The Annual Varsity Swimming Match against Cambridge University has been the main focus of OUSC’s competition calendar for 132 years and is the oldest swimming event in the world, preceding the modern Olympic Games by 4 years! Its only suspensions have been during the First and Second World Wars.
The very first matches were hosted at the Kensington Pools in London, and were open to men only. Each competition consisted of three individual freestyle events, with two swimmers from Oxford and two from Cambridge competing in each event. During the 1890s, the exact distances varied considerably year on year; but roughly equated to a sprint, an approximate 100m (although this ranged from 100 to 240 yards), and a quarter mile. A competitor gained 5 points for their university for a 1st place finish, 3 for 2nd and 1 for 3rd place. The overall winner was the university which won the most individual events.
In 1897, a team event was added and each university put forward seven swimmers to compete. The team event had no effect on the outcome of the Varsity Match, however, as the victorious university was still that who won the most individual events. This programme remained until the 1920s, when a points system was introduced in 1926. However, this was not standardised and as new events entered the programme, the total points changed year on year.
1921 also saw the introduction of the Women’s Varsity Match, although the event was held separately from the men’s. The format of this event was strikingly differed to that of the men’s, as the event distances were halved and the relay consisted of only five swimmers. The programme also contained a plunge, style swimming and diving.
Some of the earliest women to represent Oxford University in the Annual Varsity Swimming Match. The photograph is of the 1928 women’s team.
By the 1930s, the men’s competition had gained events and the programme consisted of:
- 100 yards freestyle
- 220 yards freestyle
- 440 yards freestyle
- 200 yards breaststroke
- 100-150 yards backstroke
- Medley relay of backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle
- Freestyle relay consisting of four swimmers
This was later extended to include butterfly and individual medley events, as well as a full medley relay during the 1950s. The Varsity Match included a butterfly event in 1953 – two years before it even became an official competitive stroke! The scoring system also changed to the one recognised today.
Official results from 1926-2024
So Far Cambridge have won a known 50 Varsity matches and Oxford have won 33. In recent years, the results are for the overall Varsity match (combining points from the Men’s and Women’s teams). It is unclear when points from the Women’s side were first included in the overall result (if any alumni know – please get in touch!).
| Year | Cambridge points | Oxford points | Winner |
| 2024 | 66 | 114 | Oxford |
| 2023 | 81 | 99 | Oxford |
| 2022 | 77 | 103 | Oxford |
| 2021 (Friendly*) | 106 | 74 | Cambridge |
| 2020 | 83 | 97 | Oxford |
| 2019 | 87 | 93 | Oxford |
| 2018 | 90 | 90 | Draw* |
| 2017 | 79 | 101 | Oxford |
| 2016 | 91 | 89 | Cambridge |
| 2015 | 67 | 110 | Oxford |
| 2014 | 72 | 108 | Oxford |
| 2013 | 63 | 117 | Oxford |
| 2012 | 71 | 108 | Oxford |
| 2011 | 93 | 86 | Cambridge |
| 2010 | 83 | 97 | Oxford |
| 2009 | 89 | 90 | Oxford |
| 2008 | 67 | 110 | Oxford |
| 2007 | 92 | 78 | Cambridge |
| 2006 | 104 | 66 | Cambridge |
| 2005 | 110 | 57 | Cambridge |
| 2004 | 104 | 66 | Cambridge |
| 2003 | 99 | 70 | Cambridge |
| 2002 | 104 | 66 | Cambridge |
| 2001 | 103 | 67 | Cambridge |
| 2000 | 89 | 80 | Cambridge |
| 1970-1999 | Know these results? | Please contact us! | |
| 1969 | 45 | 41 | Cambridge |
| 1968 | 46 | 32 | Cambridge |
| 1967 | 52 | 34 | Cambridge |
| 1966 | 47 | 39 | Cambridge |
| 1965 | 47 | 39 | Cambridge |
| 1964 | 41 | 45 | Oxford |
| 1963 | 41 | 45 | Oxford |
| 1962 | 45 | 40 | Cambridge |
| 1961 | 40 | 46 | Oxford |
| 1960 | 44 | 42 | Cambridge |
| 1959 | 47 | 39 | Cambridge |
| 1958 | 33.5 | 52.5 | Oxford |
| 1957 | 42.5 | 43.5 | Oxford |
| 1956 | 51 | 35 | Cambridge |
| 1955 | 46 | 40 | Cambridge |
| 1954 | 45 | 31 | Cambridge |
| 1953 | 49 | 27 | Cambridge |
| 1952 | 30 | 36 | Oxford |
| 1951 | 38.5 | 27.5 | Cambridge |
| 1950 | ? | ? | ? |
| 1949 | 11 | 42 | Oxford |
| 1948 | 17 | 36 | Oxford |
| 1947 | 34 | 19 | Cambridge |
| 1946 | 25 | 28 | Oxford |
| 1945 | – | – | No match |
| 1944 | – | – | No match |
| 1943 | – | – | No match |
| 1942 | – | – | No match |
| 1941 | – | – | No match |
| 1940 | – | – | No match |
| 1939 | 25 | 28 | Oxford |
| 1938 | 30 | 23 | Cambridge |
| 1937 | 36 | 17 | Cambridge |
| 1936 | 22 | 31 | Oxford |
| 1935 | 23 | 30 | Oxford |
| 1934 | 22 | 30 | Oxford |
| 1933 | 35 | 18 | Cambridge |
| 1932 | 23 | 8 | Cambridge |
| 1931 | 13 | 18 | Oxford |
| 1930 | 19 | 16 | Cambridge |
| 1929 | 25 | 10 | Cambridge |
| 1928 | 23 | 7 | Cambridge |
| 1927 | 11 | 19 | Oxford |
| 1926 | 12 | 18 | Oxford |
Official results from 1892-1926
| Year | Cambridge events | Oxford events | Events drawn | Winner |
| 1925 | 2 | 0 | 1 | Cambridge |
| 1924 | 1 | 0 | 2 | Cambridge |
| 1923 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Cambridge |
| 1922 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| 1921 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0 | Cambridge |
| 1920 | 1 | 2 | 0 | Oxford |
| 1919 | 1 | 2 | 0 | Oxford |
| 1918 | – | – | – | No match |
| 1917 | – | – | – | No match |
| 1916 | – | – | – | No match |
| 1915 | – | – | – | No match |
| 1914 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Cambridge |
| 1913 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Cambridge |
| 1912 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0 | Cambridge |
| 1911 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Cambridge |
| 1910 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0 | Cambridge |
| 1909 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Cambridge |
| 1908 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| 1907 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| 1906 | 1 | 0 | 2 | Cambridge |
| 1905 | 2 | 0 | 1 | Cambridge |
| 1904 | 1 | 0 | 2 | Cambridge |
| 1903 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Cambridge |
| 1902 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Cambridge |
| 1901 | 2 | 0 | 1 | Cambridge |
| 1900 | 0 | 2 | 1 | Oxford |
| 1899 | 1 | 0 | 2 | Cambridge |
| 1898 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| 1897 | 0 | 3 | 0 | Oxford |
| 1896 | 0 | 2 | 1 | Oxford |
| 1895 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Cambridge |
| 1894 | 3 | 0 | 0 | Cambridge |
| 1893 | 2 | 0 | 1 | Cambridge |
| 1892 | 1 | 0 | 2 | Cambridge |
Seconds Match Results 2018-2024
| Year | Cambridge | Oxford | Winner |
| 2024 | 55 | 122 | Oxford |
| 2023 | 95 | 85 | Cambridge |
| 2022 | 77 | 103 | Oxford |
| 2021 | – | – | No Match (Covid) |
| 2020 | 81 | 95 | Oxford |
| 2019 | 93 | 87 | Cambridge |
| 2018 | 76 | 104 | Oxford |
*Oxford retained the overall trophy.