Twickenham’s Karl Hudspith is ready to call time on his Boat Race career to concentrate on landing a place in the Team GB rowing squad for the 2016 Olympics.

The 26-year-old Oxford University rower will take part in his fourth and final Varsity clash on the Thames on Sunday looking to sign off in style with a third victory.

The former Hampton School student, president of the Oxford crew for the infamous 2012 race halted by protester Trenton Oldfield, is set to complete his PhD in clinical neurosciences later this year.

And then it is full steam ahead on the road to Rio.

“The past three and a half years of my life at Oxford and in the boat club have been really incredible,” he said this week.

“It’s been very hard work and I’ve experienced an awful lot and feel like it has changed and matured me as a person.

“I’m sure I will miss being part of the team, but I also feel like I have had my fill of the Boat Race, and I am ready to go on and meet new challenges.

“It is my ambition to firstly complete my PhD at Oxford in October, then hopefully to make the GB rowing team with the aim of competing at the Rio Olympics in 2016.

“After that I would like to pursue a career in science and possibly work abroad.”