Swimming

Water Sports · OUSwC

Swimming

Full Blue

Swimming is inclusive to all genders and levels of experience, in indoor and open water swimming, either at university or college level.

About the club

Swimming is inclusive to all genders and levels of experience, in indoor and open water swimming, either at university or college level. We welcome enquiries from those with a disability regarding the accessibility of Swimming.

Founded in 1892, Oxford University Swimming Club is the university's competitive swimming team. Swimming is one of the few Full Blue sports at Oxford and so has a prestigious status in the sporting scene.

OUSC is made up of two competitive teams and a social squad. Both teams compete against Cambridge in the annual Varsity Match, where 2022 marked the 130th anniversary of the event.

Both teams also compete at national BUCS competitions, with a number of our swimmers competing at the highest levels of the sport, making BUCS and national championship finals. The club also has a vibrant social scene with weekly events, ensuring that everyone feels welcome.

All squads train at Rosenblatt Pool, Oxford. The Blues (1st team) train 6-8 times a week in the pool, alongside 1 dryland session. A high level of commitment is expected, due to the club's Full Blue status, which our members train hard to achieve. Members of this team have usually swum competitively before university, but it is not uncommon for them to have had a break from the sport before joining OUSC.

The Dolphins (2nd team) train four or five times a week with an ever-rising standard of competition. With the seconds making excellent progress and the newly reintroduced Second's Varsity, they are becoming more selective and improving year on year, making it a very exciting team to be on.

Both teams participate in regular coached sessions throughout Full Term and continue frequent pool training during the Oxford vacation periods. Their schedule includes a combination of joint and independent team training sessions.

The social squad train once a week, with no expected commitment levels. This is a squad for people who enjoy swimming but are less interested in the competitive aspect. Members have weekly socials alongside the two teams.

OUSC also offers a number of open water opportunities, including the annual Open Water Varsity Match against Cambridge. The team also race against Cambridge in the biennial Varsity Channel Relay swim; teams consisting of three women and three men, race as a relay from Dover to Calais.

Inter-college & Cuppers

Swimming has an annual inter-college competition, held in the Rosenblatt pool, with a selection of races producing an overall college team score.

Blues criteria

Mixed

Full Blue

Full Blues awarded to members of Oxford University Swimming Club who swim in the Blues Varsity Match AND swim a Blues Time at Varsity. Further Full Blues can be awarded at the Captains' and President's discretion to those who compete in the Blues Varsity Match AND swim a Blues Time when representing Oxford University at another point in the season up to the 31st August.

A Blues Time is set at 585 Points for all events, using the FINA Points System (where 1000 points equals the current World Record). A Blues Time can be swum on the first leg of a relay, but not as a relay split, or split during an event (i.e. a 200m split during a 400m cannot be used).

Half Blues may be awarded to members of the club who swim in the Blues Varsity Match but do not achieve a Blues Time, and to all members of the Open Water Channel Relay Team. All Half Blues are awarded at the Captains' and President's discretion.

Para Blues and Half Blues: Full Blues awarded to Para Athletes who achieve the required Full Blue Standard Time at any point during the season (including Varsity); Half Blues for the required Half Blue Standard Time. To gain a Full or Half Blue status, a Para Swimmer must compete in the Para Varsity Race (or a BUCS Competition if the Para Varsity Race is not held). The qualification must be achieved while representing the University at a competition.

Other Water Sports clubs

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