Oxford & Cambridge Sailing Society

The Oxford & Cambridge Sailing Society is a group of Oxford and Cambridge sailing Blues and Half Blues whose influence on UK and international sailing, particularly team racing, has been quite disproportionate to its small size – currently around 300 members. Since its founding in 1934, members have competed in 13 Sailing Olympics and won 8 medals (3 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze).

The Society (O&CSS)^[1] was formed in 1934 by Cambridge Half Blue Stewart Morris, along with 3 of his contemporaries; Morris was later to win a gold medal at the 1948 Olympics. The aim of the Society was "to keep members of the two Clubs together after coming down from the University, and encourage team racing throughout the country, at the same time maintaining a high standard of helmsmanship". The two Clubs referred to are the Oxford University Yacht Club^[2] (founded in 1884) and the Cambridge University Cruising Club^[3] (founded in 1893).

The Society has always had a limited membership; 24 sailors were elected in the first year and since then 4 to 10 of the best sailors from Oxford and Cambridge have been elected each year as they graduate. Occasionally non-blues are elected because of their later achievements in either competitive sailing or sailing administration. Good histories exist of the Society^[4] and of the Oxford University Yacht Club (1884–1994^[5] and 1994–2009^[6]) – available in some libraries and from their author.^[7] A brief history of the Cambridge University Cruising Club is posted on that club's main website.^[8]

Sailing Olympics

Like many sports in the 1930s, Oxford and Cambridge sportsmen competed at the highest levels. In the 1936 Olympic yachting trials, half of the recently formed Society’s membership took part. Since then, Society members, usually after their student days, have continued to compete with success at the highest levels in sailing. In 2011 the top three sailors in the International 14 Dinghy World Championships were all members of the Society, as was the OK dinghy World Champion and Yachtsman of the Year, Nick Craig.^[9] The skipper of the winning Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing entry in the 2014/15 Volvo (round-the-world) Ocean Race and two-times Olympic Silver Medallist, Ian Walker, is a member. Four-times winner of the International 14 World Championships, Archie Massey, is a member.

It is unlikely that any UK sailing club, particularly one that has had such a small membership, can boast of such a record. Details of the Society’s Olympic involvement are tabled below.

Jonathan Janson, having competed in 1956 and 1960, was also involved in most of the subsequent Olympic regattas up to 1992 as a Vice President of the International Yacht Racing Union (IYRU) – now World Sailing. His duties including overseeing the pre-Olympic regattas, International Jury service, and other roles.

Team Racing

While the Society’s involvement with the Olympics is the most public testimony of its contribution to sailing, it is the discipline of team racing that is at the Society's heart. A good general history of the discipline is available on the Wikipedia article on team racing, and a dated but insightful set of tutorial videos is available on the Society's website.^[10]

Founder Stewart Morris had experienced the occasional team race in his youth on the Norfolk Broads, where the professional skippers raced against their amateur owners from time to time. When he went up to Cambridge in October 1927, he sailed in three Varsity Match against Oxford (1928–1930), and experienced intense team racing competition, fuelled by traditional Light Blue–Dark Blue rivalry. The sailing Varsity Match was first held in 1912, but was interrupted between 1915 and 1919 by the First World War and in 1940 by the Second World War. Over the years, the standard and tactics of the team racing improved considerably, and great rivalry existed between the University teams. A fuller history of the match will be found on the O&CSS website.^[11]

Stewart’s desire to bring together members of both teams to continue team racing, and to promote this aspect of the sport, was the reason for forming the Society. By organising matches against other sailing clubs, the Society began to promote team racing and, in time, facilitated the development of events such as the West Kirby Sailing Club Wilson Trophy^[12] – now the single most prestigious open team racing event in the UK, with an international entry and reputation. The Society’s vital role is referred to in the record of West Kirby’s initial planning meeting: "Support would have to be gained from the Oxford & Cambridge Sailing Society, which was the most important body sponsoring team racing.", and (Sir) Cyril Clarke, one of the three West Kirby helmsmen who provided the stimulus for the first 'Wilson' event,^[13] was a member.

Since then, team racing has grown both in popularity and skill levels, with the sport becoming international and a Team Racing World Championships^[14][15] starting in 1995. The UK Royal Yachting Association and UK Team Racing Association (UKTRA)^[16] actively promotes team racing and holds an annual UK Championship and Ladies Championship. There is also an annual British Universities Sailing Association^[17] Team Racing Championship, contested after several rounds of regional qualifiers. UK schools are also active with annual championships organised via the British Schools Dinghy Racing Association,^[18] which caters especially for private independent schools, and the National Schools Sailing Association.^[19] Society members play a leading role in the organisation of all these events, and the Society’s Ladies team won the UK National Ladies Championships four times during the five years 2004—2008, and again in 2013. Bruce Hebbert, the instigator of the European 2K Keel Boat Team Racing Series,^[20] is a member.^[13]

Vintage Port

One less serious aspect of the Club is also worth commenting on. In 1936, a member donated 48 bottles of vintage port for consumption at the annual dinner. Grateful members subsequently elected him President for a term, and in 1946 the Society started investing its own funds in vintage port. This ‘liquid’ investment strategy has proved most successful. Excellent port is available at annual dinners at extremely low cost, the Society's reserves have steadily appreciated, and bottles of port are occasionally sold to provide funds to buy newer vintages for future generations to enjoy.

References and External Links