Cambridge are firm favourites to recapture the Boat Race crown in 2018.

The Dark Blues of Oxford took victory on the Thames last year, but the Light Blues – who lead the overall standings 82 to 80, are being backed to win again.

Both teams have been confirmed, as an anticipated 250,00 will watch the two eight-man crews take to the water in the capital.

Oxford men’s crew

• Bow: Claas Mertens
• 2: Vassilis Ragoussis
• 3: Will Cahill
• 4: Anders Weiss
• 5: Will Geffen
• 6: Benedict Aldous
• 7: Iain Mandale
• Stroke: Felix Drinkall
• Cox: Zachary Thomas Johnson

Cambridge men’s crew

• Bow: Charles Fisher
• 2: Patrick Elwood
• 3: James Letten
• 4: Dara Alizadeh
• 5: Spencer Furey
• 6: Finn Meeks
• 7: Rob Hurn
• Stroke: Freddie Davidson
• Cox: Hugo Ramambason

Ladbrokes make Cambridge firm favourites, and they have revealed that they have already taken a bet of £1,000 on Cambridge to triumph.

Cambridge are priced at 4/11 with Oxford as long as 2/1.

The bookies are also going 16/1 about either crew sinking, while 16/1 says a new record is set on the Thames.

Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: “One punter in particular is seemingly confident in Cambridge, who’ll head into the race as clear favourites ahead of their bitter rivals.”