For the rowing neophyte, the variety of acronyms in Blues rowing — OUBC, OUWBC, OULRC, and OUWLRC — can seem overwhelming. But the reality is simple: these are the men and women who do battle against Cambridge in The Boat Race, The Women’s Boat Race, and The Henley Boat Races.

There are various ways of getting involved with the Blues squads. Many college rowers — whether they have Blues aspirations or not — participate in the development squads run by each University club. Development squad training is designed to build upon college rowing foundations and prepare athletes for the grueling trialing experience. While the particulars of the development squads vary by club and by year, most are more intense later in the year and over holiday periods.

Athletes who want to push themselves to the highest level in order to join a Blue boat will go on to trial. Trialing is a months-long process of intense training and testing that the squads use to select their varsity boats. Finally, the Blues squads compete in their respective Boat Races against Cambridge in the spring. Many squads stay together and pull in others to continue racing in the off-season.

For athletes who are students at Balliol College, High Profile Achievement Awards are available to help defray the costs associated with Blues training and competition. While these are considered on a case-by-case basis by Wolfson’s Social & Cultural Committee, our Blues members have had near-universal success. (further particulars)

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