The 50th anniversary of women’s cross-country in the Oxford-Cambridge Varsity Competition is set to be celebrated on Saturday 6th December. The event will be held at Roehampton Vale, the headquarters of Thames Hare and Hounds, the oldest adult cross-country running club in the world.
The Oxford-Cambridge University Cross-Country Races is one of the oldest inter-club matches still in existence, with the very first race occurring in 1880. However, it wasn’t until the early 1970s – 1975 for Oxford – that both clubs welcomed their first female participants, with the first official women’s race taking place in Shotover, just outside of Oxford. The following year, in 1976, the race was granted official status; hosted at Thames Hare and Hounds, Oxford were victorious with Lynne Wightman (Lady Margaret Hall) winning the first official race.
Since then, over 300 female runners from Oxford and Cambridge have participated in the Varsity race, including Olympians Louise Shanahan and Mara Yamauchi.
Women’s Captain of Oxford University Cross-Country Club, Tamsin Sangster, said: “This special anniversary will be an exciting celebration of past and present members who have contributed to our achievements. OUCCC is forever grateful to the women and men who paved the way for women’s participation in the Varsity Match.” Lilian Lewis, Women’s Captain of Cambridge University Hare and Hounds, reflected a similar sentiment: “In this anniversary year it is exciting to be able to bring the number of Women’s Varsity teams equal to the Men’s side. I can’t wait for this year’s Varsity and to see what the next 50 years of Women’s Varsity brings.”
Originally, races would alternate location between Oxford and Cambridge, before the decision was made that this system was “shockingly unfair” for the visiting side. As a result, the races have since been held at the neutral grounds of Thames Hare and Hounds. Nestled in southeast London, this location provides competitors with the essential cross-country obstacles of deep mud, logs, and the ‘watersplash’ across Beverley Brook. In 2021, Thames Hare and Hounds received recognition of their importance in the development of cross-country. The club was named as one of seven new recipients of a World Athletics Heritage Plaque, awarded for “an outstanding contribution to the worldwide history and development of the sport of track and field athletics and of out of stadia athletics disciplines such as cross country”.
Simon Molden, Secretary of Thames Hare and Hounds, told Cherwell: “Thames Hare and Hounds is proud to be hosting the University Races in 2025, particularly as this year sees them reach another important milestone with the 50th anniversary of the women’s contest.”
The men’s and ladies’ races are run in an eight-a-side, six-to-score format and, with competitive selection, the races have seen the likes of Sir Roger Bannister and Stephanie Cook MBE participate over the years. Bannister, famously known for running the first sub-four minute mile at Iffley Sports Centre in 1954 – which is now home to the Sir Roger Bannister Track – won the 1949 Varsity race. Cook also took victory for Oxford in the 1966 race, going on to win the gold medal for Great Britain in the modern pentathlon at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
After 133 years, competition is close between the universities on the men’s side, with Oxford in the lead by just one victory (67 wins to 66). The women’s side sees Oxford lead with 28 wins against Cambridge’s 20. Last year, Oxford were victorious on both the men’s and women’s sides, winning 7-0 against Cambridge in the first clean sweep in several years.
This year’s edition of the race will take place at 3pm, with results available on the OpenTrack website after the races conclude. Both female and male former members of the Oxford and Cambridge clubs will be welcome to take part in the Old Blues’ Race, with the Gentlemen’s and Ladies’ Races occurring afterwards.
