Eights Week, also known as Summer Eights, is a four-day regatta

Regatta

A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...

 of bumps race

Bumps race

A bumps race is a form of rowing race in which a number of boats chase each other in single file, each boat attempting to catch and "bump" the boat in front without being caught by the boat behind....

s which constitutes the University of 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...

's main intercollegiate

Colleges of the University of Oxford

The University of Oxford comprises 38 Colleges and 6 Permanent Private Halls of religious foundation. Colleges and PPHs are autonomous self-governing corporations within the university, and all teaching staff and students studying for a degree of the university must belong to one of the colleges...

 rowing

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...

 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

Trinity term

Trinity term is the name of the third and final term of Oxford University's and the University of Dublin's academic year. It runs from about mid April to about the end of June and is named after Trinity Sunday, which falls eight weeks after Easter, in May or June.At the University of Sydney, it was...

. Men's and women's coxed eight

Eight (rowing)

An Eight is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for eight rowers, who propel the boat with sweep oars, and is steered by a coxswain, or cox....

s 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 158 boats and around 1400 participants. Including the qualifying rounds, in which success is termed 'Rowing On', the number of participants in 2003 was over 1800.

The racing takes place on the Isis

The Isis

The Isis is the name given to the part of the River Thames above Iffley Lock which flows through the city of Oxford. The name is especially used in the context of rowing at the University of Oxford...

, a length of the River Thames

River Thames

The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...

, 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 oar

Oar

An oar is an implement used for water-borne propulsion. Oars have a flat blade at one end. Oarsmen grasp the oar at the other end. The difference between oars and paddles are that paddles are held by the paddler, and are not connected with the vessel. Oars generally are connected to the vessel by...

s 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.

Men's Head of River from 1815 Summary

Victories	College
10	Balliol College
18	Brasenose College
33	Christ Church
2	Corpus Christi College
7	Exeter College
1	Hertford College
7	Keble College
19	Magdalen College
1	Merton College
16	New College
26	Oriel College
3	Pembroke College
3	The Queen's College
5	St. Edmund Hall
2	Wadham College
10	Trinity College
12	University College

Men's Head of River from 1815

2011	Oriel College
2010	Christ Church Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...	2009	Christ Church	2008	Balliol College 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....	2007	Magdalen College Magdalen College, Oxford Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...	2006	Magdalen College
2005	Magdalen College	2004	Magdalen College	2003	Pembroke College Pembroke College, Oxford Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £44.9 million.-History:...	2002	Oriel College	2001	Oriel College
2000	Oriel College	1999	Oriel College	1998	Oriel College	1997	Oriel College	1996	Oriel College
1995	Pembroke College	1994	Oriel College	1993	Oriel College	1992	Oriel College	1991	University College University College, Oxford .University College , is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2009 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £110m...
1990	University College	1989	Oriel College	1988	Oriel College	1987	Oriel College	1986	New College New College, Oxford New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
1985	Christ Church	1984	Oriel College	1983	Oriel College	1982	Oriel College	1981	Oriel College
1980	Oriel College	1979	Oriel College	1978	Oriel College	1977	Keble College Keble College, Oxford Keble College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its main buildings are on Parks Road, opposite the University Museum and the University Parks. The college is bordered to the north by Keble Road, to the south by Museum Road, and to the west by Blackhall...	1976	Oriel College
1975	Christ Church	1974	Christ Church	1973	Christ Church	1972	Keble College	1971	Christ Church
1970	Keble College	1969	Keble College	1968	Keble College	1967	Keble College	1966	Oriel College
1965	St. Edmund Hall St Edmund Hall, Oxford St Edmund Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Better known within the University by its nickname, "Teddy Hall", the college has a claim to being "the oldest academical society for the education of undergraduates in any university"...	1964	St. Edmund Hall	1963	Keble College	1962	Christ Church	1961	St. Edmund Hall
1960	St. Edmund Hall	1959	St. Edmund Hall	1958	Christ Church	1957	Queen's College The Queen's College, Oxford The Queen's College, founded 1341, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Queen's is centrally situated on the High Street, and is renowned for its 18th-century architecture...	1956	Balliol College
1955	Balliol College	1954	Magdalen College	1953	Magdalen College	1952	Balliol College	1951	Merton College Merton College, Oxford Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
1950	New College	1949	Trinity College Trinity 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,...	1948	Trinity College	1947	Trinity College	1946	Trinity College
1940-45	No races due to World War II	1939	Trinity College	1938	Trinity College	1937	New College	1936	Oriel College
1935	Oriel College	1934	Oriel College	1933	Oriel College	1932	Magdalen College	1931	Brasenose College
1930	Brasenose College	1929	Brasenose College	1928	Brasenose College	1927	Christ Church	1926	Christ Church
1925	Christ Church	1924	Christ Church	1923	Magdalen College	1922	New College	1921	New College
1920	Magdalen College	1915-19	No races due to World War I	1914	University College	1913	New College	1912	New College
1911	New College	1910	Magdalen College	1909	Christ Church	1908	Christ Church	1907	Christ Church
1906	Magdalen College	1905	Magdalen College	1904	New College	1903	New College	1902	University College
1901	New College	1900	Magdalen College
1899	New College	1898	New College	1897	New College	1896	New College
1895	Magdalen College	1894	Magdalen College	1893	Magdalen College	1892	Magdalen College	1891	Brasenose College
1890	Brasenose College	1889	Brasenose College	1888	Brasenose College	1887	New College	1886	Magdalen College
1885	Corpus Christi College	1884	Exeter College	1883	Exeter College	1882	Exeter College	1881	Hertford College
1880	Magdalen College	1879	Balliol College	1878	University College	1877	University College	1876	Brasenose College
1875	University College	1874	University College	1873	Balliol College	1872	Pembroke College	1871	University College
1870	University College	1869	University College	1868	Corpus Christi College	1867	Brasenose College	1866	Brasenose College
1865	Brasenose College	1864	Trinity College	1863	Trinity College	1862	Trinity College	1861	Trinity College
1860	Balliol College	1859	Balliol College	1858	Exeter College	1857	Exeter College	1856	Wadham College
1855	Balliol College	1854	Brasenose College	1853	Brasenose College	1852	Brasenose College	1851	Balliol College
1850	Wadham College	1849	Christ Church	1848	Christ Church	1847	Christ Church	1846	Brasenose College
1845	Brasenose College	1844	Christ Church	1843	University College	1842	Oriel College	1841	University College
1840	Brasenose College	1839	Brasenose College	1838	Exeter College	1837	Queen's College	1836	Christ Church
1835	Christ Church	1834	Christ Church	1833	Queen's College	1832	Christ Church	1831	Christ Church
1830	Christ Church	1829	Christ Church	1828	Christ Church	1827	Brasenose College	1826	Christ Church
1825	Christ Church	1824	Exeter College	1823	no races	1822	Brasenose College	1820–1821	unknown
1819	Christ Church	1818	Christ Church	1817	Christ Church	1816	Brasenose College	1815	Brasenose College

Women's Head of River from 1998

2011	Balliol College 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....
2010	Balliol College
2009	St. Edmund Hall St Edmund Hall, Oxford St Edmund Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Better known within the University by its nickname, "Teddy Hall", the college has a claim to being "the oldest academical society for the education of undergraduates in any university"...
2008	St. Edmund Hall
2007	St. Edmund Hall
2006	St. Edmund Hall
2005	New College New College, Oxford New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
2004	New College
2003	Pembroke College Pembroke College, Oxford Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £44.9 million.-History:...
2002	Pembroke College
2001	Pembroke College
2000	Pembroke College

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 http://www.petermusson.com 2003, to commemorate the historic occasion. Pembroke College

Pembroke College, Oxford

Pembroke College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, located in Pembroke Square. As of 2009, Pembroke had an estimated financial endowment of £44.9 million.-History:...

retains this trophy.

External links

• Oxford University Rowing Clubs
• Oxford Bumps Charts