City of Cambridge Rowing Club
Encyclopedia
City of Cambridge Rowing Club (CCRC) or "city" is the oldest 'town' (or CRA
) rowing
and sculling
club in Cambridge
, UK
, and with about 300 members, it has one of the largest active rowing memberships in the region. The club's colours are dark blue, with a band of claret sandwiched between two bands of 'old gold'.
The club has one of the most successful historic records in town rowing as the only club to hold the men's headship
for ten successive years (between 1951 and 1961), and its recent record includes winning the John Jenner trophy as the most successful club in Town Bumps for four successive years (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010), with its women having reached "Head of the River
" in 2008. The club also won the Lester Trophy (for Intermediate Club Coxed Fours) at Henley Women's Regatta
in 2010.
The club has the largest novice rowing squad of any Cambridge town club - thriving on its social atmosphere - and this is reflected in results, with the club boasting the fastest mens and novice women's crews in most local races for the past few years, and holding various local records for fastest novice race times.
town rowing club
to build its own boathouse
on the banks of the river Cam
, and it is still based at the same site, in the main row of boathouses opposite Midsummer Common. The boathouse is currently being refurbished in several stages, starting with new changing room facilities in 2008. Many local CRA
races are run from this clubhouse, and with a licensed bar
, it is a popular venue for post race celebrations for many local races.
The club boasts a large fleet of racing shells and training boats, consisting of seven VIIIs, nine IVs/4xs, and over a dozen smaller boats (double sculls, pairs and single sculls). A modern fleet, with all the top racing boats less than four years old, is maintained by a regular buying schedule. The club's boats have ARA
alphanumeric registration codes starting with the letters "CAM" followed by three digits.
races on the River Cam
, at regional regattas and head race
s such as those at Peterborough, Bedford and Norwich, and at major national events including Men's and Women's Tideway Head of the River Race
s, Henley Women's Regatta
, Henley Royal Regatta
and the National Championships. Club crews also occasionally compete at international events such as the Head of the Charles, the Galway
Head and FISA
Masters.
The biggest race in the local calendar is the CRA Bumps
(or "town bumps") in which almost all club members participate. In 2008, the women's squad reached first position ("Head") in this race. The club has won the John Jenner trophy (for the most successful club in CRA bumps) for the past three years.
, including the CRA Winter League (a "league" event run over the Cam Head
Course over three successive months), the Head 2 Head races (where the standard Head Course is rowed twice in quick succession; first downstream and then, minutes later, in the more usual upstream direction) in spring and winter, the CCRC Sprint Regatta
(a short ~400 m side-by-side sprint regatta outside the bothouses along Midsummer Common) and the Christmas Head (an upstream race past most of the boathouses).
on the Cam
. Early records show the existence of the 'Cambridge Boat Racing Club' in 1844, the largest contingent of which went on to become the 'Cambridge Town Rowing Club' in 1863. The Town club was formed by John Harvey in the working men's club that used to be located on Market Hill; this formed the core of what became CCRC in 1932. The club's colours are dark blue, Claret and Old Gold.
Records are patchy for the first part of the twentieth century but it seems that City began to record excellent results in both the Bumps and the Eight's Head
on the Thames from the late '40's onwards. In 1953 the first eight finished 53rd on the Thames and held the headship
in the Town Bumps (see below for more Bumps detail). In the same year (the club's official 90th anniversary) the first Town regatta was run on the Cam
. The course ran from the Pike and Eel (now the Penny Ferry) all the way down the long reach and round to the Plough. The Cambridge Daily News reported that R. Evans of St Neots was disqualified for knocking M. Clay of Nottingham and Union into the river during their singles race. Clay appeared to collect the trophy 'soaked to the skin, his hair on end and in bare feet'. The City Sprints are now held in front of the boat houses over a shorter course, and often produce similar drama!
At a meeting with City members at the Pitt Club in 1955 H.A. Ives of the ARA reported that due to financial constraints no GB 8 would be sent to the olympics that year, remarking bitterly that "'our friends from behind the Iron Curtain are in every event'". He also controversially commented 'I think you are all too parochial. You should discover that Bumps are not the be-all and end-all of rowing'". It was a theme that was revisited by City honorary member Dennis Baker in 1964 when he commented on the 'insularity of Cambridge town clubs' and it has been a cause for discussion amongst the Cam rowing community ever since.
City took a big step towards financial security in 1959 when the club purchased the freehold to the boathouse and in 1963 celebrated its official centenary by opening its new boathouse.
University Bumps races had been held from the 1820s onwards but the town bumps only really took shape with the formation of the CRA (Cambridgeshire Rowing Association
) in 1868. It seems that City were head of the river
in the Town Bumps in 1875 but suffered something of a low-ebb until 1914 when they rowed themselves up to 3rd. In 1949 the 1st boat won their blades and in 1951 they were head of the river for the first time since the headship was lost in the 1870s. They retained the headship for the next 6 years and in 1958 had the chance to equal Rob Roy
's record of 8 consecutive headships (set from 1904 to 1911).
In the build up to the 1958 Bumps, Robs
and City posted identical times in the 'Timed Race'. On the first night of the Bumps proper Robs
caught 99's
to go second and leave themselves three nights to catch City. But for all their endeavour Robs could not bump a determined City crew and the record was equalled. City went on to retain the headship for a further two years and a new record of 10 consecutive years of Headship was thus set by City before they were eventually toppled in 1962 by 99's. This ten year record makes CCRC the only club with a formal right to both a weather vane (for five years of successive headship) and a clock tower on its boathouse. Ironically, its neighbouring club has a clock tower but the CCRC boathouse does not.
As of 2010, CCRC hold the women's headship
, having first secured it in 2008, and retained it for three successive years.
Cambridgeshire Rowing Association
The Cambridgeshire Rowing Association is based in Cambridge, UK. It is the administrative body for non-college rowing in Cambridge and since 1868 has organised races such as the CRA Bumps as well as looking after the interests of local rowing by providing facilities and regular meetings to discuss...
) rowing
Sport rowing
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
and sculling
Sculling
Sculling generally refers to a method of using oars to propel watercraft in which the oar or oars touch the water on both the port and starboard sides of the craft, or over the stern...
club in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and with about 300 members, it has one of the largest active rowing memberships in the region. The club's colours are dark blue, with a band of claret sandwiched between two bands of 'old gold'.
The club has one of the most successful historic records in town rowing as the only club to hold the men's headship
Head of the River
A Head of the River race is a rowing race, held as a procession race against the clock, with the winning crew receiving the title of "Head of the River"...
for ten successive years (between 1951 and 1961), and its recent record includes winning the John Jenner trophy as the most successful club in Town Bumps for four successive years (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010), with its women having reached "Head of the River
Head of the River
A Head of the River race is a rowing race, held as a procession race against the clock, with the winning crew receiving the title of "Head of the River"...
" in 2008. The club also won the Lester Trophy (for Intermediate Club Coxed Fours) at Henley Women's Regatta
Henley Women's Regatta
Henley Women's Regatta is a rowing regatta held at Henley-on-Thames, England. It was formed as a result of the lack of women's events at Henley Royal Regatta and first held in 1988...
in 2010.
The club has the largest novice rowing squad of any Cambridge town club - thriving on its social atmosphere - and this is reflected in results, with the club boasting the fastest mens and novice women's crews in most local races for the past few years, and holding various local records for fastest novice race times.
Facilities
The club was the first CambridgeCambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
town rowing club
Cambridgeshire Rowing Association
The Cambridgeshire Rowing Association is based in Cambridge, UK. It is the administrative body for non-college rowing in Cambridge and since 1868 has organised races such as the CRA Bumps as well as looking after the interests of local rowing by providing facilities and regular meetings to discuss...
to build its own boathouse
Boathouse
A boathouse is a building especially designed for the storage of boats, normally smaller craft for sports or leisure use. These are typically located on open water, such as on a river. Often the boats stored are rowing boats...
on the banks of the river Cam
River Cam
The River Cam is a tributary of the River Great Ouse in the east of England. The two rivers join to the south of Ely at Pope's Corner. The Great Ouse connects the Cam to England's canal system and to the North Sea at King's Lynn...
, and it is still based at the same site, in the main row of boathouses opposite Midsummer Common. The boathouse is currently being refurbished in several stages, starting with new changing room facilities in 2008. Many local CRA
Cambridgeshire Rowing Association
The Cambridgeshire Rowing Association is based in Cambridge, UK. It is the administrative body for non-college rowing in Cambridge and since 1868 has organised races such as the CRA Bumps as well as looking after the interests of local rowing by providing facilities and regular meetings to discuss...
races are run from this clubhouse, and with a licensed bar
Bar (establishment)
A bar is a business establishment that serves alcoholic drinks — beer, wine, liquor, and cocktails — for consumption on the premises.Bars provide stools or chairs that are placed at tables or counters for their patrons. Some bars have entertainment on a stage, such as a live band, comedians, go-go...
, it is a popular venue for post race celebrations for many local races.
The club boasts a large fleet of racing shells and training boats, consisting of seven VIIIs, nine IVs/4xs, and over a dozen smaller boats (double sculls, pairs and single sculls). A modern fleet, with all the top racing boats less than four years old, is maintained by a regular buying schedule. The club's boats have ARA
Amateur Rowing Association
British Rowing, formerly the Amateur Rowing Association , is the governing body in England for the sport of rowing. It is also responsible for the development and organisation of international rowing teams representing Great Britain...
alphanumeric registration codes starting with the letters "CAM" followed by three digits.
Racing
The club competes all year round at local CRACambridgeshire Rowing Association
The Cambridgeshire Rowing Association is based in Cambridge, UK. It is the administrative body for non-college rowing in Cambridge and since 1868 has organised races such as the CRA Bumps as well as looking after the interests of local rowing by providing facilities and regular meetings to discuss...
races on the River Cam
River Cam
The River Cam is a tributary of the River Great Ouse in the east of England. The two rivers join to the south of Ely at Pope's Corner. The Great Ouse connects the Cam to England's canal system and to the North Sea at King's Lynn...
, at regional regattas and head race
Head race
A head race is a time-trial competition in the sport of rowing, also known as crew to a few USA organizations. Head races are typically held in the fall and spring seasons. These events draw many athletes as well as observers...
s such as those at Peterborough, Bedford and Norwich, and at major national events including Men's and Women's Tideway Head of the River Race
Head of the River Race
The Head of the River Race is a processional rowing race held annually on the River Thames in London, England, on the 4.25 mile Championship Course from Mortlake to Putney.-History:...
s, Henley Women's Regatta
Henley Women's Regatta
Henley Women's Regatta is a rowing regatta held at Henley-on-Thames, England. It was formed as a result of the lack of women's events at Henley Royal Regatta and first held in 1988...
, Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
and the National Championships. Club crews also occasionally compete at international events such as the Head of the Charles, the Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
Head and FISA
International Rowing Federation
The Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron, or FISA for short, is the International Rowing Federation which is the governing body for international Rowing. Its current president is Denis Oswald...
Masters.
The biggest race in the local calendar is the CRA Bumps
Bumps race
A bumps race is a form of rowing race in which a number of boats chase each other in single file, each boat attempting to catch and "bump" the boat in front without being caught by the boat behind....
(or "town bumps") in which almost all club members participate. In 2008, the women's squad reached first position ("Head") in this race. The club has won the John Jenner trophy (for the most successful club in CRA bumps) for the past three years.
CCRC Events
The club hosts and runs several local rowing races on the River CamRiver Cam
The River Cam is a tributary of the River Great Ouse in the east of England. The two rivers join to the south of Ely at Pope's Corner. The Great Ouse connects the Cam to England's canal system and to the North Sea at King's Lynn...
, including the CRA Winter League (a "league" event run over the Cam Head
Head race
A head race is a time-trial competition in the sport of rowing, also known as crew to a few USA organizations. Head races are typically held in the fall and spring seasons. These events draw many athletes as well as observers...
Course over three successive months), the Head 2 Head races (where the standard Head Course is rowed twice in quick succession; first downstream and then, minutes later, in the more usual upstream direction) in spring and winter, the CCRC Sprint Regatta
Regatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
(a short ~400 m side-by-side sprint regatta outside the bothouses along Midsummer Common) and the Christmas Head (an upstream race past most of the boathouses).
History
City of Cambridge is the oldest town rowing clubCambridgeshire Rowing Association
The Cambridgeshire Rowing Association is based in Cambridge, UK. It is the administrative body for non-college rowing in Cambridge and since 1868 has organised races such as the CRA Bumps as well as looking after the interests of local rowing by providing facilities and regular meetings to discuss...
on the Cam
River Cam
The River Cam is a tributary of the River Great Ouse in the east of England. The two rivers join to the south of Ely at Pope's Corner. The Great Ouse connects the Cam to England's canal system and to the North Sea at King's Lynn...
. Early records show the existence of the 'Cambridge Boat Racing Club' in 1844, the largest contingent of which went on to become the 'Cambridge Town Rowing Club' in 1863. The Town club was formed by John Harvey in the working men's club that used to be located on Market Hill; this formed the core of what became CCRC in 1932. The club's colours are dark blue, Claret and Old Gold.
Records are patchy for the first part of the twentieth century but it seems that City began to record excellent results in both the Bumps and the Eight's Head
Head of the River Race
The Head of the River Race is a processional rowing race held annually on the River Thames in London, England, on the 4.25 mile Championship Course from Mortlake to Putney.-History:...
on the Thames from the late '40's onwards. In 1953 the first eight finished 53rd on the Thames and held the headship
Head of the River
A Head of the River race is a rowing race, held as a procession race against the clock, with the winning crew receiving the title of "Head of the River"...
in the Town Bumps (see below for more Bumps detail). In the same year (the club's official 90th anniversary) the first Town regatta was run on the Cam
River Cam
The River Cam is a tributary of the River Great Ouse in the east of England. The two rivers join to the south of Ely at Pope's Corner. The Great Ouse connects the Cam to England's canal system and to the North Sea at King's Lynn...
. The course ran from the Pike and Eel (now the Penny Ferry) all the way down the long reach and round to the Plough. The Cambridge Daily News reported that R. Evans of St Neots was disqualified for knocking M. Clay of Nottingham and Union into the river during their singles race. Clay appeared to collect the trophy 'soaked to the skin, his hair on end and in bare feet'. The City Sprints are now held in front of the boat houses over a shorter course, and often produce similar drama!
At a meeting with City members at the Pitt Club in 1955 H.A. Ives of the ARA reported that due to financial constraints no GB 8 would be sent to the olympics that year, remarking bitterly that "'our friends from behind the Iron Curtain are in every event'". He also controversially commented 'I think you are all too parochial. You should discover that Bumps are not the be-all and end-all of rowing'". It was a theme that was revisited by City honorary member Dennis Baker in 1964 when he commented on the 'insularity of Cambridge town clubs' and it has been a cause for discussion amongst the Cam rowing community ever since.
City took a big step towards financial security in 1959 when the club purchased the freehold to the boathouse and in 1963 celebrated its official centenary by opening its new boathouse.
Bumps Racing
Cambridgeshire Rowing Association
The Cambridgeshire Rowing Association is based in Cambridge, UK. It is the administrative body for non-college rowing in Cambridge and since 1868 has organised races such as the CRA Bumps as well as looking after the interests of local rowing by providing facilities and regular meetings to discuss...
) in 1868. It seems that City were head of the river
Head of the River
A Head of the River race is a rowing race, held as a procession race against the clock, with the winning crew receiving the title of "Head of the River"...
in the Town Bumps in 1875 but suffered something of a low-ebb until 1914 when they rowed themselves up to 3rd. In 1949 the 1st boat won their blades and in 1951 they were head of the river for the first time since the headship was lost in the 1870s. They retained the headship for the next 6 years and in 1958 had the chance to equal Rob Roy
Rob Roy Boat Club
Rob Roy Boat Club, or Robs, is a boat club based on the River Cam in Cambridge, UK, which has traditionally focused on training and racing in small boats...
's record of 8 consecutive headships (set from 1904 to 1911).
In the build up to the 1958 Bumps, Robs
Rob Roy Boat Club
Rob Roy Boat Club, or Robs, is a boat club based on the River Cam in Cambridge, UK, which has traditionally focused on training and racing in small boats...
and City posted identical times in the 'Timed Race'. On the first night of the Bumps proper Robs
Rob Roy Boat Club
Rob Roy Boat Club, or Robs, is a boat club based on the River Cam in Cambridge, UK, which has traditionally focused on training and racing in small boats...
caught 99's
Cambridge '99 RC
Cambridge '99 RC "Nines" is a rowing club based in Cambridge, UK, with one of the largest active rowing memberships in the region. The club's colours are a distinctive sky blue, 'old gold' and green....
to go second and leave themselves three nights to catch City. But for all their endeavour Robs could not bump a determined City crew and the record was equalled. City went on to retain the headship for a further two years and a new record of 10 consecutive years of Headship was thus set by City before they were eventually toppled in 1962 by 99's. This ten year record makes CCRC the only club with a formal right to both a weather vane (for five years of successive headship) and a clock tower on its boathouse. Ironically, its neighbouring club has a clock tower but the CCRC boathouse does not.
As of 2010, CCRC hold the women's headship
Head of the River
A Head of the River race is a rowing race, held as a procession race against the clock, with the winning crew receiving the title of "Head of the River"...
, having first secured it in 2008, and retained it for three successive years.