Christ's College Boat Club - History

History

The men's 1st VIII, having started the Lent Bumps near the bottom of the table, quickly moved up. They had reached the 1st division by 1897, where they remained until 1972. Since the 1980s, the 1st VIII has remained largely in the middle or lower half of the 1st division. In the May Bumps, Christ's started in the 1st division, but dropped away into the 2nd by the mid 1890s. It had recovered a few years later, and largely remained in the 1st division until 1974. Since then, the 1st VIII has spent most of its time in the lower half of the 1st division, occasionally rising into the top-10.

Christ's men are yet to take a headship of the Lent or May Bumps, although the 1st VIII have been as high as 4th in the May Bumps and 2nd in the Lent Bumps. On the final day of the 1996 Lent Bumps, Christ's, starting from 2nd position, managed to get overlap (i.e. their bows beyond the stern of the crew they were chasing) on the head crew, Downing, but failed to make contact, and were eventually bumped themselves by Caius at the Railway Bridge.

The women's boat first raced in 1980, and has largely remained in the top-half of the 2nd division or bottom-half of the 1st division, but has risen as high as 3rd in both the Lent Bumps and May Bumps. Between 2007 and 2010, the Christ's 1st women bumped 26 times in 32 races without themselves being bumped, including bumping on 17 consecutive days of racing.