Oriel College Boat Club

Oriel College is one of the major rowing colleges at Oxford University and without a doubt the most successful.

For the past 35 years, Oriel has dominated the Oxford rowing scene, winning the Easter bumps races (Torpids) all but twice and the summer bumps races (Summer Eights, in which university-level rowers are allowed to compete) more than any other college. In 1985 women were admitted to the College and their astonishing ascent up the bumps charts saw Oriel take the first ever Double Headship in Torpids 2006.

In 2007, six of the seven University crews selected to take on Cambridge in their respective Boat Races featured members of Oriel. Five of these crews went on to win. In 2006 Alex Cairns was President of OUWBC and Robin Ejsmond-Frey was President of OUBC in 2007. Continuing this strong association with the University crews, Oriel successfully put forward six competitors for the 2008 Boat Races, and Ruth Crewe is the OUWLRC President for 2009.

Rowing at Oriel is open to any member of the College irrespective of previous experience - in 2006, five of the men's and seven of the women's winning Torpids crews were taught from scratch at Oriel. The coaching team is currently headed by Adam Moffat, former GB junior and current GB student oarsman, with responsibility for overseeing the programme and coaching the Men's 1st VIII. The Women's 1st VIII are coached by GB sculler Ian Lawson. A team of experienced assistant coaches working with these two look after the lower boats and novice rowing, ensuring athlete development. We are also eager to maintain our strength in coxing, and ensure that specific coxing coaching is given to both our novice and experienced coxes.

If that's not quite your thing, Oriel normally fields at least six eights to ensure that anyone who wants to row without getting too involved can.

If you are interested in rowing or coxing at Oriel, please do not hesitate to contact our current Captain of Boats, James Wadsworth.



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