STUDENTS from Hatfield are hoping to row themselves into the record books tomorrow (Sunday) for charity – without even getting wet. The rowing team from the University of Hertfordshire want to break the UK mixed-team student record and cover 100km in und

STUDENTS from Hatfield are hoping to row themselves into the record books tomorrow (Sunday) for charity - without even getting wet.

The rowing team from the University of Hertfordshire want to break the UK mixed-team student record and cover 100km in under four hours, 58-and-a-half minutes.

In doing so, they hope Sunday's sponsored event will raise enough money to enable them to buy a new boat for the club and boost Comic Relief's coffers.

It will be the nine-member squad's second attempt at beating the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) record after missing out last year by just two-and-a-half minutes.

The rowers will notch up the metres by taking turns on a rowing machine installed at Sainsbury's supermarket in London Colney.

Club president Chris Wheeler said: "The training for the Rowathon has really opened our eyes about what we have let ourselves in for.

"There has been pain, nausea, dizziness, panting then some more pain. That was only for an hour!

"The thought of doing the same thing for up to five hours fills me with anticipation, but we are looking forward to it.

"The record, currently held by the University of Bath, is definitely within our reach but it is going to need all our combined determination to break it."

Last year's fund-raiser generated �1,600, which was divided equally between the charity Sport Relief and the rowing club, enabling members to buy a new trailer to transport their two boats to rowing events.

Team members this year are Chris Wheeler; Simon Weston, Matthew Bromley; Ben Fussell; Martin Burrows, Katie Farmer; Harriet Parsons; Oliver Williams and Suzanne Trow.

Anybody interested in sponsoring the team should contact the club's president Chris Wheeler at the University of Hertfordshire Rowing Club, Athletic Union Office, de Havilland Campus, Hatfield Al10 9EU or email C.1.Wheeler@herts.ac.uk