Twins with competitive stroke

Twin sisters Kathryn and Robyn Farmer will be competing on different sides in this year's women's university boat race. Kathryn has been selected for the Cambridge team and Robyn for the Oxford squad in the 2,000m race on the Thames on March 30.

Neither of the 20-year-olds rowed competitively before arriving at university. Both are studying history, with Kathryn at Girton College, Cambridge, and Robyn at Keble College, Oxford.

Robyn said: "It is very exciting - if you know that person is so alike to you and their performance and fitness are the same, then it all comes down to mental determination. We are very close but we are also very competitive and we want to beat each other."