The Varsity is a rowing regatta on the Amsterdam–Rhine Canal in Houten, Netherlands each Spring. The Varsity is the oldest and most prestigious student rowing regatta in the Netherlands.
The Varsity is one of the few student-only rowing races and a fever-pitch rivalry exists between participants. Traditional elements are combined with new technology and rowing philosophy. While rowing crews defend the honour of the club on the water, spectators on the dike are traditionally brawling with equal fanaticism. The main event is the Oude Vier (Varsity Four, literally 'Old Four') which is rowed in a 4+ over a distance of 3 km. All other events row the standard 2 km distance in common race rowing classes such as the 4+, 4-, 2- and single scull. Some races are in traditional clinker-built boats.
A great deal of the traditions in student rowing in the Netherlands evolved from the Varsity.
Victories
Two races in 1915 and 1916 are not counted towards the total score because of World War I in the Netherlands. During the COVID-19 pandemic the race couldn't be rowed.
History
Prelude
The history of the varsity starts with the foundation of the first student rowing club in the Netherlands. On 5 June 1874 the K.S.R.V. "Njord" was established on behalf of J.W.T. Cohen Stuart and Prince Henry of the Netherlands became the patron of Njord. This inspired other students to start rowing clubs als well. In Delft D.S.R.V. Laga was founded in 1876. The Groningen student rowing club G.S.R. Aegir was established in 1878. All student rowing clubs of this period started as subdivisions of bigger and older student corporations like Vindicat atque Polit.
In England the sport of rowing was at that time more developed and already had a tradition of rowing races between universities. The Boat Race between Oxford and University provided the inspiration for a similar Dutch race. In 1878 the Leiden Student Rowing Club challenged the rowing club of Delft, D.S.R.V. Laga. Laga accepted the challenge and raced against Njord on 2 July 1878 on the 'Galgewater' (Gallows water) in Leiden. The race contained two turning-buoys and had a length of 3200 meters. Laga won with a margin of 12 seconds. The rematch was two years later, and, with a few exceptions, has been yearly since.
Members of G.S.R. Aegir, dispute the official history and claim that both clubs decided to race in celebration of the founding of Aegir in February 1878.
The early days
A third competitor arrived in 1882, from Utrecht. This would become a key point in the history of the Varsity and student rowing in the Netherlands. The three clubs decided to form the Koninklijke Nederlandsche Studenten Roeibond or KNSRB (Dutch Student Rowing Association). This body would be responsible for the development of student rowing and the organisation of the Varsity.
The first official Varsity was held on 30 June 1883. In this race the turning-buoy emerged as a match-maker since Laga and Triton collided at the turn and never finished the race.
In the following years the race grew in size. More boat classes, more competitors and more spectators. The race moved to Haarlem in 1885 after residents complained about the disturbance of the Sunday rest. In Haarlem was it possible to race without buoys. Rowing crews started to train on a daily basis for the race. This was unusual at the time and thus resulted in crews dominating for years. The race moved again in 1902 to the Zweth, a brook between Delft and Rotterdam. Because of the small waterway only two crews could compete together. Qualifications for the final were necessary until another move in 1914 to the North Sea Canal.
40 years after the founding of G.S.R. Aegir they participated for the first time in the Varsity of 1918 and thus could join the KNSRB. The long distance from Groningen to the other clubs made participation impossible before. With a lead of six boat lengths, they won their first varsity. It would take another 38 years for their second victory.