Oxford University Lightweight Rowing Club (OULRC) was the university rowing club for lightweight men at the University of Oxford which selected crews to race against Cambridge University Boat Club in the Lightweight Boat Races at the end of Hilary term.[1] These races are usually held in late March each year.[4]
In 2023, OULRC merged with OUBC, OUWBC and OUWLRC to form one Oxford University Boat Club.[5]
Membership of OULRC was by competitive selection drawn solely from student members of the university.[6][7] OULRC commenced the selection process in September prior to the beginning of Michaelmas term, recruiting from both undergraduate and postgraduate members of the University. By the end of Michaelmas, the squad was reduced to two trial eights which competed in a Trial Eights race in London over the course used for the race against Cambridge. From this squad the club selected a first crew, known as the Lightweight Blue Boat, and a reserve crew, known as Nephthys.[citation needed]
The Blue Boat went on to race Cambridge. From 2000 until 2006, Nephthys also raced against a lightweight reserve crew from Cambridge, Granta. From 2007, however, Cambridge declined to field a Granta crew, and Nephthys raced in the Head of the River Race and other external races. The squad also participated in BUCS championships.[citation needed]
Nephthys derives its name from the Egyptian goddess of the same name who was claimed to be the sister of Isis. Isis is the name given to the heavyweight reserve crew, and is also the term used within the university for the reach of the Thames between Osney lock and Iffley lock on which the college crews row.[citation needed] Although the Blue Boat did not compete in regattas after racing against Cambridge, OULRC did occasionally field crews in the Henley Royal Regatta, which often compete as Nephthys.[citation needed]
The Blue Boat crew had the right to wear a distinctive uniform. With lightweight rowing a full blue sport at Oxford, they wore an Oxford blue blazer with the club insignia on the chest pocket. Previously a half-blue sport, this replaced a blue and white striped blazer with OULRC embroidery or a blue blazer with white piping and embroidery worn in the early years of the club. Nephthys members wore a white blazer with blue piping, with crossed blades and the word Nephthys on the chest pocket.[8]
The first Lightweight Boat Race was in 1975, and the first lightweight crew originally raced under the auspices of Oxford University Boat Club. OULRC was formed soon after.[citation needed] The management of the club was in the hands of an elected committee composed of students,[2] although the day-to-day running was mainly in the hands of the president, who was elected by Blue Boat and Nephthys members each year. Like all Oxford University clubs, it also had a senior member,[7] who is a university don.[citation needed]
Along with OUBC, OUWBC, and OUWLRC, OULRC was part of Oxford University Rowing Clubs which is the body that oversees all college rowing in Oxford.[citation needed]
In 1987, at the time of the OUBC Mutiny, a similar dispute also arose in relation to the selection of the Lightweight Blue Boat. This dispute threatened the running of the 1987 race.[citation needed] The President, David Whittaker, who rowed the previous year, had lost a selection race against another rower, Sean Sinclair. As president, Whittaker claimed the right to select the crew against the recommendations of the coach, and former OUBC Blue, Rob Clay. The crew, in turn, refused to row with Whittaker in the boat. The matter was finally resolved when an extraordinary meeting was called and life members from London travelled up to Oxford to elect Bob Macdonald as president.[citation needed] Ironically, one of the American OUBC mutineers, Dan Lyons, was called in to assist in coaching the 1987 crew after the original coach, Rob Clay, was called out of retirement to stroke Isis.[citation needed]
For much of its history, OULRC trained outside of Oxford, variously at Radley (downstream) and at Godstow (upstream).[citation needed] From 2007, OULRC was based at the Fleming Boat House at Wallingford alongside OUBC.[citation needed]
This is a list of the OULRC / OUBC crews who raced the Men's Lightweight Boat Race against Cambridge.[9]
(*) denotes President of the Oxford University Lightweight Rowing Club