Founded in 1892, Oxford University Swimming Club is the university’s competitive swimming team. Swimming is one of the few Full Blue sports at Oxford and so it has a prestigious status in the sporting scene. In the pool, OUSC is made up of three squads: the Blues Team, the Seconds Team, and the Social Swimming Squad. We also welcome para-swimmers, and for those who prefer the wild outdoors, there is an Open Water Swimming group.
For the Blues and Seconds teams, the focus of the season is the annual Varsity Match at the end of Hilary term. The Varsity Match is the oldest swimming event in the world, preceding the modern Olympic Games by 4 years! Both teams also compete at national BUCS competitions (British University Championships), with several of our swimmers competing at the highest levels of the sport, making BUCS and national championship finals. There are additional racing opportunities for Open Water swimmers, with the Open Water Varsity Match held every Trinity Term and a Channel Relay Crossing every second year. The club also has a vibrant social scene with weekly events, ensuring that everyone feels welcome.
Training sessions are held in the Rosenblatt Pool at the Iffley Road Sports Centre in Oxford. The Blues (1st team) train 6-8 times a week in the pool, alongside 2 dryland sessions. A high level of commitment is expected, due to the club’s Full Blue status which our members train hard to achieve. Members of this team have usually swum competitively before university, but it is not uncommon for them to have had a break from the sport before joining OUSC. The standard of our swimmers ranges from national qualifiers all the way up to Olympic gold medallists. The Seconds Team (also known as The Dolphins) train up to four times a week with an ever-rising standard of competition. The social swimming squad train once per week, with sessions often led by a member of the Blues or Seconds team.
Season’s Schedule
OUSC’s season is a busy one. Pre-season training begins in Trinity term, as well as over the summer, and builds up towards our first competition: a friendly match against other universities which usually takes place in mid-October. BUCS Short Course Championships is the next major event, which is held in November. The Blues and Seconds teams compete here, and it is an opportunity for swimmers to impress the team captains and fight for a place on the Varsity team. Both teams also attend a long course training camp during the first week of January, this is a crucial aspect of the training season as it ensures the team is in peak physical fitness in preparation for the Varsity Match and BUCS Team Championships. The training is highly intensive and makes great inroads towards a Varsity victory. The week also allows for swimmers to spend time together as a team and social activities are planned alongside the gruelling training!
The historic Varsity Match takes place during Hilary term and is the main highlight of the year. The rivalry is fierce and its location alternates so that both sides get to host the event biennially. It is a fantastic competition which always has an incredible atmosphere. The Oxford Blues Team were victorious in the 2023 Varsity Match, and look to continue their winning streak against Cambridge in 2024. The Seconds Team suffered a narrow loss, fuelling ambitions to bring home the trophy this season.
The season draws to a close after BUCS Team Championships, which is held in Ponds Forge International Sports Centre, Sheffield. OUSC normally perform incredibly well, and this year placed 9th in the National Championship final.
OUSC also offers several open water opportunities, including the annual Open Water Varsity Match against Cambridge which takes place in Henley, along the Royal Regatta course. The team also race against Cambridge in the biennial Varsity Channel Relay swim; a relay race from Dover to Calais with teams consisting of three women and three men. Oxford won the most recent event in 2023, finishing in a fantastic 9hrs 3mins. The next race will be held in the summer of 2025 and Oxford will be looking to put together a strong team to defend their title.
Cuppers is our annual intercollegiate swimming event. Each college puts forward a relay team of 6 to 12 swimmers who aim to complete as many laps as possible in half an hour. The competition allows for intercollegiate rivalries to flourish, and is a fantastic event to be a part of. The 2024 competition saw a very strong St Catherine’s x Jesus team crowned as champions. Perhaps 2025 will see this change!
Socials
OUSC arranges a number of social events throughout the year, giving members the chance to see each other with their clothes on! Weekly ‘crewdates’ allow for socialising with other sports teams and the post Varsity Match provides the opportunity to unwind after a tough season. Some of the social events are organised in conjunction with the Oxford University Water Polo Club, including the Old Member’s dinner. OUSWPC has an extensive Old Member’s Society, which organises an annual dinner.
Membership Costs
The club membership fees for the 2023/24 season were as follows: Blues team: £90, Seconds team: £45, Social Swimming team: £10 , Open Water Swimming group: £10. For swimmers who don’t already have a Swim England Membership, this will be arranged by the club. For the 2023/24 season, these cost £36 for competing swimmers, and £14.50 for non-competing swimmers. The club is able to provide financial assistance to swimmers where required. To apply for financial aid, please complete this form and email it to the club Treasurer, Tobias Lloyd, at [email protected]. Financial aid applications are anonymised by the Treasurer before being handled confidentially by the club President, Treasurer and Secretary.
OUSC members must also purchase an Oxford University Sport Membership which allows access to the pool facilities. If you only want to access the pool during your squad’s sessions, this will cost £20 for the year. If you want to also book in for public sessions, you will need to either: – Purchase an Active Fusion membership (provides access to the pool and gym and costs around £25 per month) – Purchase a swim top-up membership (costing around £200 per year). Instructions for purchasing this membership will be given to club members by the secretary at the start of the season (or on request if later in the season!). – Some colleges provide free pool access, so it is worth checking with your college before purchasing an Active Fusion or swim top-up membership!
To see if the club is a good fit for you, everyone has free access to the facilities until the 3rd week of Michaelmas term. If you are joining later in the year, you can ask at the reception at Iffley Sports Centre for a Trials Access Membership, which permits access for a limited number of club sessions.
Visiting Students
If you are a visiting student, we would be delighted to have you train with us, even if it’s only for one term, as long as you meet the requirements of the squads.
If you are currently an Oxford student, or you will be a fresher starting in October, feel free to contact us if you have any questions, or get in touch with one of the committee members for more specific queries. If you are interested in joining the club this year, you can express interest here: forms.gle/S2JzmdLbkwJ6PUq89
