From the 21st to 22nd of June, Clare Hall Boat Club celebrated its 30th anniversary with an exciting weekend of events, bringing back alumni from all over the world.

The weekend began on the final day of May Bumps, which was eventful for all three racing crews. A full captains’ report of the week can be found here. College members, Life Members, and friends gathered at the Clare Hall marquee on Ditton Meadows to watch the racing, accompanied by afternoon tea, drinks, and a special 30^th anniversary cake.

From left to right: CHBC’s W1, M2, and M1 crews racing on the final day of bumps.

Isabel Conze and Annabelle Schmidt, the 2024-2025 women’s captains, shared the following about their last day of bumps: “On our last row home, leaves in our hair and cheers from Clare Hallers watching from the tent on the Reach following us, we were over the moon. We had gained 4 places overall, and were incredibly proud to have clawed our way back into division 3!”

Cory Aitchison, the 2024-2025 men’s captain and incoming president, reflected on the performance of the two men’s crews this year: “After months of early morning training, our M2 team kicked off their campaign with a bang by flying through the Getting On Race, securing a spot in Division 5. On the final day, our streak continued as the men jubilantly caught up to First and Third M4, netting a fantastic overall +3 for the May Bumps campaign!

Our M1 crew began the May Bumps poised near the top of Division 3, and we knew that for the final day we just had to row our best race. We held off Magdalene M2 all the way to the top finish, with a triumphant row over that reminded us how well we can work as a team. I am so very proud of all the effort that our M1 put in together this year.”

Celebrations continued through the evening, with a Gala Dinner at the college. Boat club alumni reconnected over lively conversations, and enjoyed the commemorative 30th Anniversary Exhibition that filled the common room.

To close out the weekend, CHBC held an anniversary paddle the next morning to celebrate the generous donations that have added a new IV+, Mara, and a new single scull, the Lisa and Ekhard Salje, to the college’s fleet of boats.

CHBC has come a long way since its founding in 1995, and even more history was made in the anniversary year. After completing their May Bumps campaign, CHBC sent two crews to compete in the Henley Royal Regatta qualifying races. Cory shared, “Marking the first time that Clare Hall has sent a full men’s and women’s crew, we were excited to immerse ourselves in the historic event. It was a wonderful and honouring experience to be able to row the Henley course, and I hope to see many more of our crews returning to Henley over the coming years”. Isabel and Annabelle added, “It was humbling to row alongside world-class athletes—but also exhilarating. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make the trip possible. We can’t wait to race an increasing number of off-cam events in the future”.