IT’S the Boat Race of the north. And a girl from Melrose will spearhead the efforts of Robert Gordon University against arch rowing-rivals Aberdeen.

The 19th annual Aberdeen Asset Management Universities’ Boat Race pits the two centres of study against each other through the middle of Aberdeen.

Gillian Paterson is president of the Robert Gordon University Boat Club.

And the 21-year-old, who is studying Forensic and Analytical Science, hopes to guide her team to victory on Saturday, March 1.

Gillian, who hopes to become a police officer, will use her keen attention to detail to help aid her rowers’ performance as they strive to lift the trophy for the third year in a row.

Gillian told the Border Telegraph: “We have been training hard for the last few months in preparation for the race and are confident that we’ll be able to continue our winning streak.

“I have been watching all our rowers very closely and am beginning to make my decisions about who will be in the boat on the big day.” The final crews will be selected in early 2014 by each team president.

Each of the 16 rowers will take just under 300 strokes in the course of the 3.5km race and, along with the crew coxes, will push their physical and mental endurance to the limit.

The race stretches along the River Dee in Aberdeen, from the Bridge of Dee to the Aberdeen Boat Club.