Torpids

Torpids
Head of the River
Pembroke Men [1]	Magdalen Women [1]
Highest 2nd Torpid (Men)	Pembroke (Division I) [1]
Highest 2nd Torpid (Women)	Wolfson (Division III) [1]
Course	Isis (upstream)
Course length	c. 1800m
Current sponsor	Neptune Investment Management
Note: Last Torpids 24 – 27 February 2016[1]
OURCs - Torpids

Torpids is one of two series of bumping races, a type of rowing race, held yearly at Oxford University, the other race being Eights.^[2] Over 130 men's and women's crews race for their colleges in six men's divisions and five 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

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 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.

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 hit 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.

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 varsity oarsmen and women - 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'.

Rowers competing in that year's Boat Race or any of the Henley Boat Races against Cambridge may not compete in Torpids, but may compete in Summer Eights.

Various scenes of Torpids bumps racing at Oxford
Men's Division I, places 2 to 5, 2005  New College with a broken rudder and bow oar on Saturday, 2008  Balliol bump St Catherine's, 2010  Worcester College, 2012

Double Headship

The double headship winning Oriel Men's and Women's Eights crews in 2006.

The 'Double Headship' is an accolade awarded to any college finishing with both their men's and women's crews at the 'Head of the River'. Oriel College is the only college to have achieved a Double Headship in Torpids, having both men's and women's crews at the Head of the River in 2006.

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 without being bumped itself 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. Due 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

Blade	College	Men	Women	Headships	Longest time held - Men	Longest time held - Women	Last Headship – Men	Last Headship - Women
	Oriel	32	1	33	1972–90	2006	2006	2006
	Brasenose	22	-	22	1886–94	-	1894	-
	Christ Church	13	-	13	1907–10	-	2011	-
	Exeter	13	-	13	1854–57	-	1868	-
	Balliol	11	-	11	1968–71	-	1971	-
	Pembroke	9	-	9	2012–16	-	2016	-
	University	9	-	9	1869–73	-	1926	-
	Magdalen	4	5	9	1912–13	2010–13	2008	2016
	New	7	1	8	1900–04	2005	1904	2005
	Osler-Greena	-	5	5	-	1995–99	-	1999
	Somerville	-	5	5	-	1991–94	-	1994
	St Edmund Hall	5	-	5	1962–66	-	1966	-
	Jesus	-	4	4	-	1980–83	-	1983
	Osler Houseb	-	4	4	-	1988–89	-	1989
	Wadham	2	2	4	-	-	1849	2015
	Corpus	3	-	3	1983–85	-	1885	-
	Merton	1	2	3	-	2003–04	1927	2004
	St Catherine’s	-	3	3	-	2008–09	-	2009
	Trinity	3	-	3	-	-	1880	-
	Queen’s	2	-	2	-	-	1958	-
	St John’s	2	-	2	-	-	1967	-
	Worcester	2	-	2	-	-	1922	-
	St Hugh’s	-	1	1	-	-	-	1985

Men's Head of Torpids

Torpids has been held since 1838. The following gives the colleges that were Head of the River (Head of Torpids) in these years.^[3]

• In 1915-19 no races were conducted due to World War I
• In 1940-45 no races were conducted due to World War II
• 1963 - No racing due to ice on the river
• In 1986, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1998 and 2003, racing was held on fewer than four days
• In 1991, Oriel were penalty bumped four places for training while the river was in flood.
• 2000, 2002, 2007, 2014 - No racing due to high stream

Women's Head of Torpids

Women's division in Torpids have existed since 1978. This was delayed from 1977 when the river was flooded and Torpids was cancelled.^{[4] [5]}

• 1977, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2014 - No racing due to high stream
• 1986, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2003 - racing was held on fewer than four days
• 1990 - A fast stream meant that only informal racing was held.

See also

• Eights Week, a similar event in summer
• Lent Bumps, the equivalent event in Cambridge

References

External links

• Torpids
• Torpids results
• Oxford Bumps Charts

Rowing at the University of Oxford
University	Oxford University Boat Club (OUBC) Oxford University Lightweight Rowing Club (OULRC) Oxford University Women's Boat Club (OUWBC) Oxford University Women's Lightweight Rowing Club (OUWLRC) Oxford University Rowing Clubs (OURCs)
College Boat Clubs	Balliol Brasenose Christ Church Corpus Christi Exeter Green Templeton Hertford Jesus Keble Lady Margaret Hall Linacre Lincoln Magdalen Mansfield Merton New College Oriel Osler House Pembroke Queen’s Regent’s Park Somerville St Anne's St Antony's St Benet's St Catherine's St Edmund Hall St Hilda's St Hugh's St John's St Peter's Trinity University Wadham Wolfson Worcester
Events	Eights Week Torpids The Boat Race List of Oxford University Boat Race crews List of Oxford University Isis crews Women's Boat Race Henley Boat Races