Established 1840 (1840) President Izzy Gordon | Head of the River – Women 2004, 2005 Men's Captain Nicholas Evans | |
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Head of the River – Men 1887, 1896-99, 1901, 1903, 1904, 1911-13, 1921, 1922, 1937, 1950, 1986 Location Boathouse Island, River Thames (known in Oxford as the Isis) | ||
New College Boat Club (NCBC) is rowing club for the members of New College, Oxford. The clubs existence can be dated to 1840 when it first raced on The Isis in Oxford. It is one of the most successful college rowing clubs with 16 men's headships and two women's.
Contents
The club shares a boathouse on The Isis (part of the Thames) with Balliol College Boat Club, as well as using boat racks at Godstow for the Men's and Women's first boats.
History
The first record of a New College eight is in 1840, with another appearance in 1852. Only from 1868 did the college start to fully represent itself on the river. In these early years New achieved 'Head of the River' in the Eights in 1887, 1896-1899, 1901, 1903-04 (inclusive). In Torpids the club was 'Head of the River' in 1882, 1896, 1900-04.
The 1912 Stockholm Olympics
The New College Boat Club represented Great Britain at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm and won the Silver medal in the Men's eights.
The two British crews were the favourites for gold so started at opposite ends of the draw. They both worked up through the competition to make the final. The course in Stockholm was not straight, and one of the two lanes was clearly favoured, the other requiring the cox to steer around a protruding boathouse and then back under a bridge.
Before the final, the two British captains met to toss for lanes. New College won the toss and following gentlemanly tradition offered the choice of lanes to their opponents, who would - in a gentlemanly fashion - refuse this offer. However the Leander/Magdalen College captain accepted this offer and chose the better lane. Leander went on to win the gold medal, leaving New College with the silver.
King Gustav V of Sweden was so disheartened by this display of ungentlemanly conduct that, as a consolation, he presented his colours to New College. Ever since then, New College have raced in purple and gold, the colours of the royal house of Sweden. A further tradition has been the adoption of the toast: 'God Damn Bloody Magdalen!', the supposed words of the New College stroke Robert Bourne as they crossed the line. The abbreviation GDBM has been used commonly ever since, and is still on bottom of the NCBC letterhead.
Henley Royal Regatta
The club has won four events at Henley Royal Regatta in its history.
Eights
In 2012, the Men's 1st VIII started 14th (1st Div 2) and finished 17th, the 2nd VIII started 30th (5th Div 3) and finished 31st. The Women's 1st VIII started 12th and finished 15th, the 2nd VIII started 57th (6th Div 4) and finished 51st.
Blues
A number of members of New College have gone on to row for the University.