The May Bumps (also May Races, Mays) are a set of rowing races, held annually on the River Cam in Cambridge, England. They began in 1887 after separating from the Lent Bumps, the equivalent bumping races held at the end of February or start of March. Prior to the separation there had been a single set of annual bumps dating from its inception in 1827. [1] The races are open to all college boat clubs from the University of Cambridge, the University Medical and Veterinary Schools and the Anglia Ruskin Boat Club. The May Bumps takes place over four days (Wednesday to Saturday) in mid-June and is run as a bumps race.
The races are run in divisions, each containing 17 crews. The number of crews in each bottom division varies yearly depending on new entrants. [2] Each crew contains eight rowers and one coxswain. A total of 154 crews took part in 2014, totalling around 1390 participants. There are currently six divisions for men's crews (referred to as M1, M2...M6) and four divisions for women's crews (similarly W1–W4). The divisions represent a total race order with Division 1 at the top. The ultimate aim is to try and finish Head of the River (also said as gaining the 'Headship'), i.e. 1st position in division 1.
At the start, signalled by a cannon, each crew is separated by a distance of about 1+1⁄2 boat lengths (approximately 30 m or 90 ft). Once the race has begun, a crew must attempt to catch up with the crew ahead of it and bump (physically touch or overtake) it before the crew behind does the same to them. A crew which bumps or is bumped must pull to the side of the river to allow all the other crews to continue racing. If a crew is able to catch and bump the boat which started three places in front of it, after the two in front have already bumped out, the crew is said to have over-bumped. A crew which neither bumps a crew ahead nor is bumped by a crew behind before crossing the finishing post is said to have rowed over.
After the race, any crew which bumps or over-bumps swaps places with the crew that it has bumped for the following day's racing. A crew which rows over stays in the same position. Crews finishing at the top of a division also start at the bottom of the next division, as the sandwich boat, in an attempt to try to move up into the next division. The process is repeated over four days, allowing crews to move up or down several places in the overall order of boats. The finishing order of one year's May Bumps are then used as the starting order of the following year's races.
May Bumps were cancelled between 1915 and 1918, and in 1940 due to war, [1] and in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [3] [4] Prior to 1946 1st & 3rd Trinity were two separate rowing clubs: 1st Trinity and 3rd Trinity, hence both separate and combined titles. [5]
1974 | Clare | 1975 | Newnham | 1976 | Newnham | 1977 | New Hall | 1978 | Churchill | 1979 | Clare |
1980 | Clare | 1981 | New Hall | 1982 | Trinity Hall | 1983 | Trinity Hall | 1984 | New Hall | 1985 | Churchill |
1986 | Churchill | 1987 | Churchill | 1988 | Jesus | 1989 | Churchill | 1990 | Churchill | 1991 | Lady Margaret |
1992 | Lady Margaret | 1993 | Jesus | 1994 | Jesus | 1995 | Emmanuel | 1996 | Emmanuel | 1997 | Pembroke |
1998 | Pembroke | 1999 | Emmanuel | 2000 | Caius | 2001 | Caius | 2002 | Caius | 2003 | Newnham |
2004 | Emmanuel | 2005 | Jesus | 2006 | Pembroke | 2007 | Jesus | 2008 | Pembroke | 2009 | Pembroke |
2010 | Pembroke | 2011 | Downing | 2012 | Downing | 2013 | Clare | 2014 | Downing | 2015 | Downing |
2016 | Downing | 2017 | Jesus | 2018 | Jesus | 2019 | Newnham | 2020 | - | 2021 | - |
2022 | Newnham | 2023 | Jesus | 2024 | Caius |
The Women's May Bumps were rowed in coxed fours between 1974 and 1989, changing to coxed eights from 1990 onwards. A new start order was used for the women's 1990 races. [1] May Bumps were cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [3] [4] 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of Women's May Bumps, in which Caius took headship.
Sixteen boats have been head of the river.
Blade | Boat | Head of the River: Men | Head of the River: Women | Head of the River: Total | Winning Years: Men | Winning Years: Women |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jesus | 23 | 8 | 31 | 1909, 1910, 1912–14, 1920–22, 1924–25, 1927, 1930, 1935–39, 1947–48, 1955–58, 1972 | 1988, 1993–94, 2005, 2007, 2017–2018, 2023 | |
Trinity (Combined) | 25 | - | 25 | 1889, 1893, 1897–1906, 1911, 1919, 1928–29, 1945, 1964–67, 1973, 2008–10 | - | |
Lady Margaret | 21 | 2 | 23 | 1926, 1950–54, 1959–61, 1974–75, 1979–81, 1983, 1988–89, 2016–18, 2024 | 1991–92 | |
Caius | 18 | 4 | 22 | 1987, 1998–2000, 2002–07, 2011–15, 2019, 2022-23 | 2000–02, 2024 | |
Trinity Hall | 15 | 2 | 17 | 1887–88, 1890–92, 1894–96, 1907–08, 1946, 1992–95 | 1982–83 | |
Pembroke | 10 | 6 | 16 | 1923, 1931–34, 1976–78, 1985–86 | 1997–98, 2006, 2008–10 | |
3rd Trinity | 11 | n/a | 11 | 1889, 1893, 1901–06, 1929 | n/a | |
Downing | 6 | 5 | 11 | 1982, 1984, 1990–91, 1996–97 | 2011–12, 2014–16 | |
1st & 3rd Trinity | 9 | - | 9 | 1945, 1964–67, 1973, 2008–10 | - | |
Clare | 5 | 4 | 9 | 1941–44, 1949 | 1974, 1979–1980, 2013 | |
Churchill | - | 6 | 6 | - | 1978, 1985–87, 1989–90 | |
Emmanuel | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2001 | 1995–96, 1999, 2004 | |
1st Trinity | 5 | n/a | 5 | 1898–1900, 1911, 1928 | n/a | |
Newnham | n/a | 5 | 5 | n/a | 1975–76, 2003, 2019, 2022 | |
Fitzwilliam | 3 | - | 3 | 1969–71 | - | |
New Hall (now Murray Edwards) | n/a | 3 | 3 | n/a | 1977, 1981, 1984 | |
Queens’ | 3 | - | 3 | 1962–63, 1968 | - |
N.B.: Prior to 1946 1st & 3rd Trinity were two separate rowing clubs: 1st Trinity and 3rd Trinity, hence both separate and combined titles. [5]
Anglia Ruskin, Christ's, Clare Hall, Corpus Christi, Darwin, Girton, Homerton, Hughes Hall, King's, Magdalene, Peterhouse, Robinson, St. Catharine's, Selwyn, Sidney Sussex, St Edmund's, Wolfson, Addenbrooke's and the Veterinary School are the regular entrants never to have finished Head of the River for either the men's or women's events.
Four boat 'awards' are informally/formally recognised by the individual college boat clubs that take part in the Cambridge May Bumps, these accolades are awarded as follows:[ citation needed ]
The Pegasus Cup is a Cambridge rowing prize first awarded in 2006. It was donated by Milton Brewery and will be awarded annually to the most successful college boat club competing in the Cambridge May Bumping Races. The winner is decided by means of a points system, which is described in the Cambridge University Combined Boat Club handbook as follows:
The Cup is awarded to the Club gaining the most points over the course of the May Bumps. Points are awarded as follows:
- One point for every place gained by each of a Club’s boats.
- One point for each night that a Club retains the Men’s or Women’s Headship in Division One.
- One point deducted for every place lost by each of a Club’s boats.
The total number of points gained over the four days of racing is multiplied by 12 and then divided by the number of boats entered by the Club to give the final score. [6]
To be eligible a club must have at least one men's and one women's boat (except in the case of single sex colleges where two boats of the same sex may be permitted). In the coronavirus year of 2020, May Bumps were not held. Instead, the Pegasus Cup was awarded to the Cambridge college boat club whose members raised the greatest sum for charity (per capita)—Lady Margaret Boat Club, who raised over £3500. The year is asterisked on the Pegasus Cup to distinguish this unusual occurrence.
Results: [9]
A bumps race is a form of rowing race in which a number of boats chase each other in single file, each crew attempting to catch and 'bump' the boat in front without being caught by the boat behind.
The Lady Margaret Boat Club is the rowing club for members of St John's College, Cambridge, England. The club is named after Lady Margaret Beaufort, founder of the College.
The Lent Bumps are a set of rowing races held annually on the River Cam in Cambridge. They began in 1887, after separating from the May Bumps, which are bumping races held in mid-June. Prior to the separation there had been a single set of annual bumps dating from its inception in 1827. The races are open to all college boat clubs from the University of Cambridge, the University Medical and Veterinary Schools and Anglia Ruskin Boat Club. The Lent Bumps take place over five days at the end of February / start of March and are run as bumps races.
Caius Boat Club is the boat club for members of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. The club has rowed on the River Cam since 1827, and like the other college boat clubs its aim is to gain and hold the headship of the Lent Bumps and May Bumps, now held in eight-oared boats, separately for men and women.
Emmanuel Boat Club is the rowing club for members of Emmanuel College, Cambridge. The men's 1st VIII has stayed largely in the first division of the Lent and May Bumps for the last half-century, but fell as low as 21st in the May Bumps in the 1930s, and has been as low as 28th in the Lent Bumps towards the end of the 19th century.
Newnham College Boat Club is the rowing club for members of Newnham College, Cambridge. The club has a year-round senior squad and invites all members of the college to learn to row by joining the novice squads during Michaelmas or Easter terms.
Corpus Christi College Boat Club is the rowing club for members of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. Corpus blade colours are maroon with a vertical white stripe and rowers wear kit of the same colour. The boat club crest features the same mythical pelican as that of the College, often pictured in front of a pair of crossed blades. Corpus is one of the smallest colleges in the University of Cambridge, typically fielding 2-3 men's crews and 2-3 women's crews in the Lent and May Bumps races each year. It shares a boat house with the boat clubs of Sidney Sussex, Girton and Wolfson colleges.
The Lent Bumps 2008 were a series of rowing races at the University of Cambridge held on the River Cam from Tuesday 26 February 2008 until Saturday 1 March 2008. The event was run as a bumps race and was the 121st race in the series of Lent Bumps, which have been held annually in late February or early March on the 7th week of Lent Term in this form since 1887. See Lent Bumps for the format of the races. A total of 121 crews took part, comprising nearly 1100 participants in total.
The May Bumps 2009 were a set of rowing races held in Cambridge, UK from Wednesday 10 June 2009 to Saturday 13 June 2009. The bumps featured crews from all Cambridge University Colleges and Anglia Ruskin University. The races were run as a bumps race and were the 118th set of races in the series of May Bumps which have been held annually in mid-June in this form since 1887. In 2009, a total of 171 crews are expected to take part, with over 1500 participants in total.
The May Bumps 2010 were a set of rowing races held in Cambridge, UK with crews from the boat clubs of all Cambridge University Colleges, the University Medical and Veterinary Schools and Anglia Ruskin University from Wednesday 9 June 2010 to Saturday 12 June 2010. The event was run as a bumps race and was the 119th set of races in the series of May Bumps which have been held annually in mid-June in this form since 1887. In 2010, a total of 172 crews took part, with nearly 1550 participants in total.
The May Bumps 2011 were a set of rowing races held in Cambridge, UK with crews from the boat clubs of all Cambridge University Colleges, the University Medical and Veterinary Schools and Anglia Ruskin University from Wednesday 15 June 2011 to Saturday 18 June 2011. The event was run as a bumps race and was the 120th set of races in the series of May Bumps which have been held annually in mid-June in this form since 1887. In 2011, 172 crews took part, with nearly 1550 participants in total.
The Lent Bumps 2012 was a series of rowing races at Cambridge University from Tuesday 28 February 2012 to Saturday 3 March 2012. The event was run as a bumps race and was the 125th set of races in the series of Lent Bumps which have been held annually in late February or early March since 1887. See Lent Bumps for the format of the races. 121 crews took part, with nearly 1100 participants in total.
The May Bumps 2012 were a set of rowing races held in Cambridge, UK with crews from the boat clubs of all Cambridge University Colleges and Anglia Ruskin University from Wednesday 13 June 2012 to Saturday 16 June 2012. The event was run as a bumps race and was the 121st set of races in the series of May Bumps which have been held annually in mid-June in this form since 1887. In 2012, 172 crews took part, with nearly 1550 participants in total.
The Lent Bumps 2013 was a series of rowing races at Cambridge University from Tuesday 26 February 2013 to Saturday 2 March 2013. The event was run as a bumps race and was the 126th set of races in the series of Lent Bumps which have been held annually in late February or early March since 1887. See Lent Bumps for the format of the races. 121 crews took part, with nearly 1100 participants in total.
The May Bumps 2013 were a set of rowing races at Cambridge University from Wednesday 12 June 2013 to Saturday 15 June 2013. The event was run as a bumps race and was the 122nd set of races in the series of May Bumps which have been held annually in mid-June in this form since 1887.
The May Bumps 2014 were a set of rowing races at Cambridge University from Wednesday 11 June 2014 to Saturday 14 June 2014. The event was run as a bumps race and was the 123rd set of races in the series of May Bumps which have been held annually in mid-June in this form since 1887.
The Lent Bumps 2014 was a series of rowing races at Cambridge University from Tuesday 25 February 2014 to Saturday 1 March 2014. The event was run as a bumps race and was the 127th set of races in the series of Lent Bumps which have been held annually in late February or early March since 1887. See Lent Bumps for the format of the races. 103 crews took part, with nearly 950 participants in total.
The May Bumps 2019 was a series of rowing races at Cambridge University from Wednesday 12 June 2019 to Saturday 15 June 2019. The event was run as a bumps race and was the 128th set of races in the series of May Bumps which have been held annually in mid-June in this form since 1887.
The May Bumps 2021 were a set of rowing races at Cambridge University scheduled to take place from Wednesday 16 June 2021 to Saturday 19 June 2021. The event was to be run as a bumps race and would have been the 129th set of races in the series of May Bumps which had been held annually in mid-June since 1887. In this edition of the Mays, the women's divisions were due to be raced before the equivalent men's divisions.
The May Bumps 2022 was a series of rowing races at Cambridge University from Wednesday 15 June 2022 to Saturday 18 June 2022. The event was run as a bumps race and was the 129th set of races in the series of May Bumps which have been held annually in mid-June in this form since 1887.