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How do you get your Blues ??????

How do you get Blues? Is it for outstanding achievment in sport? Do you have to represent your college? Do you have to represent the university? What sports can you get blues in? How do you get half blues? What do blues do? A few questions. Does anyone have any answers? Thanks :smile:

Reply 1

~Raphael~

9

Google is your friend. There are answers to all of those question on the Oxford and Cambridge websites.

Reply 2

Willa

11

Any form of blue is from representing the university in the annual varsity match against oxford. There are 3 types of blue: Full, Half and Quarter. All other sports do not earn you a blue, even if they have a varsity match against oxford. Full blue sports are: Football, Rugby, Rowing, Cricket, Golf and I'm sure I'm forgetting one but you can look them up on the cambridge website.

Reply 3

RxB

1

In other news, there's never any need for six question marks.

Six. Come on. I ask you.

Reply 4

Helenia

20

Willa

Any form of blue is from representing the university in the annual varsity match against oxford. There are 3 types of blue: Full, Half and Quarter. All other sports do not earn you a blue, even if they have a varsity match against oxford. Full blue sports are: Football, Rugby, Rowing, Cricket, Golf and I'm sure I'm forgetting one but you can look them up on the cambridge website.

For women the following get full blue: Athletics (discretionary)
Cross country
Fencing (discretionary)
Football
Hockey
Lacrosse
Tennis
Modern Pentathlon (discretionary)
Netball
Rowing
Squash
Swimming (discretionary)
Volleyball

I couln't find the mens' list, but most of it's the same.

Reply 5

Hoofbeat

14

Willa

Any form of blue is from representing the university in the annual varsity match against oxford. There are 3 types of blue: Full, Half and Quarter. All other sports do not earn you a blue, even if they have a varsity match against oxford. Full blue sports are: Football, Rugby, Rowing, Cricket, Golf and I'm sure I'm forgetting one but you can look them up on the cambridge website.

Pretty similar at Oxford, except a few things:

1) we don't have quarter blues. Also, the rowing lightweights only get half blues...seems a bit unfair to me when they train as hard as the 'Blue Boat' but they just happen to be 6inches shorter and a lot lighter!
2) I think you can be awarded blues in most sports....some others which I know of at Oxford include swimming/ice hockey/squash/hockey etc

Go to www.sport.ox.ac.uk for more info.

Reply 6

coldfish

12

RxB

In other news, there's never any need for six question marks.

Six. Come on. I ask you.

Surely if you were asking us you'd use a question mark?
Maybe you can borrow one of his. :tongue:

Reply 7

Joshworkinghard

OP

1

So what sort of level are the sports played at? I.e is it national/county/regional standard. Also why do there always seem to be about 70% Americans making up the teams in the boat race? There obviously isnt that ratio in the university so whats going on?

Reply 8

Helenia

20

Joshworkinghard

So what sort of level are the sports played at? I.e is it national/county/regional standard. Also why do there always seem to be about 70% Americans making up the teams in the boat race? There obviously isnt that ratio in the university so whats going on?

It depends on the sport - rowing is close to national standard, while football is fairly poor compared to a lot of league sides.

As for the crew make up for the boat race, a lot of the time there are American/German/other nationality grads here, sometimes only on one year courses, who just happen to be amazing at rowing (Oxford had several Olympians this year). No, it's not hugely fair, but it's increasingly the trend. Among rowers at the universities, more attention is given to the Isis/Goldie race, which contains ACTUAL undergrad students who've done college rowing and gone on to trial, and to the Henley Races - Cambridge women won their varsity race but nobody knows/cares about that.

Reply 9

Mop

Helenia

Cambridge women won their varsity race but nobody knows/cares about that.

I do

... the Cambridge cox was my novice term coach

Reply 10

Willa

11

Hoofbeat

Pretty similar at Oxford, except a few things:

1) we don't have quarter blues. Also, the rowing lightweights only get half blues...seems a bit unfair to me when they train as hard as the 'Blue Boat' but they just happen to be 6inches shorter and a lot lighter!
2) I think you can be awarded blues in most sports....some others which I know of at Oxford include swimming/ice hockey/squash/hockey etc

Go to www.sport.ox.ac.uk for more info.

Only one of our sports is quarter blue: Tiddley Winks....which tbh I think is just a bit of a joke amongst the blues committee!
And I agree...it is thoroughly unfair that lightweights only get a half blue! Given that that is the only university level rowing I can potentially reach, I find it quite harsh! But then again the main boat (heavyweights) is much more competitive in general. Still, if I did do lightweights and got in to the boat (fat chance I know) then at least I would have a "proper half blue" as my cox calls it...rather than my supposedly "crap" half blue that I have already

Reply 11

Hoofbeat

14

Willa

...rather than my supposedly "crap" half blue that I have already

which is...?

If you made the lightweights you might be racing against my mate next year :eek:

Reply 12

~Raphael~

9

Hoofbeat

which is...?

If you made the lightweights you might be racing against my mate next year :eek:

Korfball.

Reply 13

Joshworkinghard

OP

1

How is Ultimate frisbee seen? Does it have any sort of blue status? I play at a regional level and am going for GB Junior mens next year and hope to join the team if I come Cambridge. Anyone else play?

Reply 14

Willa

11

Joshworkinghard

How is Ultimate frisbee seen? Does it have any sort of blue status? I play at a regional level and am going for GB Junior mens next year and hope to join the team if I come Cambridge. Anyone else play?

it's not a blue sport so you only get "colours" for it...which is just a way of saying you played at varsity level.

Reply 15

Willa

11

Hoofbeat

which is...?

If you made the lightweights you might be racing against my mate next year :eek:

Well tbh I really dont like the idea of this whole 5am train to Ely business, and I am currently severely doubting my rowing ability...i have no idea what these coaches want from me these days, some want long strokes, some want a shorter stroke as long as the catch is fast, some want backs opening at catch, some want it staying forward...it's confusing me to no end!

Edit: And yes my half blue is in korfball (which is another thing i'd have to give up next year if I trialled...I barely managed korfball and college rowing this year, so trialling means i CANT do korfball at all...which is a shame!!)

Reply 16

Bezza

2

Willa

Any form of blue is from representing the university in the annual varsity match against oxford. There are 3 types of blue: Full, Half and Quarter. All other sports do not earn you a blue, even if they have a varsity match against oxford. Full blue sports are: Football, Rugby, Rowing, Cricket, Golf and I'm sure I'm forgetting one but you can look them up on the cambridge website.

There are 14 full blue sports for men in oxford, and really exceptional sportsmen can get an extrordinary full blue even if their sport doesn't hold full blue status.

Reply 17

JHutcher

11

Which sports are the best for the useless and unathletic?

Reply 18

Willa

11

JHutcher

Which sports are the best for the useless and unathletic?

Varsity wine tasting...if you can call it a sport.

Reply 19

JHutcher

11

Willa

Varsity wine tasting...if you can call it a sport.

sounds like my sort of sport... i have endurance... so if i was a little more athletic i'd do rowing... but i think currently that would only serve to induce a heart attack

How do you get your Blues ??????

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