First and Third Trinity Boat Club

The First and Third Trinity Boat Club is among the largest of the Cambridge College Boat Clubs, typically teaching between 60 and 80 people to learn to row each year.

Rowing at Trinity College started in 1825 with the formation of what became First Trinity Boat club, closely followed by the forming of other Trinity Boat Clubs. The clubs enjoyed a great deal of success throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, sending winning crews to the Olympics and being one of the most formidable opponents at Henley Royal Regatta, including winning the Grand Challenge Cup as well as other trophies on numerous occasions.

At the beginning of the 20th century there were still two distinct boat clubs within college, the First Trinity BC and the Third Trinity BC. First Trinity BC catered for the whole College, except those students coming up from Eton and Westminster who would row for Third Trinity BC. In 1947 the two clubs formally merged to enable them to remain competitive – the new club was named First and Third Trinity Boat Club.

Priorities for support

Coaching – coaching plays a critical role in developing skill, fostering teamwork, and achieving success amongst the First and Third, and is particularly important nowadays as the vast majority of students start as novices at Trinity. A gift to the First and Third Coaching Fund will help to provide stable long-term support for our students on the river.

Experience – enrichment experiences, such as training camps and workshops, help to support personal and professional growth for our students. A gift to the First and Third Experience Fund will help foster a lifelong passion for rowing, helping our students prepare for local and national competitions.

Facilities – we are committed to maintaining and upgrading our facilities, ensuring that they remain safe, welcoming, and inspiring for training. A gift to the First and Third Facilities Fund will help us to implement improvements to the boathouse ensuring that our facilities remain fit for purpose for years to come.