Yachting Varsity Match History

Photo of Queen borough cup
Yachting Varsity Trophy – The Queenborough Cup – On loan to CUYC

Early Oxford Cambridge Yachting Varsity Match History

A complete set of Oxford Cambridge yachting Varsity Match history and BUSA Yachting Championships results to date is tabled below, including BUSA Match Racing. The first Oxford Cambridge yachting Varsity Match was sailed in November 2003 but, to avoid an apparent missing year, this is treated as 2004 because the Match was moved to March/April from 2005 onwards – to just before the BUSA Yachting Championships. Because of the close conjunction of events, the BUSA results are also listed here for both Universities.

The first BUSA Yachting Championships were held in 1994. Previous to that date a Universities Yachting event, for the Young Cup, had been organised in 6 Metres (pre War from 1933) and Dragons (post War until 1970) on the Gare Loch by the Mudhook YC. The Varsity and BUSA Yachting events take place at Portsmouth, using Sunsail facilities. Oxford competed in the first (1994) event, but then did not compete again until 2002.

Photo of Young Cup for Oxford Cambridge yachting
The Young Cup – in Cambridge hands 1964

Trophies and Blues

The trophy for the Yachting Varsity Match is the Queenborough Cup, presented to the CUCrC in 1950 by the Royal Thames Yacht Club and re-purposed for the Yachting Match in 2003. Half Blues (subject to good BUSA Yachting performance) have been awarded since 2008 (Oxford) and 2014 (Cambridge).

Young Cup

In the Young Cup event the winning 1949 Oxford team was Martin Beale, John Burgess, and Ann Barnard (who agreed to become Mrs Beale on the way home!). The winning 1964 Cambridge team was Anthony Butler, John Grayburn, and Jan Matthews. All the years listed below are calendar years.

Analysis of Results to Date (Since 1994)

The overall score in the Oxford Cambridge yachting Varsity Match history now stands at Oxford 8 wins, Cambridge 8 wins.

Year Yachting Varsity Winner Oxford BUSA Position Cambridge BUSA Position BUSA Match Racing
2022 (18th Match)
2020-21 COVID COVID COVID COVID
2019 Cambridge 2nd (Trophy Fleet) 4th (Trophy Fleet) DNC
2018 Oxford 9th 23rd 17th (Camb)
2017 Cambridge 15th DNC QF (Camb)
2016 Oxford 17th 21st
2015 Cambridge 2nd 3rd
2014 Cambridge 15th 4th & 8th
2013 (10th Match) Cambridge 10th 2nd 7th (Camb)
2012 Oxford 15th 13th
2011 Oxford 12th 25th
2010 Cambridge 18th 26th
2009 Oxford 18th & 33rd 27th
2008 Cambridge 21st 6th
2007 Oxford 12th 7th 3rd (Camb)
2006 Oxford 23rd 2nd & 11th
2005 Cambridge 5th & 18th 8th
2004 (Held Nov 2003) Oxford 11th 7th 5th (Camb)
2003 9th & 20th 13th 5th (Oxf)
2002 10th 5th 3rd (Oxf)
1994 (First BUSA Yachting Event) 6th DNC
1964 (Young Cup) 1st
1963 (Young Cup) Unplaced
1962 (Young Cup) 5th
1961 (Young Cup) 2nd
1960 (Young Cup) 4th
1954 (Young Cup) 3rd
1949 (Young Cup) 1st DNC
1948 (Young Cup) 2nd DNC
1947 (Young Cup) 3rd DNC
1939 (Young Cup) 4th
1938 (Young Cup) 1st Unplaced
1937 (Young Cup) 1st 2nd
1936 (Young Cup) 1st 6th
1935 (Young Cup) 1st 4th
1934 (Young Cup) DNC 2nd
1933 (Young Cup) DNC DNC