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Torpids
File:OURCs Logo.png
Head of the River
Oriel Men [1] Oriel Women [1]
Highest 2nd Torpid (Men) Pembroke (Division II) [1]
Highest 2nd Torpid (Women) Wolfson (Division II) [1]
Course Isis (upstream)
Course length c. 1800m
Current sponsor Neptune Investment Management
Note: Last Torpids 28th February – 3rd March 2018[1]
OURCs - Torpids

Torpids is one of two series of bumping races, a type of rowing race, held yearly at Oxford University; the other is Eights Week.[2] Over 130 men's and women's crews race for their colleges in six men's divisions and five women's; almost 1,200 participants in total. The racing takes place on the Isis (part of the River Thames) usually in the 7th week of Hilary Term on four successive days from Wednesday to Saturday (around the start of March).

Overview

Main article: Bumps race

Bumping races evolved in Oxford as the river is too narrow for normal side by side racing. Competing crews start the race lined up in order, one behind another, with their coxes holding ropes attached to the bank, with gaps of about 1.5 boat lengths between the bow of one boat and the stern of the one in front. Racing is started by the firing of a cannon.

Crews attempt to progress up their division by hitting ('bumping') the boat in front without being hit by the boat behind, with the ultimate aim of becoming "Head Of The River" i.e. top of the first division. The Head of the River is awarded the Torpids Challenge Cup, presented to the OUBC by President T.C. Edwards-Moss of Brasenose College Boat Club. Once a bump has taken place, the crew whose boat was hit has to continue racing (and is liable to be bumped again) whilst the bumping crew moves to the side. This can lead to a crew moving down several places during a day's racing. This is the principal difference in the rules between Torpids and Summer Eights, where both crews stop racing.

The name 'Torpids' derives from the event's origins as a race for the second boats of the colleges, which were of course slower than the first boats. The status of the event - still adjudged below that of Summer Eights on account of the absence of varsity oarsmen and women - only began to rise at the very end of the nineteenth century, when colleges began to form first boats to compete. Nowadays there is no limit on the number of boats a college may enter, although crews in the last two divisions and crews without a position have to qualify to race by competing in a timed race the preceding Friday, known as 'rowing on'.

Athletes competing in that year's Boat Race, Women's Boat Race or any of the Lightweight University crews at Henley Boat Races may not compete in Torpids, but may compete in Summer Eights.

Various scenes of Torpids bumps racing at Oxford

Double Headship

The double headship winning Oriel Men's and Women's Eights crews in 2006.

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'. Oriel College is the only college to have achieved a Double Headship in Torpids, having both men's and women's crews at the Head of the River in both 2006 and 2018.

Trophies

The first day's starting order is based on the previous year's finishing positions, and each subsequent day's starting order is based on the previous day's finishing positions. A crew that bumps on every day without being bumped itself or that finishes at the Head of the River is awarded blades - the right to get trophy oars painted up in their college colours with the names and weights of the successful crew emblazoned on them. Spoons are awarded in case the crew was bumped on every single day. A third, somewhat unusual possibility is the award of spades. The crew is both bumped and then proceeds to bump a crew in front of it before the end of the race. Thus being both the bumper and the bumped on the same day. Due to the differences in rules between Torpids and Lent Bumps at the University of Cambridge this achievement is only possible at Oxford.

Head of the River - Summary Table

Blade College Men Women Headships Longest time held - Men Longest time held - Women Last Headship – Men Last Headship - Women
Oriel College Boat Club Oriel 33 3 36 1972–90 2017–18 2018 2018
Brasenose College Boat Club Brasenose 22 - 22 1886–94 - 1894 -
New College Boat Club New College 15 1 16 1949–53 2005 1904 2005
Balliol College Boat Club Balliol 14 - 14 1968–71 - 1971 -
Christ Church College Boat Club Christ Church 14 - 14 1907–10 - 2011 -
Magdalen College Boat Club Magdalen 9 5 14 1932–34 2010–13 2008 2016
Exeter College Boat Club Exeter 13 - 13 1854–57 - 1868 -
Pembroke College Boat Club Pembroke 10 - 10 2012–17 - 2017 -
University College Boat Club University 9 - 9 1869–73 - 1926 -
St Edmund Hall Boat Club St Edmund Hall 6 - 6 1962–66 - 1966 -
Osler-Greena - 5 5 - 1995–99 - 1999
Somerville College Boat Club Somerville - 5 5 - 1991–94 - 1994
Corpus College Boat Club Corpus 4 - 4 1883–85 - 1931 -
Jesus College Boat Club Jesus - 4 4 - 1980–83 - 1983
Osler Houseb - 4 4 - 1988–89 - 1989
Wadham College Boat Club Wadham 2 2 4 - - 1849 2015
Merton College Boat Club Merton 1 2 3 - 2003–04 1927 2004
St Catherine’s College Boat Club St Catherine’s - 3 3 - 2008–09 - 2009
St John’s 3 - 3 - - 1967 -
Trinity College Boat Club Trinity 3 - 3 - - 1880 -
Worcester College Boat Club Worcester 3 - 3 - - 1930 -
Queen’s College Boat Club Queen’s 2 - 2 - - 1958 -
St Hugh’s College Boat Club St Hugh’s - 1 1 - - - 1985
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 has raced as an independent crew formed of clinical medical students.

Men's Head of Torpids

Torpids has been held since 1838. The following gives the colleges that were Head of the River (Head of Torpids) in these years.[3]

Year College Year College Year College Year College Year College
1838 Worcester 1839 Oriel 1840 Wadham 1841 Trinity 1842 Brasenose
1843 University 1844 Oriel 1845 Brasenose 1846 Exeter 1847 Exeter
1848 Brasenose 1849 Wadham 1850 Brasenose 1851 Brasenose 1852 Brasenose
1853 Brasenose 1854 Exeter 1855 Exeter 1856 Exeter 1857 Exeter
1858 Pembroke 1859 Exeter 1860 Exeter 1861 Brasenose 1862 Brasenose
1863 Exeter 1864 Exeter 1865 Exeter 1866 Brasenose 1867 Exeter
1868 Exeter 1869 University 1870 University 1871 University 1872 University
1873 University 1874 Brasenose 1875 Brasenose 1876 Trinity 1877 Pembroke
1878 Pembroke 1879 Pembroke 1880 Trinity 1881 Brasenose 1882 New College
1883 Corpus 1884 Corpus 1885 Corpus 1886 Brasenose 1887 Brasenose
1888 Brasenose 1889 Brasenose 1890 Brasenose 1891 Brasenose 1892 Brasenose
1893 Brasenose 1894 Brasenose 1895 no racing 1896 New College 1897 Balliol
1898 Balliol 1899 Balliol 1900 New College 1901 New College 1902 New College
1903 New College 1904 New College 1905 University 1906 University 1907 Christ Church
1908 Christ Church 1909 Christ Church 1910 Christ Church 1911 Balliol 1912 Magdalen
1913 Magdalen 1914 Christ Church 1915* - 1916* - 1917* -
1918* - 1919* - 1920 Christ Church 1921 Christ Church 1922 Worcester
1923 Magdalen 1924 Christ Church 1925 Christ Church 1926 University 1927 Merton
1928 Balliol 1929 Balliol 1930 Worcester 1931 Corpus Christi 1932 Magdalen
1933 Magdalen 1934 Magdalen 1935 New College 1936 Magdalen 1937 Magdalen
1938 New College 1939 St Edmund Hall 1940 Trinity & Balliol 1941* - 1942* -
1943* - 1944* - 1945* - 1946 St John’s 1947 New College
1948 Christ Church 1949 New College 1950 New College 1951 New College 1952 New College
1953 New College 1954 Balliol 1955 Balliol 1956 Balliol 1957 Queen's
1958 Queen's 1959 Balliol 1960 St Edmund Hall 1961 St John's 1962 St Edmund Hall
1963 no racing 1964 St Edmund Hall 1965 St Edmund Hall 1966 St Edmund Hall 1967 St John's
1968 Balliol 1969 Balliol 1970 Balliol 1971 Balliol 1972 Oriel
1973 Oriel 1974 Oriel 1975 Oriel 1976 Oriel 1977 no racing
1978 Oriel 1979 Oriel 1980 Oriel 1981 Oriel 1982 Oriel
1983 Oriel 1984 Oriel 1985 Oriel 1986* Oriel 1987 Oriel
1988 Oriel 1989 Oriel 1990* Oriel 1991 Christ Church 1992 Oriel
1993 Oriel 1994* Oriel 1995* Oriel 1996 Oriel 1997 Oriel
1998* Oriel 1999 Pembroke 2000* no racing 2001 Oriel 2002* no racing
2003 Oriel 2004 Oriel 2005 Oriel 2006 Oriel 2007* no Racing
2008 Magdalen 2009 Christ Church 2010 Christ Church 2011 Christ Church 2012 Pembroke
2013 Pembroke 2014* no racing 2015 Pembroke 2016 Pembroke 2017 Pembroke
2018* Oriel 2019 2020 2021 2022
  • In 1915-19 no races were conducted due to World War I
  • In 1941-45 limited races were conducted due to World War II
  • 1895, 1963 - No racing due to ice on the river
  • In 1986, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2003, and 2018 racing was held on fewer than four days
  • In 1991, Oriel were penalty bumped four places for training while the river was in flood.
  • 2000, 2002, 2007, 2014 - No racing due to high stream

Women's Head of Torpids

Women's division in Torpids have existed since 1978. This was delayed from 1977 when the river was flooded and Torpids was cancelled.[4] [5]

Year College Year College Year College Year College Year College
1978 Hertford 1979 Wadham 1980 Jesus 1981 Jesus 1982 Jesus
1983 Jesus 1984 Osler House 1985 St Hugh's 1986* Osler House 1987 Somerville
1988 Osler House 1989 Osler House 1990* no racing 1991 Somerville 1992 Somerville
1993 Somerville 1994* Somerville 1995* Osler-Green 1996 Osler-Green 1997 Osler-Green
1998* Osler-Green 1999 Osler-Green 2000* no racing 2001 St Catherine's 2002* no racing
2003* Merton 2004 Merton 2005 New College 2006 Oriel 2007* no racing
2008 St Catherine's 2009 St Catherine's 2010 Magdalen 2011 Magdalen 2012 Magdalen
2013 Magdalen 2014* no Racing 2015 Wadham 2016 Magdalen 2017 Oriel
2018* Oriel
  • 1977, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2014 - No racing due to high stream
  • 1986, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2003, and 2018 - racing was held on fewer than four days
  • 1990 - A fast stream meant that only informal racing was held.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Oxford University Rowing Clubs, Torpids 2018, retrieved 3 March 2018
  2. ^ Sherwood, W. E. (1900). "The Torpids". Oxford Rowing: A History of Boat-Racing at Oxford from the Earliest Times. Oxford and London: Henry Frowde, Archive.org. pp. 43–49. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  3. ^ Sherwood, W. E. (1900). "The Torpids (results)". Oxford Rowing: A History of Boat-Racing at Oxford from the Earliest Times. Oxford and London: Henry Frowde, Archive.org. pp. 147–170. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  4. ^ http://www.atm.ox.ac.uk/rowing/history.html#women
  5. ^ http://www.atm.ox.ac.uk/rowing/bumps/
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