Keble College Boat Club


Keble College Boat Club is the rowing club of Keble College, in Oxford, United Kingdom. The boat club is based in its boathouse on the Isis, which is shared with Jesus College. Most of the year is spent training at the boat club’s second facility at the Godstow stretch to the North.

History

For a college where rugby is the dominant sport, Keble has enjoyed comparative success on the river.
In Summer Eights, the men have held the Headship on eight occasions, most recently in 2018. Both the men's and women's 1st VIII crews have consistently raced in the top division of Summer Eights. The men's first boat is now second position on the river for Summer VIIIs, having been bumped by Oriel who took the headship in 2019. The women's boat is now seventh position on the river, after reaching a peak of 5th on the river in 2017. The second and third boats often achieve blades in lower divisions.
In Torpids, while Keble has not yet achieved the Men's or the Women's headship, both first boats have enjoyed periods of success, especially in recent years. The women's first Torpid is currently at a peak of 5th on the River, after bumping in fourteen consecutive races. The highest position the Men have held was 2nd on the river, last held in 1988, before dropping to 33rd on the river, the position they occupied at the end of 2013 racing. Since then, they have risen 22 places across 18 races, up to 11th on the river, achieving blades four times in their last five Torpids campaigns.
The Women's first Torpid represented Oxford at the Henley Boat Races inter-collegiate race in 2017, where they defeated Jesus College, Cambridge. They were also selected to represent Oxford in 2018, but the race was unfortunately cancelled.
Three Keblites occupied boat race crews in the 2017 Cancer Research UK Boat Race crews. Olympic gold medallist Ed Coode rowed for the college 1st VIII during his time at Keble in the late 1990s.

Training, equipment, and fleet

KCBC is sponsored by Neptune Investment Management, providing funds for new boats and other equipment of a regular basis. In addition to the water training, the boat club uses the college gym and its own erg room.

Coaching

Several coaches are looking after both senior boats and novice rowers. As of 2017-2018, the coaching team includes Tim Foster, Morgan Baynham-Williams, Jess Brown and Harry Brightmore.

Fleet

ManufacturerBoat
EmpacherOld Man Neptune
EmpacherSon of Neptune
FilippiNeptune
AylingsRespect
VespoliPeter Bowley
Swift RacingDavid Rhodes

ManufacturerBoat
FilippiQueen Neptune
FilippiLady Neptune
JanousekMaureen Buckley

There are also a number of fours, pairs, doubles, and singles available to students, who routinely train and enter fours and small boats into regattas in Michaelmas term.