Reading University Boat Club

Reading University Boat Club (RUBC, boat code RDU[1]) is the rowing club for the University of Reading. It is based on the River Thames in Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom. The club has a focus on sculling. It has been consistently one of the more successful university rowing clubs in Britain, including topping the medal table at the BUCS regatta in 2011 and at the BUCS small boats head in 2014 and 2015, as well as wins at Henley Royal Regatta in 1986, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2013, and is considered one of the top six university rowing clubs in the UK.[2] A number of former members have competed at the Olympics, including double gold-medallists James Cracknell and Helen Glover. The club has organised the Reading University Head of the River race since 1935.

Reading University Boat Club
LocationReading, Berkshire, United Kingdom
Home waterRiver Thames
Founded1892 (1892)
UniversityUniversity of Reading
AffiliationsBritish Rowing
boat code - RDU
BUCS
Websitereadinguniversityboatclub.co.uk
Events
Reading University Head of the River

History

The club was founded in 1892, when the University was established as an extension college of Oxford University. They originally shared a boathouse with other clubs, but got their own boathouse in the 1930s. The Reading Head of the River Race, organised by RUBC, has been held since 1935 (with a break for the second world war), attracting well over 100 crews in 2000. The boathouse burnt down in 1989, destroying a number of boats worth around £150,000.[3] The current boathouse was built in 1992. The Ortner Boat Club is a club for alumni of RUBC, founded in 1997 and named after former Reading University coach Frank Ortner.[4][5]

Notable alumni

Honours

Henley Royal Regatta

RUBC have been frequent competitors at the Henley Royal Regatta, which is held around 10 km downriver from Reading.

  • Queen Mother Challenge Cup - winner 2010 (with Leander Club),[10] 2011 (with Leander Club),[11] 2013 (with Leander Club)[11]
  • The Stewards' Challenge Cup - 2009 (with Leander Club);[12] Coxless Fours - winner 1986[13]
  • The Princess Grace Challenge Cup - winner 2008 (with Wallingford Rowing Club)[14]
  • Visitors Challenge Cup - finals 1984; semi-finals 1974, 1977, 1994, 1996
  • Prince of Wales Challenge Cup - semi-finals 2010[10]
  • Thames Challenge Cup - semi-finals 1948[4]
  • Ladies Plate - semi-finals 1970, 1979[4]
  • Wyfolds Challenge Cup - semi-finals 1987[4]

British Championships

University Sport

Reading Head of the River Race

The Reading University Head of the River race has been run since 1935 and is the largest student-organised public sporting event in the country, drawing a record 237 crews in 2015. It is run over a 4.6 km course on the Thames between Mapledurham lock and Pangbourne lock. Major prizes are the Roe Challenge Cup for the fastest crew overall, the Coronation Cup for the fastest Senior III crew, the Bourne Cup for the fastest school, and the Mackintosh Trophy for the fastest British University crew.[25][26]

References
  1. "Reading University BC". British Rowing. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  2. "Top universities for rowing". TARGETcareers. GTI Media Ltd. 2016. Retrieved 23 March 2017.
  3. "History Gallery 1989". Ortner Boat Club. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  4. "RUBC - history". Ortner Boat Club. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  5. "Ortner Boat Club - who and what?". Ortner Boat Club. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  6. "RUBC's Golden Oldies". Ortner Boat Club. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  7. Paul Cassell (12 August 2013). "Olympic hero Helen Glover inspires more people to get involved with rowing". GetReading. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  8. "Reading students compete in 2016 Olympic Games". University of Reading. 5 August 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  9. Jonathan Low (12 August 2016). "Rio 2016: Sam Townsend pipped to a medal while Ben Fletcher bows out in opening round". GetReading. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  10. "BOAT CLUB PULLS TOGETHER FOR HENLEY REGATTA SUCCESS". University of Reading. 6 July 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  11. "The Queen Mother Challenge Cup (M4x)". Henley Royal Regatta. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  12. "The Stewards' Challenge Cup (M4-)". Henley Royal Regatta. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  13. "RUBC win at Henley Royal Regatta-1986". Ortner Boat Club. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  14. "The Princess Grace Challenge Cup (W4x)". Henley Royal Regatta. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  15. "Railton, Jim. "Hampton's victory is pinched." Times, 20 July 1987, p. 32". Times Digital Archives.
  16. "2007 archive of results". Web Archive. Archived from the original on 6 December 2016.
  17. "2009 archive of results". Web Archive. Archived from the original on 6 December 2016.
  18. "British Rowing Championships 2010". British Rowing.
  19. "Full archive of results". Web Archive. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017.
  20. "2014 British Rowing Championships Race Centre". British Rowing.
  21. "2015 British Rowing Senior Championships" (PDF). British Rowing.
  22. "BUCS Small Boats Head 2014/15 Medal Table" (PDF). BUCS. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  23. "BUCS Small Boats Head 2015/16 Results" (PDF). BUCS. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  24. "Rowing Club tops medal table". Reading University. 6 May 2011. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  25. "UNIVERSITY BOAT CLUB RACE IS JUST AHEAD". University of Reading. 27 February 2006. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  26. "Record Number of Entries for Reading University Head". British Rowing. 11 March 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
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