Cambridge University Women's Boat Club (CUWBC) was the

rowing Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically ...

club for women at the

University of Cambridge The University of Cambridge is a public collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world's third oldest surviving university and one of its most pr ...

. CUWBC fielded both a lightweight eight that races against Oxford at the

Henley Boat Races The Henley Boat Races were a series of annual rowing races between various crews representing the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. The event included the Lightweight Men's Boat Race from 1975 to 2018, the Women's Boat ...

, and two openweight eights that race at the

Women's Boat Race The Women's Boat Race is an annual rowing race between Cambridge University Women's Boat Club and Oxford University Women's Boat Club. First rowed in 1927, the race has taken place annually since 1964. Since the 2015 race it has been rowed on ...

. In April 2020 it was agreed that the club would be combined with the men's club

CUBC The Cambridge University Boat Club (CUBC) is the rowing club of the University of Cambridge, England. The club was founded in 1828 and has been located at the Goldie Boathouse on the River Cam, Cambridge since 1882. Nowadays, training primarily ...

and the lightweight men's club CULRC.

History

Early days of the club

Women began rowing on the River Cam in the 19th century, mainly from

Newnham College Boat Club Newnham College Boat Club is the rowing club for members of Newnham College, Cambridge. The club has a year-round senior squad and invites all members of the college to learn to row by joining the novice squads during Michaelmas or Easter terms. ...

, but only on a recreational level. Newnham competed against the

Oxford University Women's Boat Club Oxford University Women's Boat Club (OUWBC) is the rowing club for female rowers (and coxes of either sex) who are students at the University of Oxford. The club was founded in 1926 and is now based in Wallingford at the Fleming Boat Hous ...

(OUWBC) from 1927 until 1939. For the first few "races", the two crews were not permitted to be on the river at the same time, and the winner was largely determined on style merit marks, rather than boat speed. The first side-by-side racing started in 1936. The first ''blues'' were awarded in 1941, when CUWBC raced against OUWBC. All of the rowers in 1941 were members of Newnham. The following year, the first Girton rower competed. In 1962, the CUWBC rowed in the men's bumps races, in the 8th division. CUWBC succeeded in bumping a men's crew only 7 times (in both the

Lent Lent ( la, Quadragesima, 'Fortieth') is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar commemorating the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring temptation by Satan, according to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke ...

and

May Bumps The May Bumps (also May Races, Mays) are a set of rowing races, held annually on the River Cam in Cambridge, England. They began in 1887 after separating from the Lent Bumps, the equivalent bumping races held at the end of February or start of M ...

) in the 12 years that they competed, often being bumped very quickly, and on one occasion getting ''triple-overbumped''. CUWBC last competed in the bumps in 1973 – the following year, the first dedicated women's bumping races began.

Women's rowing

Until the foundation of the

Cambridge University Combined Boat Club Cambridge University Combined Boat Clubs (CUCBC) is responsible for the day-to-day running of college rowing in Cambridge. It is also responsible for organising May and Lent bumps which are the main races of the Easter and Lent terms respectively ...

(CUCBC) in the mid-1990s, the CUWBC controlled the rules and races for all women's rowing. The CUWBC rules often differed from the rules for the men, which were governed by the Cambridge University Boat Club (CUBC). Eventually, as the number of women rowing increased to rival that of the men, the CUCBC was founded to bring all college rowing under the control of a single entity, leaving the CUWBC to concentrate on the

Women's Boat Race on the Tideway

Through sponsorship from

Newton Investment Management Newton Investment Management is a investment management firm based in London. It is subsidiary of BNY Mellon Investment Management. History The firm was founded as Newton in 1978 as a joint venture with Scottish insurance broker Reed Stonehous ...

, the CUWBC Blue Boat race took place on the Tideway on the same day as the men's

Boat Race Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other wate ...

for the first time in 2015.

Honours

Henley Royal Regatta

British champions

References

External links

Cambridge University Women’s Blue BoatCrew lists from 1941 to the presentCambridge University Combined Boat ClubsHenley Boat Races
{{United Kingdom rowing clubs Sports clubs established in 1940 1940 establishments in England University and college rowing clubs in the United Kingdom Women's Boat Race Rowing clubs of the River Cam Rowing clubs of the River Great Ouse