Varsity (rowing regatta)
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The Varsity is a rowing
regatta Boat racing is a sport in which boats, or other types of watercraft, race on water. Boat racing powered by oars is recorded as having occurred in ancient Egypt, and it is likely that people have engaged in races involving boats and other wate ...
on the
Amsterdam–Rhine Canal The Amsterdam–Rhine Canal ( Dutch: ''Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal'') is a canal in the Netherlands that was built to connect the port and capital city of Amsterdam to the main shipping artery of the Rhine. Its course follows a generally southeasterly di ...
in
Houten Houten () is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. Population centres The municipality consists of the following towns: * 't Goy * Houten * Schalkwijk * Tull en 't Waal Houten (town) The main town in the municipality is ...
,
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
each Spring. The Varsity is the oldest and most prestigious student rowing regatta in the Netherlands. The Varsity is one of the few student-only rowing races and a fever-pitch rivalry exists between participants. Traditional elements are combined with new technology and rowing philosophy. While rowing crews defend the honour of the club on the water, spectators on the dike are traditionally brawling with equal fanaticism. The main event is the Oude Vier (Varsity Four, literally 'Old Four') which is rowed in a 4+ over a distance of 3 km. All other events row the standard 2 km distance in common race rowing classes such as the 4+, 4-, 2- and
single scull A single scull (or a scull) is a rowing boat designed for a single person who propels the boat with two oars, one in each hand. Racing boats (often called "shells") are long, narrow, and broadly semi-circular in cross-section in order to minimi ...
. Some races are in traditional
clinker-built Clinker built (also known as lapstrake) is a method of boat building where the edges of hull (watercraft), hull planks overlap each other. Where necessary in larger craft, shorter planks can be joined end to end, creating a longer strake or hull ...
boats. A great deal of the traditions in student rowing in the Netherlands evolved from the Varsity.


Victories

Two races in 1915 and 1916 are not counted towards the total score because of
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
in the Netherlands. During the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
the race couldn't be rowed.


History


Prelude

The history of the varsity starts with the foundation of the first student rowing club in the Netherlands. On 5 June 1874 the K.S.R.V. "Njord" was established on behalf of J.W.T. Cohen Stuart and Prince Henry of the Netherlands became the
patron Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...
of Njord. This inspired other students to start rowing clubs als well. In
Delft Delft () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam, to the southeast, ...
D.S.R.V. Laga was founded in 1876. The
Groningen Groningen (; gos, Grunn or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen province in the Netherlands. The ''capital of the north'', Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of the northern part of t ...
student rowing club G.S.R. Aegir was established in 1878. All student rowing clubs of this period started as subdivisions of bigger and older student corporations like Vindicat atque Polit.http://www.knsrb.nl/index.php?id=130,0,0,1,0,0http://www.knsrb.nl/index.php?id=189,0,0,1,0,0 In
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
the sport of rowing was at that time more developed and already had a tradition of rowing races between universities.
The Boat Race The Boat Race is an annual set of rowing races between the Cambridge University Boat Club and the Oxford University Boat Club, traditionally rowed between open-weight eights on the River Thames in London, England. There are separate men's ...
between
Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
and
University A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
provided the inspiration for a similar Dutch race. In 1878 the
Leiden Leiden (; in English and archaic Dutch also Leyden) is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. The municipality of Leiden has a population of 119,713, but the city forms one densely connected agglomeration wit ...
Student Rowing Club challenged the rowing club of
Delft Delft () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam, to the southeast, ...
, D.S.R.V. Laga. Laga accepted the challenge and raced against Njord on 2 July 1878 on the 'Galgewater' (Gallows water) in Leiden. The race contained two turning-buoys and had a length of 3200 meters. Laga won with a margin of 12 seconds. The rematch was two years later, and, with a few exceptions, has been yearly since. Members of G.S.R. Aegir, dispute the official history and claim that both clubs decided to race in celebration of the founding of Aegir in February 1878.


The early days

A third competitor arrived in 1882, from
Utrecht Utrecht ( , , ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city and a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, pro ...
. This would become a key point in the history of the Varsity and student rowing in the Netherlands. The three clubs decided to form the Koninklijke Nederlandsche Studenten Roeibond or KNSRB (Dutch Student Rowing Association). This body would be responsible for the development of student rowing and the organisation of the Varsity. The first official Varsity was held on 30 June 1883. In this race the turning-buoy emerged as a match-maker since Laga and Triton collided at the turn and never finished the race. In the following years the race grew in size. More boat classes, more competitors and more spectators. The race moved to
Haarlem Haarlem (; predecessor of ''Harlem'' in English) is a city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland. Haarlem is situated at the northern edge of the Randstad, one of the most populated metropoli ...
in 1885 after residents complained about the disturbance of the Sunday rest. In Haarlem was it possible to race without buoys. Rowing crews started to train on a daily basis for the race. This was unusual at the time and thus resulted in crews dominating for years. The race moved again in 1902 to the Zweth, a brook between
Delft Delft () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam, to the southeast, ...
and
Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte'') is the second largest city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the province of South Holland, part of the North Sea mouth of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, via the ''"N ...
. Because of the small waterway only two crews could compete together. Qualifications for the final were necessary until another move in 1914 to the
North Sea Canal The North Sea Canal ( nl, Noordzeekanaal) is a Dutch ship canal from Amsterdam to the North Sea at IJmuiden, constructed between 1865 and 1876 to enable seafaring vessels to reach the port of Amsterdam. This man-made channel terminates at Amster ...
. 40 years after the founding of G.S.R. Aegir they participated for the first time in the Varsity of 1918 and thus could join the KNSRB. The long distance from
Groningen Groningen (; gos, Grunn or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen province in the Netherlands. The ''capital of the north'', Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of the northern part of t ...
to the other clubs made participation impossible before. With a lead of six boat lengths, they won their first varsity. It would take another 38 years for their second victory.


1930–1940

In 1930 drunken spectators of the Varsity infiltrated the
Royal Palace of Amsterdam The Royal Palace of Amsterdam in Amsterdam (Dutch: ''Koninklijk Paleis van Amsterdam'' or ) is one of three palaces in the Netherlands which are at the disposal of the monarch by Act of Parliament. It is situated on the west side of Dam Square i ...
which led to questions in parliament. The race was moved in 1937 to the Bosbaan in
Amstelveen Amstelveen () is a municipality in the province of North Holland, Netherlands with a population of 92.353 as of 2022. It is a suburban part of the Amsterdam metropolitan area. The municipality of Amstelveen consists of the historical villages o ...
to remove it from the environs of the palace. This caused a great uproar within the rowing world, as the Bosbaan was only 2000 meters long instead of the traditional 3000 meters. Furthermore, the course was too narrow to fit the five boats of the competition. Honorary members of the KNSRB resigned in the dispute and the 1937 winners refused their prize in protest over the new location. At the same time it was debated to mark the coxless four as the main event instead of the coxed four. Laga openly asked that the race be moved to a new location, and Triton proposed
Jutphaas Jutphaas is a former village and municipality in the province of Utrecht in the Netherlands. The municipality merged with Vreeswijk in 1971, and is now the northern half of the town of Nieuwegein Nieuwegein () is a municipality and city in the D ...
as a new venue for the races. Triton swore an oath that they would organise the Varsity on behalf of the KNSRB as long as the race was rowed in
Utrecht Utrecht ( , , ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city and a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, pro ...
. This oath they keep to this day.


Second World War

Under
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
occupation, the Varsity was a forbidden event. However, Triton was allowed to organise the Varsity in 1941 as part of their lustrum. Later that year, after the German occupiers prohibited education of Jewish students, all student rowing clubs (and all other student clubs) closed their gates. A mock Varsity took place in a
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
ese
internment camp Internment is the imprisonment of people, commonly in large groups, without charges or intent to file charges. The term is especially used for the confinement "of enemy citizens in wartime or of terrorism suspects". Thus, while it can simply ...
. Representatives of the student rowing clubs created a game where dice decided the outcome. With cardboard they created a 5-meter track, boats, finish tower and they even painted the boats in the correct colours. Members and supporters of the student rowing clubs created the traditional outfit and practised the anthem of the club. Representatives of each pre-war KNSRB club (Njord, Laga, Triton, Nereus, Aegir) played for the main event, while Argo, a student rowing club not yet member of the KNSRB, only could participate in the
skiff A skiff is any of a variety of essentially unrelated styles of small boats. Traditionally, these are coastal craft or river craft used for leisure, as a utility craft, and for fishing, and have a one-person or small crew. Sailing skiffs have devel ...
, double four and in the eight. Triton won the race after an exciting battle against Laga.


1946–1959

Although Nereus, Aegir and Argo lost their boathouses during the war, all clubs (Argo for the first time) managed to compete in the 1946 Varsity. Triton won the race, but this Varsity is mostly remembered because the KNSRB received the honorary title 'Koninklijke' (Royal). Since then it's the KNSRB. After the war the prestige of the Varsity grew and the NOS started to broadcast the race on television.


1960–present

In the 1960s the role of the parent societies, the student corporations, started to change. This affected the rowing clubs heavily. Stand-alone rowing clubs were founded, without a student corporation as a parent. These rowing clubs could not join the KNSRB, but needed representation. Thus, on the initiative of the KNSRB, all student rowing clubs started the NSRF ( (Dutch Student Row Federation). KNSRB clubs became a member of both organisations. In 1973 the KNSRB clubs decided that all NSRF clubs should be able to participate in the Varsity. This led to major changes in the race. For the first time since 1914, qualifications were necessary. The big culture difference between the new and the old clubs proved to be a difficult challenge for both worlds. New clubs did not like the distance and distinctive race rules. They also objected to the traditional fighting and brawling between KNSRB club members. KNSRB members showed their disappointment by wearing black belts during the first 'joined' Varsity. Since then the relationship normalised, although many KNSRB members misbehaved when a non-KNSRB club, Orca, won the varsity in 1980. Somewhere in the 1970s club members of Laga, Aegir, Skadi and Njord began to brawl earlier in the rowing season for the supposed victory in the Varsity. During this 'kipvechten' (chicken fighting) a (frozen) chicken would hang from the ceiling in Njord's boathouse. The club who retrieved the chicken was predicted to the Varsity. Often the coxswain would be thrown into the air to catch the chicken. However, in the mid-2000s Njord decided to stop hosting this event after numerous broken bones and general damage to Njord's boathouse. The Varsity moved north along the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal for a final time in 1971. Since then the race has stayed in Houten except for a one-year return to the Bosbaan. During the 134st Varsity in 2017 the organisation introduced a second main event: the women's coxless four. This first race was won by Nereus.


Visual record

*The oldest sport-related film material in the Netherlands is that of the Varsity of 28 May 1905.


Notes and references

;Notes ;References {{Reflist
Article in
Trouw ''Trouw'' (; ) is a Dutch daily newspaper appearing in compact size. It was founded in 1943 as an orthodox Protestant underground newspaper during World War II. Since 2009, it has been owned by DPG Media (known as De Persgroep until 2019). ''Tr ...
12 April 2010
Article in
NRC Handelsblad ''NRC'', previously called ''NRC Handelsblad'' (), is a daily morning newspaper published in the Netherlands by NRC Media. It is generally accepted as a newspaper of record in the Netherlands. History ''NRC Handelsblad'' was first published on 1 ...
7 April 2008
Article in
De Gelderlander 12 April 2009
Article on
NOS 9 April 2006


External links


Website KNSRB & VarsityWebsite NSRFYoutube account with Varsity clips
Rowing competitions in the Netherlands Rowing in the Netherlands College rowing competitions Recurring sporting events established in 1878 Articles containing video clips