Clare Boat Club
Encyclopedia
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...
club for members of Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College, Cambridge
Clare College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1326, making it the second-oldest surviving college of the University after Peterhouse. Clare is famous for its chapel choir and for its gardens on "the Backs"...
. Prior to about 1930, the Clare 1st VIII spent most of its time near the boundary of the 1st and 2nd divisions of the Lent
Lent Bumps
The Lent Bumps are a set of rowing races held annually on the River Cam in Cambridge. They began in 1887, after separating from the May Bumps, the equivalent bumping races held in mid-June. Prior to the separation there had been a single set of annual bumps dating from its inception in 1827...
and May Bumps
May Bumps
The May Bumps are a set of rowing races, held annually on the River Cam in Cambridge. They began in 1887 after separating from the Lent Bumps, the equivalent bumping races held at the end of February or start of March. Prior to the separation there had been a single set of annual bumps dating from...
. It rose to take the headship of the Lent Bumps
Lent Bumps
The Lent Bumps are a set of rowing races held annually on the River Cam in Cambridge. They began in 1887, after separating from the May Bumps, the equivalent bumping races held in mid-June. Prior to the separation there had been a single set of annual bumps dating from its inception in 1827...
in 1939. It remained in the top 10 until the 1960s, and returned to form in the early 1970s, taking the headship of the Lent Bumps
Lent Bumps
The Lent Bumps are a set of rowing races held annually on the River Cam in Cambridge. They began in 1887, after separating from the May Bumps, the equivalent bumping races held in mid-June. Prior to the separation there had been a single set of annual bumps dating from its inception in 1827...
again in 1973. Since then, the 1st VIII have spent most of its time in the 1st division, but have dropped into the 2nd division on occasions. In the May Bumps
May Bumps
The May Bumps are a set of rowing races, held annually on the River Cam in Cambridge. They began in 1887 after separating from the Lent Bumps, the equivalent bumping races held at the end of February or start of March. Prior to the separation there had been a single set of annual bumps dating from...
, the Clare 1st VIII rose to take the headship in 1941 which it held until 1944 and gained it again in 1949. Since then, it has spent most of the time in the 1st division, but, similar to the Lent Bumps, it's dropped into the 2nd division on occasions. Clare 1st women's VIII started head in the first ever women's Lent Bumps in 1976, but were unable to retain the headship. In 2005, Clare were very close to taking the headship of the Lent Bumps, but Downing
Downing College Boat Club
Downing College Boat Club is the rowing club for members of Downing College, Cambridge. Despite the college admitting undergraduates in 1821, Downing's boat club did not form until 1863, with their first race being in the spring of 1864...
managed to cling onto it, although they managed their first Lents headship in 2006. In the first ever women's May Bumps in 1974, Clare started head and retained it and has since held it twice more, in 1979 and 1980. The women's 1st VIII currently are 3rd in the Lent Bumps and 10th in the May Bumps.
Alumni
- David JennensDavid JennensDavid Michael Jennens was a British rower who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics. He was a medical doctor....
, represented Cambridge University and Great Britain. - Charles SergelCharles SergelCharles John Scott Sergel was a surgeon, missionary doctor and a rower who competed at the 1932 Summer Olympics....
, represented Cambridge University and Great Britain.