The Boat Club is open to all members of BNC. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve rowed before or not – around 50 complete beginners join us each year, and many of those will go on to row in the 1st and 2nd VIIIs for the bumps races. Rowing won’t just keep you fit, it’s also a great way to get to know people at Brasenose.

Rowing at Oxbridge is unlike rowing anywhere else; it’s the only place where bumps races are held. Twice a year, for four days in a row, boats line up along the river two lengths apart. When the cannon fires, crews attempt to physically hit the boat ahead of them, before the boat behind catches up. The bumps events are unlike any other race, and thousands of people fill the banks of the Isis to watch.

Training takes place either in the morning or the evening, depending on the crew and daylight hours. While the 1st VIII train 6 times a week or more, you can still take part in a crew without giving up so much time. We try to be as flexible as we can. We also have professional coaches who will help improve your rowing technique and provide us with training plans, so it doesn’t matter how fit you are or whether you already know how to row.