Eights Week, also known as Summer Eights, is a four-day regatta of bumps races which constitutes the University of Oxford's main intercollegiaterowing event of the year. The regatta takes place in May of each year, from the Wednesday to the Saturday of the fifth week of Trinity Term. Men's and women's coxed eights compete in separate divisions for their colleges.
The racing takes place on the Isis, a length of the River Thames, which is generally too narrow for side by side racing. For each division, thirteen boats line up at the downstream end of the stretch, each cox holding onto a rope attached to the bank, leaving around 1.5 boat lengths between each boat. The start of racing is signalled by the firing of a cannon, each crew attempting to progress up their division by bumping the boat in front, while avoiding being bumped by the boat behind. Once a bump has taken place, both of the crews involved stop racing and move to the side to allow the rest of the division to pass. It is possible to "over bump" if the 2 crews in front of your boat bump (and so drop out) and your boat can catch the boat that was in front of them. They then swap places for the next day's racing, whether that be the calendar day or the first day of racing in the next year's competition.[citation needed]
The ultimate aim of a crew is to become "Head of the River" (top of the first division) and stay there. This entitles the winning crew to commission trophy oars in their college colours with the names and weights of the successful crew on them — commonly called "winning blades". As this is only possible for crews already near the top of division one, another way to win blades is to bump on each day of the competition. As the responsibility for awarding blades to crews rests with the individual colleges concerned, there are slight differences in the criteria required.[citation needed]
The "Double Headship" is an accolade awarded to any college finishing with both their men's and women's crews at the "Head of the River" in their respective divisions.[citation needed] A silver "Double Headship Trophy" was commissioned from the silversmith Peter Musson[2] in 2003, to commemorate the historic occasion.
Early history
Although regular races between professional watermen had been known since 1715 when Doggett's Coat and Badge was instituted, amateur racing was unknown before 1808.[3] The first such race may have been held in Yarmouth in that year.[citation needed] Meanwhile, recreational rowing had begun in Oxford very much earlier, with students rowing in single wherries at least as early as 1769.[4]
The first amateur races between organised clubs which prepared and trained for the event began in Oxford in 1815. In this year, crews from Brasenose College and Jesus College raced for the Head of the River, from Iffley Lock to Mr King's Barge, which was moored near the current Head of the River hotel. The event is also notable for the fact that both crews rowed in eight oared boats, specially built for the purpose. Such recreational as occurred at this time was usually conducted in pairs, or four or six oared cutters. The fact the racing was conducted in eight oared boats gave rise to the event being known as Eights.[5]
Brasenose College and Jesus College recontested the event in 1816, with Brasenose again triumphing. Christ Church joined in the event from 1817, when they went Head, a position they retained until 1819.[6]: 289 Christ Church did not row in 1820. The next recorded races, between Brasenose and Jesus, were in 1821 and 1822. A dispute about professional watermen being allowed in college crews precluded racing in 1823. Until this time, Jesus and Brasenose had each used paid coaches who rowed in the stroke seats of the crews.[citation needed]
From 1824, Christ Church and Exeter College began racing, with Exeter going Head in that year. A rule banning the use of "out college men" (i.e. men from other colleges) rowing in college crews saw the entry of Worcester College in 1825, University and Balliol Colleges in 1827, and Oriel and Trinity Colleges in 1828.[6]: 317
During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Summer Eights were cancelled for the first time since the Second World War. In the year after, Summer Eights were replaced by Summer Torpids, which was held instead because the 2021 Torpids races were also cancelled due to the pandemic response. Both Summer Eights and Torpids resumed as regular in 2023, using the college rankings from the end of 2019.
Head of the River – Summary table (excluding World War 2 races)
b Prior to the composite crew with Green College and after the foundation of Green Templeton Boat Club, Osler raced as an independent crew formed of clinical medical students.[citation needed]
No racing occurred during World War I. In World War II, though college rowing continued, there were insufficient students for normal racing between colleges to be maintained. As a consequence, most colleges competed in composite clubs, and the number of crews competing was greatly curtailed. After the war, normal racing continued, and in 1946 college crews started in the order in which they finished in 1939.[10]
The earliest-known scene of a race between two eight-oared boats at Oxford University. It has been suggested that the picture shows the "disputed bump" of 1822 in a race between Jesus College and Brasenose College, but this is uncertain.
Balliol College Men's 1st VIII rowing to take the Headship in 2008.
^ abcSherwood, W.E. (1900). The Eights. Oxford and London: Henry Frowde. p. 109. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
^O'Chee, W.G. (4 February 2015). "Brasenose College and the Origins of Oxford rowing". Retrieved 6 February 2015.
^O'Chee, W.G. (26 January 2018). "Rowing's Continuation and Resilience in Wartime Oxford". Retrieved 1 April 2021.
^"Eights 1829". eodg.atm.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
External links
Oxford University Rowing Clubs
Oxford Bumps Charts
Eights statistics
March 10, 2023
eights, week, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, june, 2013, l. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Eights Week news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message Eights Week also known as Summer Eights is a four day regatta of bumps races which constitutes the University of Oxford s main intercollegiate rowing event of the year The regatta takes place in May of each year from the Wednesday to the Saturday of the fifth week of Trinity Term Men s and women s coxed eights compete in separate divisions for their colleges Summer EightsHead of the RiverOriel College Men 1 University College Women 1 Highest 2nd Eight Men Oriel College Division II 1 Highest 2nd Eight Women Wolfson College Division II 1 Course Isis upstream Course length c 1800mNote Last Eights 25 May 28 May 2022OURCs Summer EightsEights Week May 2009 Men s Division 1 showing racing between from front Keble College New College St Edmund Hall Contents 1 Overview 2 Early history 3 Head of the River Summary table excluding World War 2 races 4 Head of the River Men 5 Head of the River Women 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksOverview Edit A busy riverbank scene as a boat is returned to one of the college boathouses in Eights Week 1982 The scene at Boathouse Island during Eights Week 2005 crammed with spectators awaiting the next race Further information Bumps race The racing takes place on the Isis a length of the River Thames which is generally too narrow for side by side racing For each division thirteen boats line up at the downstream end of the stretch each cox holding onto a rope attached to the bank leaving around 1 5 boat lengths between each boat The start of racing is signalled by the firing of a cannon each crew attempting to progress up their division by bumping the boat in front while avoiding being bumped by the boat behind Once a bump has taken place both of the crews involved stop racing and move to the side to allow the rest of the division to pass It is possible to over bump if the 2 crews in front of your boat bump and so drop out and your boat can catch the boat that was in front of them They then swap places for the next day s racing whether that be the calendar day or the first day of racing in the next year s competition citation needed The ultimate aim of a crew is to become Head of the River top of the first division and stay there This entitles the winning crew to commission trophy oars in their college colours with the names and weights of the successful crew on them commonly called winning blades As this is only possible for crews already near the top of division one another way to win blades is to bump on each day of the competition As the responsibility for awarding blades to crews rests with the individual colleges concerned there are slight differences in the criteria required citation needed The Double Headship is an accolade awarded to any college finishing with both their men s and women s crews at the Head of the River in their respective divisions citation needed A silver Double Headship Trophy was commissioned from the silversmith Peter Musson 2 in 2003 to commemorate the historic occasion Early history EditAlthough regular races between professional watermen had been known since 1715 when Doggett s Coat and Badge was instituted amateur racing was unknown before 1808 3 The first such race may have been held in Yarmouth in that year citation needed Meanwhile recreational rowing had begun in Oxford very much earlier with students rowing in single wherries at least as early as 1769 4 The first amateur races between organised clubs which prepared and trained for the event began in Oxford in 1815 In this year crews from Brasenose College and Jesus College raced for the Head of the River from Iffley Lock to Mr King s Barge which was moored near the current Head of the River hotel The event is also notable for the fact that both crews rowed in eight oared boats specially built for the purpose Such recreational as occurred at this time was usually conducted in pairs or four or six oared cutters The fact the racing was conducted in eight oared boats gave rise to the event being known as Eights 5 Brasenose College and Jesus College recontested the event in 1816 with Brasenose again triumphing Christ Church joined in the event from 1817 when they went Head a position they retained until 1819 6 289 Christ Church did not row in 1820 The next recorded races between Brasenose and Jesus were in 1821 and 1822 A dispute about professional watermen being allowed in college crews precluded racing in 1823 Until this time Jesus and Brasenose had each used paid coaches who rowed in the stroke seats of the crews citation needed From 1824 Christ Church and Exeter College began racing with Exeter going Head in that year A rule banning the use of out college men i e men from other colleges rowing in college crews saw the entry of Worcester College in 1825 University and Balliol Colleges in 1827 and Oriel and Trinity Colleges in 1828 6 317 During the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020 Summer Eights were cancelled for the first time since the Second World War In the year after Summer Eights were replaced by Summer Torpids which was held instead because the 2021 Torpids races were also cancelled due to the pandemic response Both Summer Eights and Torpids resumed as regular in 2023 using the college rankings from the end of 2019 Head of the River Summary table excluding World War 2 races EditBlade College Men Women Headships 7 Longest time held Men Longest time held Women Last Headship Men Last Headship Women Oriel 34 34 1978 84 amp 1996 2002 2022 Christ Church 33 33 1828 32 2017 Brasenose 24 24 1888 91 amp 1928 31 1931 Magdalen 20 20 1892 95 amp 2004 07 2007 New College 16 2 18 1896 99 2004 05 1986 2005 University 13 1 14 1896 99 1991 2022 Trinity 13 13 1869 71 1949 Balliol 10 2 12 1859 60 amp 1955 56 2010 11 2008 2011 Pembroke 4 6 10 2013 2000 03 2013 2018 St Edmund Hall 5 4 9 1959 61 2006 09 1965 2009 Keble 8 8 1967 1970 2018 Somerville 8 8 1990 93 1993 Wadham 2 5 7 2014 16 1856 2016 Exeter 7 7 1882 84 1884 Osler Housea 5 5 1988 89 amp 1994 95 1995Osler Greenb 4 4 1996 99 1999 St Hugh s 4 4 1982 84 1984 Queen s 3 3 1957 Corpus Christi 2 2 1885 Hertford 1 1 1881 Lady Margaret Hall 1 1 1977 Merton 1 1 1951 St John s 1 1 2013 Wolfson 1 1 2019a Since 2008 this crew composition does not exist any more Prior to the foundation of Green Templeton College members of Green College raced with Osler House whereas members of Templeton College raced with Hertford College citation needed b Prior to the composite crew with Green College and after the foundation of Green Templeton Boat Club Osler raced as an independent crew formed of clinical medical students citation needed Head of the River Men EditEights Week has been held since 1815 8 9 No racing occurred during World War I In World War II though college rowing continued there were insufficient students for normal racing between colleges to be maintained As a consequence most colleges competed in composite clubs and the number of crews competing was greatly curtailed After the war normal racing continued and in 1946 college crews started in the order in which they finished in 1939 10 The earliest known scene of a race between two eight oared boats at Oxford University It has been suggested that the picture shows the disputed bump of 1822 in a race between Jesus College and Brasenose College but this is uncertain Balliol College Men s 1st VIII rowing to take the Headship in 2008 Year College Year College Year College Year College Year College1815 Brasenose 1816 Brasenose 1817 Christ Church 1818 Christ Church 1819 Christ Church1820 a 1821 Brasenose 1822 Brasenose 1823 b 1824 Exeter1825 Christ Church 1826 Christ Church 1827 Brasenose 1828 Christ Church 1829 c1830 Christ Church 1831 Christ Church 1832 Christ Church 1833 Queen s 1834 Christ Church1835 Christ Church 1836 Christ Church 1837 Queen s 1838 Exeter 1839 Brasenose1840 Brasenose 1841 University 1842 Oriel 1843 University 1844 Christ Church1845 Brasenose 1846 Brasenose 1847 Christ Church 1848 Christ Church 1849 Christ Church1850 Wadham 1851 Balliol 1852 Brasenose 1853 Brasenose 1854 Brasenose1855 Balliol 1856 Wadham 1857 Exeter 1858 Exeter 1859 Balliol1860 Balliol 1861 Trinity 1862 Trinity 1863 Trinity 1864 Trinity1865 Brasenose 1866 Brasenose 1867 Brasenose 1868 Corpus Christi 1869 University1870 University 1871 University 1872 Pembroke 1873 Balliol 1874 University1875 University 1876 Brasenose 1877 University 1878 University 1879 Balliol1880 Magdalen 1881 Hertford 1882 Exeter 1883 Exeter 1884 Exeter1885 Corpus Christi 1886 Magdalen 1887 New College 1888 Magdalen 1889 Brasenose1890 Brasenose 1891 Brasenose 1892 Magdalen 1893 Magdalen 1894 Magdalen1895 Magdalen 1896 New College 1897 New College 1898 New College 1899 New College1900 Magdalen 1901 New College 1902 University 1903 New College 1904 New College1905 Magdalen 1906 Magdalen 1907 Christ Church 1908 Christ Church 1909 Christ Church1910 Magdalen 1911 New College 1912 New College 1913 New College 1914 University1915 d 1916 d 1917 d 1918 d 1919 Magdalen1920 Magdalen 1921 New College 1922 New College 1923 Magdalen 1924 Christ Church1925 Christ Church 1926 Christ Church 1927 Christ Church 1928 Brasenose 1929 Brasenose1930 Brasenose 1931 Brasenose 1932 Magdalen 1933 Oriel 1934 Oriel1935 Oriel 1936 Oriel 1937 New College 1938 Trinity 1939 Trinity1940 Trinity amp Balliol 1941 New Coll amp Magd 1942 BNC ChCh amp Pemb 1943 e 1944 Magdalen1945 Magdalen 1946 Trinity 1947 Trinity 1948 Trinity 1949 Trinity1950 New College 1951 Merton 1952 Balliol 1953 Magdalen 1954 Magdalen1955 Balliol 1956 Balliol 1957 Queen s 1958 Christ Church 1959 St Edmund Hall1960 St Edmund Hall 1961 St Edmund Hall 1962 Christ Church 1963 Keble 1964 St Edmund Hall1965 St Edmund Hall 1966 Oriel 1967 Keble 1968 Keble 1969 Keble1970 Keble 1971 Christ Church 1972 Keble 1973 Christ Church 1974 Christ Church1975 Christ Church 1976 Oriel 1977 Keble 1978 Oriel 1979 Oriel1980 Oriel 1981 Oriel 1982 Oriel 1983 Oriel 1984 Oriel1985 Christ Church 1986 New College 1987 Oriel 1988 Oriel 1989 Oriel1990 University 1991 University 1992 Oriel 1993 Oriel 1994 Oriel1995 Pembroke 1996 Oriel 1997 Oriel 1998 Oriel 1999 Oriel2000 Oriel 2001 Oriel 2002 Oriel 2003 Pembroke 2004 Magdalen2005 Magdalen 2006 Magdalen 2007 Magdalen 2008 Balliol 2009 Christ Church2010 Christ Church 2011 Oriel 2012 Oriel 2013 Pembroke 2014 Oriel2015 Oriel 2016 Oriel 2017 Christ Church 2018 Keble 2019 Oriel2020 f 2021 g 2022 Oriel 2023 2024a Unknown whether any racing occurred 8 b No racing took place owing to a dispute over whether professional watermen were legitimate crew members 8 c No racing owing to the first varsity boat race 11 d No racing owing to World War Ie No racing owing to World War IIf No racing owing to the CoVID 19 Pandemicg No racing owing to the postponed of Torpids to Trinity Term caused by the CoVID 19 PandemicHead of the River Women Edit Oriel Women s Second Eight bump Magdalen Women s Second Eight on the third day of Summer Eights 2005 Year College Year College Year College Year College Year College1976 Wadham 1977 Lady Margaret Hall 1978 Wadham 1979 St Hugh s 1980 Somerville1981 Somerville 1982 St Hugh s 1983 St Hugh s 1984 St Hugh s 1985 Osler House1986 Somerville 1987 Somerville 1988 Osler House 1989 Osler House 1990 Somerville1991 Somerville 1992 Somerville 1993 Somerville 1994 Osler House 1995 Osler House1996 Osler Green 1997 Osler Green 1998 Osler Green 1999 Osler Green 2000 Pembroke2001 Pembroke 2002 Pembroke 2003 Pembroke 2004 New College 2005 New College2006 St Edmund Hall 2007 St Edmund Hall 2008 St Edmund Hall 2009 St Edmund Hall 2010 Balliol2011 Balliol 2012 Pembroke 2013 St John s 2014 Wadham 2015 Wadham2016 Wadham 2017 Wadham 2018 Pembroke 2019 Wolfson 2020 a2021 b 2022 University 2023 2024 2025a No racing due to the CoVID 19 Pandemicb No racing due to the postponed of Torpids to Trinity Term caused by the CoVID 19 Pandemic See also EditMay Bumps the equivalent event in Cambridge Torpids a similar event in Hilary TermReferences Edit a b c d Anu Dudhia Eights 2022 retrieved 28 May 2022 Peter Musson Norfolk Chronicle 16 July 1808 Jackson s Oxford Journal 25 March 1769 O Chee W G 4 February 2015 Brasenose College and the Origins of Oxford rowing Retrieved 6 February 2015 a b Woodgate W B 1888 Boating Longmans Green and Co Retrieved 1 April 2021 Number of Headships a b c Sherwood W E 1900 The Eights Oxford and London Henry Frowde p 109 Retrieved 30 May 2017 O Chee W G 4 February 2015 Brasenose College and the Origins of Oxford rowing Retrieved 6 February 2015 O Chee W G 26 January 2018 Rowing s Continuation and Resilience in Wartime Oxford Retrieved 1 April 2021 Eights 1829 eodg atm ox ac uk Retrieved 28 May 2017 External links EditOxford University Rowing Clubs Oxford Bumps Charts Eights statistics Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eights Week amp oldid 1133027922, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
