The UK institution "the rowing eight" is heading to New Zealand in late September for The Great Race on the Waikato River - complete with New Zealand crewman George Bridgewater.

Bridgewater's former pair partner Nathan Twaddle is a student at Waikato University and says Bridgewater is a threat. He says Bridgewater's knowledge of the course is as good as anyones as a former Waikato competitor.

Twaddle says he will not be racing because he will have only just completed his recovery from wrist surgery. He says though that he has been trying to convince Bridgewater to bring the crew down for a while, and it apparently was not hard for Bridgewater to convince them.

George Bridgewater will become the first to row for both Oxford and Waikato universities.