Alumni

Find out how you can support the next generation of rowers at Clare Boat Club

The victorious Fairbairns crew of 1981 with W1 in 2017, who also won Fairbairns that year

Clare Boat Club is very proud of its history and is keen to maintain strong links with its alumni who are as much a part of the club as current rowers. Alumni are always welcome to visit the boathouse and those who do talk very fondly of their time rowing for Clare.

Relics Regatta

The next Relics Regatta is scheduled for Saturday 20th April 2024. It promises to be an enjoyable afternoon of rowing (or spectating) and a dinner in college to follow in the evening.
The 2022 Relics' Regatta was a huge success, with nine crews taking the water! 2022 marked the 50th anniversary of the first female students matriculating at Clare and we celebrated 50 years of women's rowing at Clare at this event. Alumni from all years attended, and we were delighted to welcome three of 1972 women's first IV boat back to the boat house.
At this event we thanked one of the Boat Club's most loyal supporters, Anne Brewin, for a lifetime of support to the club with the unveiling of a portrait.

Booking details for the 2024 event will be advertised nearer the date but if you would like further information in the meantime, please contact our alumni officers Philippa Slay (pls38@cam.ac.uk) or Emma Gleave (ejg78@cam.ac.uk).

Alumni events

Every year we hold a number of alumni events in association with reunion dinners for respective year groups. These include an opportunity to get back in the boat and row up to Batesbite lock, followed by a tour of the boat house. For earlier year groups we arrange a narrowboat cruise up the river. These meetings are always a great pleasure for current rowers who love to hear the stories behind the blades which adorn the boathouse walls.
The next alumni events will be taking place in March, July and September 2023 for the following matriculation years: 1962, 1997, 1972, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1983, 1993. More details will be circulated nearer the time.

One of our alumni reunion rows

Supporting CBC

The generosity of our alumni has enabled the club to go from strength to strength, allowing Clare students to row for no fee using the latest equipment, coached by a full-time boatman. Past alumni donations have built up a strong trust fund that already pays many CBC costs. However, these costs continue to rise, and your continued support is vital to our future success.
Your donations help to subsidise student costs, to run our fine boathouse, to pay for the experience and skill of our boatman/coach and to keep our fleet of boats and equipment in prime condition.
If you would like to make a single donation you can do so here, or if you would like to support the boat club with a regular commitment, whether annual, monthly or otherwise, then you can do so here.

Contact Us

For any queries, or to arrange a visit please feel free to email our alumni officers Emma Gleave (ejg78@cam.ac.uk) and Sam Taylor (St777@cam.ac.uk).
Our president Nigel Woodcock (nhw1@cam.ac.uk), or our boatman Andy Watson (watsonelec@aol.com) would be very glad to discuss with you the possibility of making a major donation towards the cost of our next new boat.

Olympian and CBC alumna Penny Sweet and club president Nigel at the naming of a boat in her honour