Balliol College Boat Club
Encyclopedia
Balliol College Boat Club (BCBC) is the rowing club
for members of Balliol College, Oxford
, and is one of the top boat club
s in Oxford
with regular success for both men and women. In 2008, Balliol's Men regained the Head of the River in the Oxford Summer Eights competition, the first time in 52 years. As of 29th May 2010, the College's women are currently placed Head of the River in Summer Eights. The club has a history of developing new talent, and the club's lower boats have also performed very well in recent years. The combined efforts of the more experienced oarsmen and a talented crop of novices helped BCBC to top the bumps charts for both Torpids
and Summer Eights in 2008 and 2009.
Balliol also competes at prestigious external regattas including Marlow international and Henley Royal Regatta
.
The College Archives are rich in material concerning the Boat Club from about 1840 onwards. The Buttery has an extensive collection of sports photographs and trophies including many to do with the Boat Club. The College has been Head of the River in the Summer Eights many times, notably a longish run in the nineteen-fifties and also regaining the Headship in 2008. Balliol’s previous last reign at the Head of the River was in 1971 when they were head of Torpids.
The base of the Boat Club for the latter part of the nineteenth century and much of the twentieth was a grand barge which was moored on the Thames. The present Boathouse (semi-detached; New College has the other half) was opened in May 1959. The Barge was last seen in 1996 at Henley, when it was up for auction.
Famous Balliol oarsmen have included Lord Justice Chitty, Edmond Warre
(Head Master of Eton), Frederick Septimus Kelly
(composer, killed in France 1916: one of the greatest scullers of all time), Cardinal Heard, Dan Snow
(3 time 'Blue' and 2001 OUBC president), HM King Olav V of Norway
and HM King Harald V of Norway
.
President - Eddie Jacobs
Men's Senior Boats Captain - Nick Parkinson
Men's Development Captain - Graham Rhodes
Women's Captain - Sophie Avery
Women's Vice-Captain - Hannah Robertson
Women's Vice-Captain - Rebecca Mitchell
Treasurer - Aime Lopez Aguilar
Captain of Coxes - John Lees
Social Secretary - Jonathan Scott
Social Secretary - Juliette Kelly
Regatta Secretary - Thomas Harty
Web Officer - Chris Wright
. Colin coached the Men’s 1st VIII to their successes in 2007-8 and has agreed to stay on and coach them for another year. He is training full time out of Leander Club in Henley and is a past President of Aberdeen University Boat Club.
The Women's 1st VIII are coached by Nick Bevan. Nick attended Balliol in 1960 and has had a long history in rowing coaching at schoolboy level. He was originally approached by Balliol to help coach the Men's 1st and 2nd VIIIs but has since found a home with the Women of Balliol.
rivalry is not felt amongst the rowing community as the two colleges are not placed near each other in Torpids
or Summer Eights.
Rowing club
A rowing club is a club for people interested in the sport of Rowing. Rowing clubs are usually located near a body of water, whether natural or artificial, that is large enough for manoeuvering of the shells . Clubs usually have racks to store boats and a dock to put them in the water...
for members of Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College, Oxford
Balliol College , founded in 1263, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England but founded by a family with strong Scottish connections....
, and is one of the top boat club
Boat club
A boat club is a sports club based around boats, especially rowing and yachting, but also canoeing, motor boats and other small boats....
s in Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
with regular success for both men and women. In 2008, Balliol's Men regained the Head of the River in the Oxford Summer Eights competition, the first time in 52 years. As of 29th May 2010, the College's women are currently placed Head of the River in Summer Eights. The club has a history of developing new talent, and the club's lower boats have also performed very well in recent years. The combined efforts of the more experienced oarsmen and a talented crop of novices helped BCBC to top the bumps charts for both Torpids
Torpids
Torpids is one of two series of bumping races held yearly at Oxford University, the other being Eights. Over 130 men's and women's crews race for their colleges in six men's divisions and five women's; almost 1200 participants in total...
and Summer Eights in 2008 and 2009.
Balliol also competes at prestigious external regattas including Marlow international and 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...
.
History
‘The earliest definite allusion to Balliol rowing is in 1823, when there was a “boat match between the Rowers of Balliol and Christ Church, which was won by the former, after a well-contested race.” Balliol was certainly one of the four colleges competing in an eight in the summer races of 1825. Two Balliol men rowed for Oxford in the first University Boat Race at Henley in 1829, in a boat lent by Balliol for the occasion.’The College Archives are rich in material concerning the Boat Club from about 1840 onwards. The Buttery has an extensive collection of sports photographs and trophies including many to do with the Boat Club. The College has been Head of the River in the Summer Eights many times, notably a longish run in the nineteen-fifties and also regaining the Headship in 2008. Balliol’s previous last reign at the Head of the River was in 1971 when they were head of Torpids.
The base of the Boat Club for the latter part of the nineteenth century and much of the twentieth was a grand barge which was moored on the Thames. The present Boathouse (semi-detached; New College has the other half) was opened in May 1959. The Barge was last seen in 1996 at Henley, when it was up for auction.
Famous Balliol oarsmen have included Lord Justice Chitty, Edmond Warre
Edmond Warre
Edmond Warre C.V.O. was an English rower and headmaster of Eton College from 1884-1905.Warre was born in London, the son of Henry Warre, of Bindon House, near Wellington. He was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford, where he had a distinguished career, taking a double first...
(Head Master of Eton), Frederick Septimus Kelly
Frederick Septimus Kelly
Frederick Septimus Kelly was an Australian and British musician and composer and a rower who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics...
(composer, killed in France 1916: one of the greatest scullers of all time), Cardinal Heard, Dan Snow
Dan Snow
Daniel Robert Snow is an English television presenter. He has presented and appeared in many popular history-related programmes for the BBC and is the "History Hunter" for The One Show.-Early life and background:...
(3 time 'Blue' and 2001 OUBC president), HM King Olav V of Norway
Olav V of Norway
Olav V was the king of Norway from 1957 until his death. A member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Olav was born in the United Kingdom as the son of King Haakon VII of Norway and Queen Maud of Norway...
and HM King Harald V of Norway
Harald V of Norway
Harald V is the king of Norway. He succeeded to the throne of Norway upon the death of his father Olav V on 17 January 1991...
.
Committee
The boat club is governed by a committee consisting of student represententives and an overseeing Senior Member (currently Douglas Dupree). All are unelected, or elected by the previous committee, and volunteer their time to the club. The current committee comprises:President - Eddie Jacobs
Men's Senior Boats Captain - Nick Parkinson
Men's Development Captain - Graham Rhodes
Women's Captain - Sophie Avery
Women's Vice-Captain - Hannah Robertson
Women's Vice-Captain - Rebecca Mitchell
Treasurer - Aime Lopez Aguilar
Captain of Coxes - John Lees
Social Secretary - Jonathan Scott
Social Secretary - Juliette Kelly
Regatta Secretary - Thomas Harty
Web Officer - Chris Wright
Coaching
The Men's 1st VIII is currently coached by Colin Williamson who rows at Leander ClubLeander Club
Leander Club, founded in 1818, is one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world. It is based in Remenham in the English county of Berkshire, adjoining Henley-on-Thames...
. Colin coached the Men’s 1st VIII to their successes in 2007-8 and has agreed to stay on and coach them for another year. He is training full time out of Leander Club in Henley and is a past President of Aberdeen University Boat Club.
The Women's 1st VIII are coached by Nick Bevan. Nick attended Balliol in 1960 and has had a long history in rowing coaching at schoolboy level. He was originally approached by Balliol to help coach the Men's 1st and 2nd VIIIs but has since found a home with the Women of Balliol.
Equipment
BCBC has greatly benefited from the generous donations of old Balliolites over the years. The current men's and women's first boats, the 'Beeland Rogers' and the 'Happy Rogers' respectively, reflect this trend. Beeland Rogers is a high spec R86 Empacher while Happy Rogers is a more standard lightweight K series boat.Training Locations
Novice and development crews train on the stretch of the Thames, known as the Isis, which flows through Oxford, but senior crews train further afield; the men train at Wallingford on the same stretch of the Thames as the Oxford University crews while the women train on the Godstow stretch just west of Oxford city centre.Rivalries
Not having traditionally been a "rowing college" over much of the last century, Balliol has few rivalries with other colleges. Currently the traditional Balliol/TrinityTrinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
rivalry is not felt amongst the rowing community as the two colleges are not placed near each other in Torpids
Torpids
Torpids is one of two series of bumping races held yearly at Oxford University, the other being Eights. Over 130 men's and women's crews race for their colleges in six men's divisions and five women's; almost 1200 participants in total...
or Summer Eights.
See also
- Balliol College
- University rowing (UK)University rowing (UK)University rowing in the United Kingdom began when it was introduced to Oxford in the late 18th century. The first University Boat Race was held in 1829...
- TorpidsTorpidsTorpids is one of two series of bumping races held yearly at Oxford University, the other being Eights. Over 130 men's and women's crews race for their colleges in six men's divisions and five women's; almost 1200 participants in total...
- Summer Eights
- OUBC