530:. Representatives of the student rowing clubs created a game where dice determined the outcome. They used cardboard to make a 5-meter track, boats, finish tower and even painted the boats in the correct colours. Members and supporters of the student rowing clubs created the traditional outfit and practised the anthem of the club. Representatives of each pre-war KNSRB club (Njord, Laga, Triton, Nereus, Aegir) competed for the main event, while Argo, a non-KNSRB club, only could participate in the
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both sides. New clubs did not like the distance and distinctive race rules. They also objected to the traditional fighting and brawling between KNSRB club members. KNSRB members showed their disappointment by wearing black belts during the first 'joined' Varsity. Since then the relationship normalised, although many KNSRB members misbehaved when a non-KNSRB club, Orca, won the varsity in 1980.
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31:
442:. This was 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.
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In the 1960s the role of the parent societies, the student corporations, changed. Independent rowing clubs were founded, without a student corporation as a parent. These rowing clubs were not allowed to join the KNSRB, but needed representation. Therefore, at the initiative of the KNSRB, all student
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In 1973, the KNSRB clubs decided that all NSRF clubs should be able to participate in the
Varsity. This led to major changes in the race. For the first time since 1914, qualifications were necessary. The big culture difference between the new and the old clubs proved to be a difficult challenge for
546:
Although Nereus, Aegir and Argo lost their boathouses during the war, all KNSRB-clubs (Including Argo for the first time) competed in the 1946 Varsity. Triton won the race, but this
Varsity is mostly remembered because the KNSRB received the honorary title 'Koninklijke' (Royal). Since then it's the
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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 daily for the race. This was unusual at the time and resulted in some crews dominating for years. The race moved again in 1902 to the Zweth, a
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inspired a similar Dutch race. In 1878 Njord challenged 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 was 3200 meters long. Laga won by 12 seconds. The rematch was two years later, and
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The
Varsity is one of the few rowing races that is exclusive to students and a fever-pitch rivalry exists between participants. Traditional elements are combined with contemporary rowing races. For instance, while rowing crews defend the honour of the club on the water, spectators on the dike are
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in 1937 to avoid further trouble near the palace. This sparked a huge controversy in the rowing world, as the
Bosbaan was only 2000 meters long instead of the traditional 3000 meters. Furthermore, the course was too narrow to fit the five boats of the competition. Honorary members of the KNSRB
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In the 1970s, club members of Laga, Aegir, Skadi and Njord began to brawl earlier in the rowing season for the expected victory in the
Varsity. They would compete for a (frozen) chicken that hung from the ceiling in Njord's boathouse. This tradition, called 'kipvechten' (chicken fighting) was
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The
Varsity was banned under German occupation. However, Triton was allowed to organise the Varsity in 1941 as part of their lustrum. Later that year, after the German occupiers banned Jewish students from eductation, all student rowing clubs closed their gates. A mock Varsity was held in a
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resigned over the dispute, and the 1937 winners refused their prize in protest of the new location. At the same time it was debated to mark the coxless four as the main event instead of the coxed four. Laga proposed that the race be moved to a new location, and Triton suggested
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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
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to the other clubs had prevented them for joining earlier. They won their first varsity with a six-boat-length lead. but it would take another 38 years for their second victory.
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The first official
Varsity was held on 30 June 1883. In this race, the turning-buoy was a decisive factor, as Laga and Triton collided at the turn did not finish the race.
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The history of the
Varsity began with the establishment of the first student rowing club in the Netherlands. On 5 June 1874 J.W.T. Cohen Stuart founded K.S.R.V. "Njord" in
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supposed to predict the
Varsity winner. In the mid-2000s Njord decided to stop hosting this event due to many injuries and damages to their boathouse.
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461:. Because of the narrow waterway, only two crews could race at a time. Qualifications for the final were necessary until another move in 1914 to the
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Members of Aegir dispute the official history and claim that both clubs decided to race in celebration of the founding of Aegir in February 1878.
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During the 134st Varsity in 2017 the organisation introduced a second main event: the women's coxless four. This first race was won by Nereus.
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Aegir joined the KNSRB and participated in the Varsity for the first time in 1918, 40 years after its founding. The long distance from
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In the following years, the race grew in size. There were more boat classes, more competitors and more spectators. The race moved to
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as a new venue for the races. Triton swore an oath to organise the Varsity on behalf of the KNSRB, as long as the race was rowed in
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392:. All these student rowing clubs of this period started as subdivisions of bigger and older student corporations like
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each Spring. The Varsity is the oldest and most prestigious student rowing regatta in the Netherlands.
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380:.This inspired other students to form their own rowing clubs. In 1876, D.S.R.V. Laga was founded in
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403:, rowing was a more developed sport at the time and already had a tradition of university races.
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The oldest sport-related film material in the Netherlands is that of the Varsity of 28 May 1905.
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in 1971. Since then the race has stayed in Houten except for a one-year return to the Bosbaan.
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The Varsity has influenced many of the traditions in student rowing in the Netherlands.
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590:(Dutch Student Row Federation). KNSRB clubs became members of both organisations.
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Two races in 1915 and 1916 are not counted towards the total score because of
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four and supporters in the water after winning the 124th Varsity in 2007.
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497:, which led to questions in parliament. The race was relocated to the
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NSRB. After the war the Varsity gained more prestige and the
538:. Triton won the race after a thrilling race against Laga.
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In 1930, some drunken Varsity spectators infiltrated the
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601:The Varsity moved to their current location on the
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735:"Stand der overwinningen (Ranking of victories)"
876:Recurring sporting events established in 1878
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416:has been held almost every year since then.
514:. They have kept this oath to this day.
775:"de alternatieve bron voor sportnieuws"
755:. Sportgeschiedenis.nl. 4 November 2009
753:"de alternatieve bron voor sportnieuws"
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866:Rowing competitions in the Netherlands
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581:Nederlandse Studenten Roeifederatie
427:A third competitor joined in 1882,
810:Youtube account with Varsity clips
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881:Student sport in the Netherlands
170:. Some races are in traditional
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642:Caused by the dead-heat of 1960
378:Prince Henry of the Netherlands
579:rowing clubs formed the NSRF (
1:
669:KNSRB. Retrieved 2014-11-18
196:the race couldn't be rowed.
861:College rowing competitions
800:Website KNSRB & Varsity
555:started televise the race.
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737:(in Dutch). Archived from
716:(in Dutch). Archived from
202:Total wins to date (2022)
871:Rowing in the Netherlands
714:"Historie van de Varsity"
680:"Stand der overwinningen"
534:, double four and in the
495:Royal Palace of Amsterdam
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102:KNSRB and U.S.R. Triton
777:. Sportgeschiedenis.nl
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376:with the patronage of
603:Amsterdam-Rhine Canal
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140:Amsterdam–Rhine Canal
622:Notes and references
394:Vindicat atque Polit
122:/algemene-informatie
120:/algemene-informatie
16:Dutch rowing regatta
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190:in the Netherlands
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194:COVID-19 pandemic
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94:approx. 200 crews
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741:on 11 June 2008.
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518:Second World War
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388:was founded in
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212:number of wins
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684:Official tally
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453:brook between
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423:The early days
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75:Previous event
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838:12 April 2009
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820:12 April 2010
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612:Visual record
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429:U.S.R. Triton
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405:The Boat Race
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192:. During the
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847:9 April 2006
829:7 April 2008
805:Website NSRF
779:. Retrieved
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757:. Retrieved
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739:the original
718:the original
687:. Retrieved
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574:Varsity 1960
559:1960–present
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489:Varsity 1938
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386:G.S.R. Aegir
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168:single scull
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134:is a rowing
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99:Organised by
91:Participants
86:3 April 2022
78:6 April 2014
70:1878–present
67:Years active
18:
663:Oude Vieren
584: [
432: [
215:Latest win
187:World War I
148:Netherlands
61:Netherlands
53:Location(s)
855:Categories
842:Article on
833:Article in
824:Article in
815:Article in
650:References
503:Amstelveen
413:University
384:. In 1878
83:Next event
542:1946–1959
476:1930–1940
470:Groningen
459:Rotterdam
390:Groningen
181:Victories
45:Frequency
781:19 March
759:19 March
689:11 March
525:Japanese
508:Jutphaas
407:between
118:/varsity
665:event.
512:Utrecht
499:Bosbaan
450:Haarlem
440:Utrecht
401:England
368:Prelude
363:History
350:Okeanos
327:⁄
255:⁄
174:boats.
138:on the
136:regatta
132:Varsity
107:Website
24:Varsity
409:Oxford
374:Leiden
268:Triton
221:Nereus
144:Houten
114:.knsrb
57:Houten
48:Annual
818:Trouw
627:Notes
588:]
536:eight
532:skiff
455:Delft
438:from
436:]
382:Delft
356:1989
345:1995
339:Euros
334:1961
311:2004
300:1982
293:Aegir
287:2015
280:Skadi
274:2023
263:1988
244:Njord
239:1997
228:2022
37:Skadi
783:2014
761:2014
691:2022
667:(nl)
457:and
411:and
316:Argo
305:Orca
260:(*)
233:Laga
209:Club
166:and
130:The
35:The
845:NOS
553:NOS
501:in
399:In
271:17
236:30
225:45
142:in
116:.nl
112:www
857::
726:^
699:^
682:.
635:^
586:nl
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396:.
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549:K
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