Bristol Boat Race

The Bristol Boat Race (also called The Varsity Boat Race) is an annual event between the University of the West of England (UWE) and the University of Bristol, held on the historic Bristol Harbour, Bristol, England. It is usually held in the summer term after the Easter break, often the week before, or the week after British Universities and Colleges Regatta, although in the first years of the event was often held in February. Founded in 1995, it has been claimed to be the second oldest university Boat Race in the United Kingdom, after The Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge, although the Scottish Boat Race between Glasgow and Edinburgh universities dates back to 1877.

In the early years of the event the University of Bristol dominated, but in recent years UWE has become a much greater force and the event has become hotly contested. It has become instrumental in improving the calibre of both boat clubs, of which are now regarded as two highly competitive university rowing institutions in the United Kingdom.

The Course
The course runs from the Cumberland Basin towards the Bristol City Centre and finishes 1.3 km later at Canon's Wharf Amphitheatre. Several course changes have been proposed in recent years, due to the nature of the bends providing each side with significant advantages at different stages of the course.

The Race
The Coin toss/Presidents Slap is a tradition by which the winning university from the previous year challenge the losing university to the years race, it also decides the banks each crew will race on.

-All competing crews are required to attend the weigh in, usually held the day before or on the day of Varsity. This gives the opportunity for the crews to face off against their opposite number before the race.

-Depending on the university intake each year, Each University will field the following crews However this is subject to change, in accordance to both universities requirements.
 * Men's 1st VIII
 * Men's 2nd VIII/IV
 * Women's 1st VIII
 * Women's 2nd VIII/IV
 * Men's Novice 1&2nd VIII's
 * Women's Novice 1&2nd VIII's
 * Men's & Women's Allumni VIII's

History of the Bristol Boat Race
OVERALL TALLY

BRISTOL – 13

UWE – 8

Men's Senior VIII

UWE – 13 BRISTOL s- 7

1 Nulled

-Development Men's VIII UWE
 * 1995 Bristol win varsity

-Development Women's VIII UWE

-Senior Women's 1st IV UoB

-Senior Men's 1st IV UoB

-Senior Women's 1st VIII UoB

-Senior Men's 1st VIII UoB

-Novice Men's VIII UoB
 * 1996 Bristol win varsity

-Novice Women's VIII UoB

-Alumni Men's VIII UoB

-Senior Men's VIII UoB

-Senior Women's VIII UoB

-Novice Women's VIII UoB
 * 1997 Bristol win varsity

-Novice Men's VIII UWE

-Senior Women's VIII UoB

-Senior Men's IV UWE

-Senior Men's VIII UoB

-Novice Women's VIIIs UoB
 * 1998 Bristol win Varsity

-Novice Men's VIIIs UoB

-Senior Women's IVs UoB

-Senior Men's IVs UWE

-Senior Women's VIIIs UoB

-Senior Men's VIIIs UoB

-Alumni Mixed VIIIs UoB

-Alumni Men's VIIIs UWE

-Novice Women's VIIIs UWE
 * 1999 Bristol win Varsity

-Novice Men's VIIIs UWE

-Senior Women's IVs UoB

-Senior Men's IVs UoB

-Senior Women's VIIIs UoB

-Senior Men's VIIIs UoB

-Alumni Women's VIIIs UoB

-Alumni Men's VIIIs UoB

-Novice Men's IVs UoB
 * 2000 Bristol win varsity

-Novice Women's VIIIs UoB

-Novice Men's VIIIs UoB

-Senior Men's IVs UWE

-Senior Women's VIIIs UoB

-Senior Men's VIIIs UoB

-Alumni Men's IVs UoB

-Alumni Men's VIIIs UoB

-Novice Women's VIIIs UoB
 * 2001 Bristol win varsity

-Novice Men's VIIIs UWE

-Senior Women's VIIIs UoB

-Senior Men's VIIIs UoB

-Novice Women's VIIIs UoB
 * 2002 Bristol win varsity

-Novice Men's VIIIs UWE

-Senior Women's VIIIs UoB

-Senior Men's VIIIs UoB

-Alumni Men's VIIIs UoB

-Novice Women's VIIIs UWE
 * 2003 UWE win varsity

-Novice Men's VIIIs UWE

-Senior Women's VIIIs UoB

-Senior Men's VIIIs UWE

-Alumni Men's VIIIs UWE

-Novice Women's VIIIs UWE
 * 2004 UWE win varsity

-Novice Men's VIIIs UWE

-Senior Women's VIIIs UoB

-Senior Men's VIIIs UWE

-Alumni Men's VIIIs UoB

-Novice Women's VIIIs UWE
 * 2005 UWE win varsity

-Novice Men's VIIIs UoB

-Senior Women's VIIIs UWE

-Senior Men's VIIIs UWE

-Alumni Men's VIIIs UoB

-Men's first VIIIs – dead heat UWE (re-row)
 * 2006 UWE win varsity

-Women's first VIIIs UWE

-Men's alumni VIIIs UWE

-Women's novices UWE

-Men's novices UoB

-Men's first VIIIs – UoB
 * 2007 Bristol win varsity

-Women's first VIIIs – UWE

-Men's alumni VIIIs – UoB

-Women's novices – UoB

-Men's novices – UoB

-Men's first VIIIs – UWE
 * 2008 UWE win varsity

-Women's first VIIIs – UWE

-Men's alumni VIIIs – UWE

-Women's novices – UoB

-Men's novices – UoB

-Men's first VIIIs – Nulled after rule confusion at start
 * 2009 Bristol win varsity

-Men's Second VIIIs – UoB

-Women's first VIIIs – UWE

-Men's alumni VIIIs – UWE

-Women's novices – UoB

-Men's novices first VIIIs – UoB

-Men's novices second VIIIs – UoB


 * 2010 Varsity Champions – UoB

-Men's 1st VIII – UoB

-Women's 1st VIII – UoB

-Men's Novice 1st VIII – UoB

-Women's Novice 1st VIII – UWE

-Men's Alumni VIII – UoB

-Women's Alumni VIII – UWE

-Men's Novice 2nd IV – UoB


 * 2011 Varsity Champions – UWE

-Men's 1st VIII – UWE

-Women's 1st VIII – UoB

-Men's Novice 1st VIII – UWE

-Women's Novice 1st VIII – UWE

-Men's 2nd VIII – UWE

-Men's Alumni VIII – UoB

-Women's Alumni VIII – UWE


 * 2012 Varsity Champions – UoB

-Men's 1st VIII – UWE

-Women's 1st VIII – UoB

-Men's Novice 1st VIII – UoB

-Women's Novice 1st VIII – UoB

-Men's 2nd VIII – UWE

-Men's Alumni VIII – UoB

-Women's Alumni VIII – UoB

-Women's 2nd IV+ – UoB

-Men's Novice 2nd VIII – UWE


 * 2013 Varsity Champions – UWE

-Men's 1st VIII- UWE

-Men's 2nd VIII- UWE

-Women's 1st VIII- UoB

-Men's Novice 1st VIII- UWE

-Men's Novice 2nd VIII- UWE

-Women's Novice 1st VIII- UoB

-Women's Novice 2nd VIII- UWE


 * 2014 Varsity Champions – UWE

-Men's 1st VIII- UWE

-Men's 2nd VIII- UWE

-Women's 1st VIII- UWE

-Men's Novice 1st VIII- UWE

-Women's Novice 1st VIII- UoB


 * 2015 Varsity Champions - UoB

-Men's 1st VIII- UWE

-Men's 2nd VIII- UWE

-Women's 1st VIII- UWE

-Men's Novice 1st VIII- UoB

-Men's Novice 2nd VIII- UWE

-Women's Novice 1st VIII- UoB

The Varsity Challenge Cup
A new Varsity Challenge Cup was awarded to both Universities in the autumn 2012, marking 30 years of the event in preparation for presentation after the 2013 race. The winning Varsity Captain's name will be engraved on the silver base. This trophy replaces the inter-university blade awarded to the winning university.