Torpids

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Series of rowing races at the University of Oxford

title: "Torpids" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1838-establishments-in-england", "recurring-sporting-events-established-in-1838", "regattas-on-the-river-thames", "rowing-at-the-university-of-oxford", "march", "organised-events-in-oxford", "annual-events-in-england", "annual-sporting-events-in-the-united-kingdom", "christ-church-meadow,-oxford", "bumps-races"] description: "Series of rowing races at the University of Oxford" topic_path: "geography/united-kingdom" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torpids" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Series of rowing races at the University of Oxford ::

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Torpids is one of two series of bumping races, a type of rowing race, held yearly at Oxford University; the other is Eights Week. More than 130 men's and women's crews race for their colleges in twelve divisions: six each of men's and women's; almost 1,200 participants in total. The racing takes place on the Isis (part of the River Thames), usually in the 7th week of Hilary Term on four successive days from Wednesday to Saturday (around the start of March).

Overview

Main article: Bumps race

Bumping races evolved in Oxford as the river is too narrow for normal side by side racing. Competing crews start the race lined up in order, one behind another, with their coxes holding ropes ('bung lines') attached to the bank, with gaps of about 1.5 boat lengths between the bow of one boat and the stern of the one in front. Racing is started by the firing of a cannon. Racing is by division, the number of crews in a division depending on river conditions. The bottom men's division starts first with men's and women's alternating, finishing with the top women's division.

Crews attempt to progress up their division by hitting ('bumping') the boat in front without being hit by the boat behind, with the ultimate aim of becoming "Head of the River" i.e. top of the first division. The Head of the River is awarded the Torpids Challenge Cup, presented to the OUBC by President T.C. Edwards-Moss of Brasenose College Boat Club. Once a bump has taken place, the crew whose boat was bumped has to continue racing (and is liable to be bumped again) whilst the bumping crew moves to the side. This can lead to a crew moving down several places during a day's racing. This is the principal difference in the rules between Torpids and Summer Eights, where both crews stop racing. Commonly a cox will concede a bump, signalled by raising an arm, rather than waiting to be hit. The crew finishing top of a lower division rows again the same day at the bottom of the division above.

The name 'Torpids' derives from the event's origins as a race for the second boats of the colleges, which were of course slower than the first boats. The status of the event – still adjudged below that of Summer Eights on account of the absence of rowers in the Varsity boat races – only began to rise at the very end of the nineteenth century, when colleges began to form first boats to compete. Nowadays there is no limit on the number of boats a college may enter, although crews in the last two divisions and crews without a position have to qualify to race by competing in a timed race the preceding Friday, known as 'rowing on'.

Athletes competing in that year's Boat Race, Women's Boat Race or any of the Lightweight University crews at Henley Boat Races may not compete in Torpids, but may compete in Summer Eights.

Double Headship

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Headship_Crews.jpg" caption="The double headship winning Oriel Men's and Women's Eights crews in 2006."] ::

The "Double Headship" is an accolade of any college finishing with their men's and women's crews at the "Head of the River". Oriel is the first to have achieved this in Torpids, in 2006. The college's new first crews repeated this in 2018.

Trophies

The first day's starting order is based on the previous year's finishing positions, and each subsequent day's starting order is based on the previous day's finishing positions. A crew that bumps on every day or that finishes at the Head of the River is awarded blades – the right to get trophy oars painted up in their college colours with the names and weights of the successful crew emblazoned on them. Spoons are awarded in case the crew was bumped on every single day. A third, somewhat unusual possibility is the award of spades. The crew is both bumped and then proceeds to bump a crew in front of it before the end of the race. Thus being both the bumper and the bumped on the same day. Owing to the differences in rules between Torpids and Lent Bumps at the University of Cambridge this achievement is only possible at Oxford.

Head of the River – Summary table

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BladeCollegeHeadshipsLongest time heldLast HeadshipMenWomenTotalMenWomenMenWomen
[[File:Oriel College Boat Club Rowing Blade.svg80pxOriel College Boat Club]]Oriel363391972–902017–1820222018
[[File:Rowing Blade Black.svg80pxBrasenose College Boat Club]]Brasenose22—221886–94—1894—
[[File:New College Rowing Blade.svg80pxNew College Boat Club]]New College151161949–53200519532005
[[File:Balliol College Rowing Blade.svg80pxBalliol College Boat Club]]Balliol14—141968–71—1971—
[[File:Christ Church Boat Club Rowing Blade.svg80pxChrist Church College Boat Club]]Christ Church15—151907–10—2023—
[[File:Magdalen College Boat Club Rowing Blade.svg80pxMagdalen College Boat Club]]Magdalen95141932–342010–1320082016
[[File:Lady Margaret Rowing Blade.svg80pxExeter College Boat Club]]Exeter13—131854–57—1868—
[[File:Pembroke College Oxford Boat Club Rowing Blade.svg80pxPembroke College Boat Club]]Pembroke101112012–17—20172025
[[File:University College Oxford Rowing Blade.svg80pxUniversity College Boat Club]]University91101869–73—19262023
[[File:St Edmund Hall Rowing Blade.svg80pxSt Edmund Hall Boat Club]]St Edmund Hall6—61962–66—1966—
Osler-Green—55—1995–99—1999
[[File:Somerville College Boat Club Rowing Blade.svg80pxSomerville College Boat Club]]Somerville—55—1991–94—1994
[[File:Wadham College Rowing Blade.svg80pxWadham College Boat Club]]Wadham235——18492019
[[File:Corpus Christi College Boat Club Rowing Blade.svg80pxCorpus College Boat Club]]Corpus4—41883–85—1931—
[[File:Jesus College Oxford Rowing Blade.svg80pxJesus College Boat Club]]Jesus—44—1980–83—1983
Osler House—44—1988–89—1989
[[File:Merton College Rowing Blade.svg80pxMerton College Boat Club]]Merton123—2003–0419272004
[[File:St Catherines College Oxford Rowing Blade.svg80pxSt Catherine's College Boat Club]]St Catherine's—33—2008–09—2009
[[File:St John's College Oxford Rowing Blade.svg80pxSt John's College Boat Club]]St John's3—3——1967—
[[File:Trinity College Boat Club Rowing Blade.svg80pxTrinity College Boat Club]]Trinity3—3——1880—
[[File:Worcester College Rowing Blade.svg80pxWorcester College Boat Club]]Worcester3—3——1930—
[[File:Queens College (Oxford) Boat Club Rowing Blade.svg80pxQueen's College Boat Club]]Queen's2—2——1958—
[[File:St Hughs Boat Club Rowing Blade.svg80pxSt Hugh's College Boat Club]]St Hugh's—11———1985
[[File:Wolfson College Boat Club Rowing Blade.svg80pxWolfson College Boat Club (Oxford)]]Wolfson123——20252022
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Prior to the composite crew with Green College and after the foundation of Green Templeton Boat Club, Osler has raced as an independent crew formed of clinical medical students.
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Men's Head of Torpids

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Div1Wednesday.jpg" caption="Men's Division I, places 2 to 5, 2005"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/New_college_torpids_2008_sat.jpg" caption="bow]] oar on Saturday, 2008"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d5/A_successful_bump_in_Torpids_-geograph.org.uk-_1740407.jpg" caption="St Catherine's]], 2010"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Oxford_University_-_Torpids.jpg" caption="Worcester College]], 2012"] ::

Torpids has been held since 1838. The following gives the colleges that were Head of the River (Head of Torpids) in these years.

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YearCollegeYearCollegeYearCollegeYearCollegeYearCollege
1838[[File:Worcester College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Worcester1839[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1840[[File:Wadham College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Wadham1841
1843[[File:University College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] University1844[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1845[[File:Brasenose College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Brasenose1846
1848[[File:Brasenose College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Brasenose1849[[File:Wadham College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Wadham1850[[File:Brasenose College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Brasenose1851
1853[[File:Brasenose College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Brasenose1854[[File:Exeter College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Exeter1855[[File:Exeter College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Exeter1856
1858[[File:Pembroke College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Pembroke1859[[File:Exeter College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Exeter1860[[File:Exeter College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Exeter1861
1863[[File:Exeter College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Exeter1864[[File:Exeter College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Exeter1865[[File:Exeter College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Exeter1866
1868[[File:Exeter College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Exeter1869[[File:University College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] University1870[[File:University College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] University1871
1873[[File:University College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] University1874[[File:Brasenose College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Brasenose1875[[File:Brasenose College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Brasenose1876
1878[[File:Pembroke College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Pembroke1879[[File:Pembroke College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Pembroke1880[[File:Trinity College, Oxford.svg12px]] Trinity1881
1883[[File:Corpus-Christi College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Corpus Christi1884[[File:Corpus-Christi College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Corpus Christi1885[[File:Corpus-Christi College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Corpus Christi1886
1888[[File:Brasenose College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Brasenose1889[[File:Brasenose College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Brasenose1890[[File:Brasenose College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Brasenose1891
1893[[File:Brasenose College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Brasenose1894[[File:Brasenose College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Brasenose1895no racing1896[[File:New College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg
1898[[File:Balliol College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Balliol1899[[File:Balliol College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Balliol1900[[File:New College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] New College1901
1903[[File:New College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] New College1904[[File:New College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] New College1905[[File:University College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] University1906
1908[[File:Christ Church Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Christ Church1909[[File:Christ Church Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Christ Church1910[[File:Christ Church Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Christ Church1911
1913[[File:Magdalen College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Magdalen1914[[File:Christ Church Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Christ Church1915—1916—
1918—1919—1920[[File:Christ Church Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Christ Church1921[[File:Christ Church Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg
1923[[File:Magdalen College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Magdalen1924[[File:Christ Church Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Christ Church1925[[File:Christ Church Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Christ Church1926
1928[[File:Balliol College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Balliol1929[[File:Balliol College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Balliol1930[[File:Worcester College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Worcester1931
1933[[File:Magdalen College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Magdalen1934[[File:Magdalen College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Magdalen1935[[File:New College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] New College1936
1938[[File:New College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] New College1939[[File:St-Edmund-Hall College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] St Edmund Hall1940[[File:Trinity College, Oxford.svg12px]] Trinity & [[File:Balliol College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Balliol
1943—1944—1945—1946[[File:St-John's College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] St John's1947
1948[[File:Christ Church Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Christ Church1949[[File:New College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] New College1950[[File:New College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] New College1951
1953[[File:New College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] New College1954[[File:Balliol College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Balliol1955[[File:Balliol College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Balliol1956
1958[[File:Queens College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Queen's1959[[File:Balliol College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Balliol1960[[File:St-Edmund-Hall College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] St Edmund Hall1961
1963no racing1964[[File:St-Edmund-Hall College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] St Edmund Hall1965[[File:St-Edmund-Hall College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] St Edmund Hall1966[[File:St-Edmund-Hall College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg
1968[[File:Balliol College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Balliol1969[[File:Balliol College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Balliol1970[[File:Balliol College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Balliol1971
1973[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1974[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1975[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1976
1978[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1979[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1980[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1981
1983[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1984[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1985[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1986
1988[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1989[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1990[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1991
1993[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1994[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1995[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1996
1998[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel1999[[File:Pembroke College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Pembroke2000no racing2001[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg
2003[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel2004[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel2005[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel2006
2008[[File:Magdalen College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Magdalen2009[[File:Christ Church Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Christ Church2010[[File:Christ Church Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Christ Church2011
2013[[File:Pembroke College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Pembroke2014no racing2015[[File:Pembroke College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Pembroke2016[[File:Pembroke College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg
2018[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel2019[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel2020no racing2021[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg
2023[[File:Christ Church Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Christ Church2024no racing2025[[File:Wolfson_College_Oxford_Coat_Of_Arms.svg15x15px]] Wolfson2026
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Racing limited to the top three divisions due to high stream
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Women's Head of Torpids

Women's divisions in Torpids have existed since 1978. This was delayed from 1977 when the river was flooded and Torpids was cancelled.

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YearCollegeYearCollegeYearCollegeYearCollegeYearCollege
1977no racing1978[[File:Hertford_College_Oxford_Coat_Of_Arms.svg15x15px]] Hertford1979[[File:Wadham College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Wadham1980[[File:Jesus_College_Oxford_Coat_Of_Arms.svg
1982[[File:Jesus_College_Oxford_Coat_Of_Arms.svg15x15px]] Jesus1983[[File:Jesus_College_Oxford_Coat_Of_Arms.svg15x15px]] Jesus1984Osler House1985[[File:St-Hughs_College_Oxford_Coat_Of_Arms.svg
1987[[File:Somerville_College_Oxford_Coat_Of_Arms.svg15x15px]] Somerville1988Osler House1989Osler House1990no racing1991
1992[[File:Somerville_College_Oxford_Coat_Of_Arms.svg15x15px]] Somerville1993[[File:Somerville_College_Oxford_Coat_Of_Arms.svg15x15px]] Somerville1994[[File:Somerville_College_Oxford_Coat_Of_Arms.svg15x15px]] Somerville1995
1997Osler-Green1998Osler-Green1999Osler-Green2000no racing2001[[File:St-Catherines_College_Oxford_Coat_Of_Arms.svg
2002no racing2003[[File:Merton College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Merton2004[[File:Merton College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Merton2005[[File:New College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg
2007no racing2008[[File:St-Catherines_College_Oxford_Coat_Of_Arms.svg15x15px]] St Catherine's2009[[File:St-Catherines_College_Oxford_Coat_Of_Arms.svg15x15px]] St Catherine's2010[[File:Magdalen College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg
2012[[File:Magdalen College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Magdalen2013[[File:Magdalen College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Magdalen2014no racing2015[[File:Wadham College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg
2017[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel2018[[File:Oriel College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Oriel2019[[File:Wadham College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] Wadham2020
2022[[File:Wolfson_College_Oxford_Coat_Of_Arms.svg15x15px]] Wolfson2023[[File:University College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg12px]] University2024no racing2025[[File:Pembroke College Oxford Coat Of Arms.svg
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Racing limited to the top three divisions due to high stream
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References

References

  1. Oxford University Rowing Clubs. "Historical Results Torpids".
  2. Sherwood, W. E.. (1900). "The Torpids". Oxford Rowing: A History of Boat-Racing at Oxford from the Earliest Times.
  3. "OURCs: Rules of Racing".
  4. "OURCs: Rules of Racing".
  5. "OURCs: Rules of Racing".
  6. (2018-03-05). "Oriel Crews Take Torpids Double Headship".
  7. Sherwood, W. E.. (1900). "The Torpids (results)". Oxford Rowing: A History of Boat-Racing at Oxford from the Earliest Times.
  8. "A History of Oxford College Rowing".
  9. "Oxford Bumps Charts".

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

1838-establishments-in-englandrecurring-sporting-events-established-in-1838regattas-on-the-river-thamesrowing-at-the-university-of-oxfordmarchorganised-events-in-oxfordannual-events-in-englandannual-sporting-events-in-the-united-kingdomchrist-church-meadow,-oxfordbumps-races