Cantabs crews won both Invitational Senior VIIIs categories at the Fairbairn Cup on Friday (30th November):
- Cantabs M1 was the fastest Invitational Men’s VIII and 4th fastest crew overall, beating Cambridge University Lightweight crew and 54 other crews from colleges, college alumni and town clubs
- Cantabs W1 won the Invitation Women’s VIII category and were also the fastest women’s VIII, ahead of 36 college, college alumni and town club crews
Full results are available on the JCBC website.
About the Fairbain Cup: Steve Fairbairn (1862 –1938) was a rower and an influential rowing coach, notably at Jesus College Boat Club, Cambridge University, Thames Rowing Club and London Rowing Club in the early decades of the 20th century. Fairbairn was a strong believer in the benefits of distance training; part of his philosophy was that “mileage makes champions”.
In 1926 he founded the Head of the River Race, for men’s eights held annually since on The Championship Course on the River Thames in London. Shortly afterwards he decided that a similar race was needed to add focus to the Michaelmas term for the Jesus oarsmen who were not involved in University Trial Eights or University Fours. Crews competed over the longest distance possible on the Cam – from the Fort St George to the Little Bridge (downstream of the A14 bridge).
In 1929 the race was opened to all colleges and Steve Fairbairn donated a Cup – the ‘Fairbairn Cup Races’ were founded. In 1990, due to work on the Victoria Road Bridge, the start was moved to the Jesus College Boathouse flagpole, where it has been each year since.
