Eights Week

Summer Eights
Head of the River
Keble Men [1] Pembroke Women [1]
Highest 2nd Eight (Men) Oriel (Division III) [1]
Highest 2nd Eight (Women) Wolfson (Division II) [1]
Course Isis (upstream)
Course length c. 1800m
Current supporter Neptune Investment Management
Note: Last Eights 18 – 26 May 2018
OURCs - Summer Eights
Eights Week May 2009 Men's Division 1, showing racing between (from front) Keble College, New College, St Edmund Hall.

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, with some colleges entering as many as five crews for each sex.

Summer VIIIs has seven men's divisions alongside six for women's, encompassing a total of 171 boats and around 1,500 participants. Including the qualifying rounds, in which success is termed "Rowing On", the number of participants in 2003 was over 1,800.

Overview

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.

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.

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.

Double Headship

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. Pembroke College is the only college to have achieved a Double Headship in Eights, having both men's and women's crews at the Head of the River in 2003.

A silver "Double Headship Trophy" was commissioned from the silversmith Peter Musson [2] in 2003, to commemorate the historic occasion. Pembroke College retains this trophy.

Early History of Eights

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. These races were, however, "scratch" races between ad hoc crews entering on the day.

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.

Christ Church did not row in 1820, and it is unknown whether any racing occurred. 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.

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.

Head of the River – Summary table (excluding World War 2 races)

Blade College Men Women Headships[6] Longest time held - Men Longest time held - Women Last Headship – Men Last Headship - Women
Christ Church 33 - 33 1828–32 - 2017 -
Oriel 32 - 32 1978–84 & 1996–2002 - 2016 -
Brasenose 24 - 24 1888–91 & 1928–31 - 1931 -
Magdalen 20 - 20 1892–95 & 2004–07 - 2007 -
New College 16 2 18 1896–99 2004–05 1986 2005
University 13 - 13 1896–99 - 1986 -
Trinity 13 - 13 1869–71 - 1991 -
Balliol 10 2 12 1859–60 & 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 & 1994–95 - 1995
Osler-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
a Since 2008 this crew composition does not exist anymore. 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.
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.

Head of the River – Men

Eights Week has been held since 1815.[7][8]

No racing occurred during World War I. In World War II, although 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.

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 College
1815Brasenose1816Brasenose1817Christ Church1818Christ Church1819Christ Church
1820-a1821Brasenose1822Brasenose1823-b1824Exeter
1825Christ Church1826Christ Church1827Brasenose1828Christ Church1829-e
1830Christ Church1831Christ Church1832Christ Church1833Queen’s1834Christ Church
1835Christ Church1836Christ Church1837Queen’s1838Exeter1839Brasenose
1840Brasenose1841University1842Oriel1843University1844Christ Church
1845Brasenose1846Brasenose1847Christ Church1848Christ Church1849Christ Church
1850Wadham1851Balliol1852Brasenose1853Brasenose1854Brasenose
1855Balliol1856Wadham1857Exeter1858Exeter1859Balliol
1860Balliol1861Trinity1862Trinity1863Trinity1864Trinity
1865Brasenose1866Brasenose1867Brasenose1868Corpus Christi1869University
1870University1871University1872Pembroke1873Balliol1874University
1875University1876Brasenose1877University1878University1879Balliol
1880Magdalen1881Hertford1882Exter1883Exeter1884Exeter
1885Corpus Christi1886Magdalen1887New1888Magdalen1889Brasenose
1890Brasenose1891Brasenose1892Magdalen1893Magdalen1894Magdalen
1895Magdalen1896New1897New1898New1899New
1900Magdalen1901New1902University1903New1904New
1905Magdalen1906Magdalen1907Christ Church1908Christ Church1909Christ Church
1910Magdalen1911New1912New1913New1914University
1915-c1916-c1917-c1918-c1919Magdalen
1920Magdalen1921New1922New1923Magdalen1924Christ Church
1925Christ Church1926Christ Church1927Christ Church1928Brasenose1929Brasenose
1930Brasenose1931Brasenose1932Magdalen1933Oriel1934Oriel
1935Oriel1936Oriel1937New1938Trinity1939Trinity
1940Trinity & Balliol1941New & Magdalen1942BNC ChCh & Pemb1943-d1944Magdalen
1945Magdalen1946Trinity1947Trinity1948Trinity1949Trinity
1950New1951Merton1952Balliol1953Magdalen1954Magdalen
1955Balliol1956Balliol1957Queen’s1958Christ Church1959St Edmund Hall
1960St Edmund Hall1961St Edmund Hall1962Christ Church1963Keble1964St Edmund Hall
1965St Edmund Hall1966Oriel1967Keble1968Keble1969Keble
1970Keble1971Christ Church1972Keble1973Christ Church1974Christ Church
1975Christ Church1976Oriel1977Keble1978Oriel1979Oriel
1980Oriel1981Oriel1982Oriel1983Oriel1984Oriel
1985Christ Church1986New1987Oriel1988Oriel1989Oriel
1990University1991University1992Oriel1993Oriel1994Oriel
1995Pembroke1996Oriel1997Oriel1998Oriel1999Oriel
2000Oriel2001Oriel2002Oriel2003Pembroke2004Magdalen
2005Magdalen2006Magdalen2007Magdalen2008Balliol2009Christ Church
2010Christ Church2011Oriel2012Oriel2013Pembroke2014Oriel
2015Oriel2016Oriel2017Christ Church2018Keble2019
a Unknown whether any racing occurred[7]
b No racing took place due to a dispute about whether professional watermen were legitimate crew members[7]
c No racing due to World War I
d No racing due to World War II
e No racing due to the first varsity boat race[9]

Head of the River – Women

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 College
1976Wadham1977Lady Margaret Hall1978Wadham1979St Hugh’s1980Somerville
1981Somerville1982St Hugh’s1983St Hugh’s1984St Hugh’s1985Osler House
1986Somerville1987Somerville1988Osler House1989Osler House1990Somerville
1991Somerville1992Somerville1993Somerville1994Osler House1995Osler House
1996Osler-Green1997Osler-Green1998Osler-Green1999Osler-Green2000Pembroke
2001Pembroke2002Pembroke2003Pembroke2004New2005New
2006St Edmund Hall2007St Edmund Hall2008St Edmund Hall2009St Edmund Hall2010Balliol
2011Balliol2012Pembroke2013St John’s2014Wadham2015Wadham
2016Wadham2017Wadham2018Pembroke20192020

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Anu Dudhia, Eights 2018, retrieved 28 May 2018
  2. ↑ Peter Musson.
  3. ↑ Norfolk Chronicle, 16 July 1808.
  4. ↑ Jackson's Oxford Journal, 25 March 1769.
  5. ↑ O'Chee, W.G. "Brasenose College and the Origins of Oxford rowing". Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  6. ↑ http://www.atm.ox.ac.uk/rowing/bumps/estats/nhead.html
  7. 1 2 3 Sherwood, W.E. (1900). The Eights. Oxford and London: Henry Frowde. p. 109. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  8. ↑ O'Chee, W.G. "Brasenose College and the Origins of Oxford rowing". Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  9. ↑ "Eights 1829". eodg.atm.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2017-05-28.
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