Two local students are following in the footsteps of an Olympic gold medallist in a bid to complete one of the biggest sporting challenges known to man for charity.

Nick Walters and Matthew Hodgen, both in their final year at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), have decided to tackle the Woodvale Trans Atlantic Row, which has previously been completed by Olympic gold medallist James Cracknell in 2005.

The friends, who are currently spending 10 hours a week building up their fitness for the challenge in December 2009, are going to test their endurance with a 24 hour row on March 6 and 7.

The students' physical and mental abilities will be pushed to the limits by the sports bio-mechanists in a bid to re-create the conditions of rowing across the Atlantic.

Nick, 23, from Kirby-le-Soken near Colchester, who is studying Sports Science, said: "It's a massive challenge we've decided to take on but we're training hard and have a fantastic support network who are giving us some amazing help.

"Our lives seem to revolve around sleep, the library and the gym but we're confident in our own abilities.

"The 24 hour row is the next step so we can then gauge how well training is going."

Twenty-year-old Matthew, from Loughborough, who is on the Film Production degree, said: "We're spending most of our time on the rowing machines in the gym but I also play football for the university while Nick teaches kung fu here.

"We're getting some strange looks as we've got rubber foam and sheepskin fleece rugs to put on the seat to protect our backsides but we're determined to put the hours in, work with the experts and then we're looking forward to getting out on the water."

Charity is playing a major part in the row with the Harris Bursary Fund and Leukaemia Research benefiting from the sponsorship money.

Nick added: "My father died of leukaemia four years ago so I have always wanted to do a big event where I could raise money for the charity and for the University at the same time.

"I hope everybody gets behind us because it's such a fantastic event."

The Transatlantic row, which will takes place in December every year is a 2,500 nautical mile journey stretching from the Canary Islands to Antigua.

Kevin Hookham, head of Fundraising at the UCLan, said: "The courage and the determination of Nick and Matthew provides us with a wonderful opportunity to raise much needed funds for the Harris Bursary."