Summer sports will soon be getting into full swing so here is a taste of what to expect!
Athletics
After great success in the FEAR/ Indoor Varsity, Athletics promises another exciting term. The 145th Varsity will be hosted away at Cambridge’s Wilberforce Road on 18th May. It will be a jam-packed day as Oxford looks to clinch another victory and reinforce its dominance over the Tabs. Last year was the second time in a row in which Oxford had triumphed 4-0. A clean sweep across all four teams (comprised of Men’s and Women’s Blues and seconds) is an extraordinary achievement. Can they hope to repeat this feat for third year running?
For the runners amongst you, do look out for the annual Town and Gown 10K at 10.00am on 12th May if you have not signed up yet as places will be filled up shortly.
Lawn Tennis
Expect big things from one of the largest sports clubs in the University. There are events for those wanting to get involved; a social tennis open evening is scheduled for 5.00-8.00pm on 3rd May.
The 129th Varsity will be taking place within beautiful surroundings at Moor Park Club in London on 29th and 30th June. Forget Wimbledon – this is the biggest grass court event of the season! If last year is anything to go by, it will be a spectacular day of sunshine spent amongst students and alumni.
A recap of last year’s Varsity is in order. The women’s blues sealed a stunning victory of 16-5 over Cambridge, with the players having to fight for each and every point. The triumph was a true testament of teamwork, dedication, and determination. The men were defeated heavily by Cambridge, with an end result of 19-2 which the Dark Blues shall hopefully avenge this year. In both cases, the scores did not reflect how close the competition was.
For the rest of you, tennis cuppers will shortly be getting underway so keep an eye out for proceedings. Which college will emerge victorious? The highly coveted Cuppers Trophy represents everything to compete for.
Rowing
The pinnacle of the college rowing calendar, Summer Eights, will be taking place in 5th week (29th May – 1st June) and promises, as ever, to be a brilliant week for participants and spectators alike.
Who will win blades and who will get their blades stuck? Grab a beer (or some other beverage of your choosing) and head down to the Isis to witness what is surely going to be some great action in the main intercollegiate rowing event of the year. The party at Boathouse Island is not to be missed.
For the uninitiated, this is a rowing competition in which over a thousand students take part annually. Crews each feature eight rowers and a cox and row a 1800m length of the Isis. The aim of the races is to ‘bump’ the boat in front, whilst avoiding being ‘bumped’ by the boat behind. Boats continually seek to move up within their division or at least to ‘row over’, and if they are lucky enough, to advance to a higher division as a ‘sandwich boat’. The ultimate aim of the crews competing in the top divisions is to be crowned Head of the River, an honour currently held by Keble M1 and Pembroke W1.
Cricket
The Blues won all three Varsity matches last year in a hugely successful year. They also beat the MCC, Free Foresters and MCCU during the season and have much to look forward to in a season that has already commenced with BUCS fixtures.
The Ladies Blues are looking forward to a busy Trinity Term of BUCS fixtures, Varsity matches and friendlies against the Army, the Navy, Oxfam and MCC.
Dates for this season’s Varsity events have been set. The T20 will be held in Cambridge this year on 17th May. The Blues will play against MCC at Lord’s on 28th May. The One Day Varsity match will be played at The Parks on 22nd June.
There will also be a Cuppers event organised, so keep an eye out for this!
This preview is intended to give merely a flavour of what is to come in the major sports. There is a plethora of other sporting events to look forward to, ranging from Volleyball to Croquet. Watch this space and happy sporting everybody!
Image credit: Chopper Photography
