University College Boat Club (Oxford)
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College Boat Clubs of the University of Oxford University College Boat Club |
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| Established | 1827 |
| Head of the River – Men | 1914, 1990, 1991 |
| Location | University College Boathouse, River Thames (known in Oxford as the Isis) |
| President | Ben Norbury |
| Men's Captain | Joseph Page |
| Women's Captain | Katie Hammond |
| Captain of Coxes | Katie Beckingham |
| www.ucbc.org.uk | |
University College Boat Club (commonly abbreviated to UCBC) is the rowing club for all members of University College, Oxford ("Univ"). UCBC has had a recent run of successes, notably in the Women's divisions with the Women's 1st VIII winning Blades in Summer Eights 2015 to leave them fourth on the river, and the 2nd VIII winning Blades in Summer Eights 2014. The men's side is also highly successful and is currently eighth on the river in Summer Eights, with three crews in fixed divisions.
The idea of inter collegiate racing was pioneered by Brasenose College Boat Club and Jesus College Boat Club in 1815. In 1827, it was decided to form a University College eight. The origins of UCBC can be attributed to one student, William Roper, who supervised the raising of £100 to build a boat and select a crew. Whilst the crew did not compete in 1829 or 1832-8 it has done so almost continuously until the present day, first going Head of the River in 1841. By the mid-1850s the Boat Club was enjoying a centrality to college life that it has not lost. The mid nineteenth century was a period of great success for UCBC being Head of the River in 1869–71, 1874–5 and 1877–8. One undergraduate Charles Cree recorded the celebrations in 1871:
"Univ. Head in the Eights. Univ, though Balliol came near them were never in danger...The Eight supped with Snell and the rest of us joined them after supper, and had a glorious evening. Singing and shouting as well as our voices would let us — Everything went off well no one being drunk."
Univ won the headship in 1914, the college now being in possession of an original commemorative blade from that time. Sadly, many of that crew did not live to see the end of the Great War. Stephen Hawking was a member of the club in the 1960s, coxing the Men's Second VIII. The club features on the front cover of his autobiography, My Brief History
Univ was last Eights Head of the River from 1990 to 1991.
In Summer Eights, the Men's 1st VIII has climbed steadily over the past decade from the middle of Division II. As of 2015, the 1st Eight is eighth on the river. The Women's 1st Eight meanwhile, achieved Blades in 2010, 2011 and 2015 and are now fourth in Division 1, equalling their highest position ever (last achieved in 1992). The club is also highly successful lower-down the divisions, qualifying more boats for Eights 2012 and 2014 than any other college.
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