Lady Margaret Hall Boat Club


Lady Margaret Hall Boat Club is a rowing club for members and staff of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford and was founded in 1976.

History

LMHBC first competed in inter-college OURCs racing events in 1977, when a women's division was finally established. As the senior women's college LMH was placed first on the river for the inaugural women's division.
It is run by an executive committee, which is elected annually by members of the club at that time. It is affiliated to Oxford University Rowing Clubs.
The club shares a club room and boat house with Trinity College Boat Club and Linacre College Boat Club on Boat House Island, Christ Church Meadow.
The club has provided rowers for the Boat Race, the Women's Boat Race, and the Isis Reserves Race.
A former president, Monica Fisher was responsible for instigating some of the biggest changes in Women's Boat Race history, which raised the regularity and status of that event.
For a period around 2010 three times World Lightweight Sculling Champion Peter Moir Haining coached LMHBC.
LMHBC is the largest sports club within Lady Margaret Hall. The club is affiliated to British Rowing.

Results

The club fields a Men's First VIII and a Women's First VIII in the annual inter-collegiate Torpids and Summer Eights bumps racing competitions, along with second and, from time to time, third VIIIs.

Men's crews

Men's crews began competing for LMHBC in 1979/1980. As a new boat, they entered the table at the bottom as 90th on the river. Over the following years, the Men's 1st VIII have gradually risen up the rankings. After first rowing in Division 1 as sandwich boat in 2017, the Men's 1st VIII finally secured their place in Division 1 for the first time in Summer Eights 2019 with the following crew:
The men's second VIII are 60th on the river as of 2019. A men's third VIII is periodically fielded.
The Men's 1st VIII have raced in the Temple Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta on several occasions. Other external regattas include Head of the River Race, Wallingford Head, and Henley 4s and 8s Head.

Women's crews

The LMHBC women's first VIII had the Summer Eights headship in 1977, the inaugural year of women's inclusion in Summer Eights as recognised, distinct divisions. In 2017 it was 24th on the river. The LMH women's first VIII had the Torpids Headship in 1978 and was 20th on the river in 2017.
The LMHBC Women's second VIII first raced in 1986 and was 59th on the river in 2017.
A women's third eight is periodically fielded.

Recent Blues

There were two LMHBC members in the Oxford men's crew at The Boat Race 2018: Zachary Thomas Johnson and Felix Drinkall.
Drinkall also served as OUBC President in 2019, and rowed in the Six Seat in The Boat Race 2019.

Blazer

The boat club has an ivory blazer with blue and gold piping and cuff rings bearing the Beaufort portcullis device in blue on the left breast. This may be worn by men and women who have rowed in the first Summer VIII or first Torpid.
Prior to 2005 an earlier blazer had the college arms imposed on crossed oars on the left breast and navy piping and cuff rings.
The blazers are supplied by Walters on Turl Street.