User:Aloneinthewild/Oxford





Rowing at Oriel is carried out from the college's own boat-house across Christ Church Meadow. Oriel has a reputation for its success in rowing, in particular the two intercollegiate bumps races, Torpids and Eights Week.[41] In 2005 they remained "Head of the River" in Torpids and rowed over second in Eights Week. Having been awarded spoons in Summer Eights 2006 after being bumped every day of racing, the Men's 1st VIII bumped twice in 2007 and twice again in 2008 to return to 2nd on the River, behind Balliol College.[42] The women's 1st VIII has also had success in Summer Eights in recent years, winning blades in 2007 after bumping on all four days and finishing 2008 in Division I for the first time since 1994. In 2006 Oriel claimed the first ever double headship in Torpids, rowing over as Head of the River in both the men's and women's first divisions. Both Men's and Women's 1st VIIIs ceded the headship of Torpids in 2008 by being bumped; the positions remained unchanged in 2007 as Torpids were cancelled.

In 2011 Oriel regained the Headship in Eights, retaining this honour the following year.

On the afternoons of the Thursday, Friday and Saturday of 7th week in Trinity Term, the boat club hosts the annual Oriel Regatta; events in this competition include side-by-side racing for eights, coxed fours, pairs and single sculls.[43] The course runs upstream from the Longbridges Boathouse to past the end of boathouses on Christ Church Island and are conducted in knock-out format.

Despite the small size of the Hall, an VIII has been put on the river for many years.[5] In recent years, it has had a good record of winning 'blades', the trophy awarded for 'bumping' (rowing past teams ranked above) every day in a regatta.

The women of St Hilda's College, were the first on the river, and started rowing in the early 1900's. The club purchased it's first VIII in 1911. In 1969 St Hilda's became the first women's crew to qualify for Summer Eights (at that time only competed with men). The crew had five of the Varsity women's boat crew and Oxford University Women's Boat Club president, Pamela Martin at stroke.