Varsity – CUSWPC

About Varsity

Varsity is an annual swimming competition against Oxford University in each sport. For Swimming and Water Polo, this takes place around halfway through Lent term. It is the highlight of the year, and most training is geared towards preparation for Varsity. CUSWPC takes part and manages the team selection for training both Swimming and Water Polo.

The competition is held in both Cambridge and Oxford, with it being held in Cambridge every other year (specifically, the odd numbered years). For Swimming and Water Polo, the competition is divided into the Men’s and Women’s side, and further into the first and second team. Originally in Swimming, Varsity was only for the Blues team, however recent changes have included the Seconds team as well.

Swimming

Two swimmers from Oxford and two from Cambridge compete in:

200m Individual Medley
100m Backstroke
200m Freestyle
100m Butterfly
400m Freestyle
100m Breaststroke
100m Freestyle
4 x 100m Medley Relay
4 x 100m Freestyle Relay

with events alternating between ladies’ and men’s.

Furthermore, three swimmers from the Oxford and Cambridge Seconds team compete in the events listed below, with one swimmer being in a ‘non-scoring’ lane.

100m Individual Medley
50m Backstroke
100m Freestyle
50m Butterfly
200m Freestyle
50m Breaststroke
50m Freestyle
4 x 50m Medley Relay
4 x 50m Freestyle Relay

The final team is decided by a ‘mock varsity’ a couple of weeks before the Match. Places are hotly contested, leading to the recent high standard amongst the Cambridge team.

4 points are awarded for first through to 1 for fourth, double points are awarded for the relays (7 and 3) and the men’s and ladies’ points are totalled separately. The rules state that any one swimmer can swim in a maximum of two individuals and one relay or one individual and both relays.

Water Polo

The Water Polo Varsity consists of 4 teams, M1, W1, M2, W2, which are the Men’s and Women’s 1s and 2s team. Each team consists of 7 players (with 1 goalkeeper) and each match lasts 32 minutes, which is split into 4 sets of 8 minutes.

If, at the end, both universities have an equal number of points, a penalty shootout occurs for both teams with all players taking one shot. The team with the more points wins. If there is another tie, this keeps going until one team scores and the other team doesn’t.

The final teams are decided by looking at performance throughout training, along with a mock happening a week or so before the actual match.

How to watch (2027)

Tickets for the Varsity Match are not yet released, however once they are they will be added to this page. The event time varies. If both Swimming and Water Polo are done at the same time, it will last around 6 hours. Otherwise, it’ll last upwards of 10 hours.

There should also be a livestream happening on YouTube where one can watch some of the match instead. This will also be linked here when available.

Past Results

Click on the year to look at the times for each race in that year of Varsity

Year	Cambridge points	Oxford Points	Winner
2026 (1sts)	77	103	Oxford
2026 (2nds)	61	119	Oxford
2025 (1sts)	77	98	Oxford
2025 (2nds)	55	115	Oxford
2024 (1sts)	66	114	Oxford
2024 (2nds)	55	122	Oxford
2023 (1sts)	81	99	Oxford
2023 (2nds)	95	85	Cambridge
2022 (1sts)	77	103	Oxford
2022 (2nds)	77	103	Oxford

Year	Cambridge points	Oxford points	Winner
2021 (friendly)	106	74	Cambridge
2020	83	97	Oxford
2019	87	93	Oxford
2018	90	90	Match drawn
2017	79	101	Oxford
2016	91	89	Cambridge
2015	67	110	Oxford
2014	72	108	Oxford
2013	63	117	Oxford
2012	71	108	Oxford
2011	93	86	Cambridge
2010	83	97	Oxford
2009	89	90	Oxford
2008	67	110	Oxford
2007	92	78	Cambridge
2006	104	66	Cambridge
2005	110	57	Cambridge
2004	104	66	Cambridge
2003	99	70	Cambridge
2002	104	66	Cambridge
2001	103	67	Cambridge
2000	89	80	Cambridge
1968-1999	Know these results?	Please contact us!
1967	52	34	Cambridge
1966	47	39	Cambridge
1965	47	39	Cambridge
1964	41	45	Oxford
1963	41	45	Oxford
1962	45	40	Cambridge
1961	40	46	Oxford
1960	44	42	Cambridge
1959	47	39	Cambridge
1958	33.5	52.5	Oxford
1957	42.5	43.5	Oxford
1956	51	35	Cambridge
1955	46	40	Cambridge
1954	45	31	Cambridge
1953	49	27	Cambridge
1952	30	36	Oxford
1951	38.5	27.5	Cambridge
1950	27	26	Cambridge
1949	11	42	Oxford
1948	17	36	Oxford
1947	34	19	Cambridge
1946	25	28	Oxford
1945	–	–	No match
1944	–	–	No match
1943	–	–	No match
1942	–	–	No match
1941	–	–	No match
1940	–	–	No match
1939	25	28	Oxford
1938	30	23	Cambridge
1937	36	17	Cambridge
1936	22	31	Oxford
1935	23	30	Oxford
1934	22	30	Oxford
1933	35	18	Cambridge
1932	23	8	Cambridge
1931	13	18	Oxford
1930	19	16	Cambridge
1929	25	10	Cambridge
1928	23	7	Cambridge
1927	11	19	Oxford
1926	12	18	Oxford

Year	Cambridge events	Oxford events	Events drawn	Winner
1925	2	0	1	Cambridge
1924	1	0	2	Cambridge
1923	3	0	0	Cambridge
1922	?	?	?	Draw
1921	2.5	0.5	0	Cambridge
1920	1	2	0	Oxford
1919	1	2	0	Oxford
1918	–	–	–	No match
1917	–	–	–	No match
1916	–	–	–	No match
1915	–	–	–	No match
1914	3	0	0	Cambridge
1913	2	1	0	Cambridge
1912	2.5	0.5	0	Cambridge
1911	3	0	0	Cambridge
1910	2.5	0.5	0	Cambridge
1909	2	1	0	Cambridge
1908	?	?	?	Draw
1907	?	?	?	Draw
1906	1	0	2	Cambridge
1905	2	0	1	Cambridge
1904	1	0	2	Cambridge
1903	3	0	0	Cambridge
1902	3	0	0	Cambridge
1901	2	0	1	Cambridge
1900	0	2	1	Oxford
1899	1	0	2	Cambridge
1898	?	?	?	Draw
1897	0	3	0	Oxford
1896	0	2	1	Oxford
1895	3	0	0	Cambridge
1894	3	0	0	Cambridge
1893	2	0	1	Cambridge
1892	1	0	2	Cambridge

Year	Winner	Goals for Cambridge	Goals for Oxford
2025	Cambridge	15	8
2024	Oxford	8	9
2023	Cambridge	23	16
2022	Oxford	12	20
2021	No match	–	–
2020	Oxford	12	15
2019	Cambridge	8	6
2018	Oxford	13	13 (win on penalty)
2017	Cambridge	11	8
2016	Oxford	7	10
2015	Cambridge	9	8
2014	Cambridge	10	8
2013	Cambridge	11	10
2012	Cambridge	9	8
2011	Cambridge	13	12
2010	Oxford	4	6
2009	Cambridge	15	11
2008	Draw	10	10
2007	Cambridge	11	8
2006	Oxford	8	13
2005	Cambridge	13	3
2004	Cambridge	6	5
2003	Oxford	6	10
2002	Cambridge	9	4
2001	Oxford	6	7
2000	Oxford	5	13
1999	Oxford	10	12
1998	Oxford	2	11
1997	Oxford	5	11
1996	Cambridge	18	6
1995	Cambridge	21	10
1994	Cambridge	10	6
1993	Cambridge	18	12
1992	Cambridge	18	3
1991	Draw	9	9
1990	Cambridge	20	6
1989	Cambridge	15	7
1988	Cambridge	26	7
1987	Cambridge	?	?
1986	Oxford	?	?
1985	Cambridge	?	?
1984	Cambridge	?	?
1983	Cambridge	12	6
1982	Cambridge	9	7
1981	Cambridge	?	?
1980	Oxford	?	?
1979	Cambridge	?	?
1978	Cambridge	?	?
1977	Cambridge	?	?
1976	Cambridge	?	?
1975	Cambridge	?	?
1974	Cambridge	?	?
1973	Cambridge	?	?
1972	Cambridge	?	?
1971	Cambridge	?	?
1970	Oxford	?	?
1969	Draw	?	?
1968	Cambridge	?	?
1967	Cambridge	6	1
1966	Cambridge	12	1
1965	Cambridge	10	4
1964	Draw	3	3
1963	Oxford	4	9
1962	Oxford	4	5
1961	Oxford	2	8
1960	Oxford	4	7
1959	Oxford	5	9
1958	Oxford	6	7
1957	Cambridge	7	3
1956	Cambridge	8	4
1955	Cambridge	12	1
1954	Cambridge	10	2
1953	Draw	6	6
1952	Cambridge	3	2
1951	Cambridge	2	0
1950	Draw	?	?
1949	Oxford	1	8
1948	Oxford	1	7
1947	Draw	1	1
1946	Draw	?	?
1945	No match	–	–
1944	No match	–	–
1943	No match	–	–
1942	No match	–	–
1941	No match	–	–
1940	No match	–	–
1939	Cambridge	5	2
1938	Cambridge	7	0
1937	Cambridge	6	4
1936	Oxford	1	3
1935	Cambridge	4	2
1934	Cambridge	4	2
1933	Cambridge	4	2
1932	Oxford	1	5
1931	Cambridge	3	2
1930	Cambridge	2	1
1929	Cambridge	3	1
1928	Cambridge	2	0
1927	Cambridge	3	1
1926	Cambridge	3	1
1925	Cambridge	5	3
1924	Draw	1	1
1923	Oxford	2	4
1922	Cambridge	3	2
1921	Oxford	1	2
1920	Oxford	1	3
1919	Oxford	0	5
1918	No match	–	–
1917	No match	–	–
1916	No match	–	–
1915	No match	–	–
1914	Cambridge	3	2
1913	Cambridge	1	0
1912	Cambridge	5	2
1911	Cambridge	6	0
1910	Cambridge	4	0
1909	Draw	2	2
1908	Draw	1	1
1907	Draw	2	2
1906	Oxford	0	2
1905	Draw	2	2
1904	Cambridge	6	3
1903	Draw	1	1
1902	Oxford	1	2
1901	Draw	1	1
1900	Cambridge	3	2
1899	Cambridge	7	2
1898	Cambridge	5	1
1897	Oxford	2	5
1896	Oxford	1	3
1895	Oxford	1	3
1894	Oxford	2	4
1893	Cambridge	2	1
1892	Oxford	1	5
1891	Oxford	1	4

Year	Winner	Goals for Cambridge	Goals for Oxford
2025	Oxford	6	14
2024	Oxford	3	21
2023	Oxford	6	10
2022	Oxford	4	16
2021	No match
2020	Oxford	12	11
2019	Oxford	5	6
2018	Oxford	6	7
2017	Cambridge	10	3
2016	Cambridge	7	6
2015	Oxford	5	6
2014	Cambridge	11	5
2013	Cambridge	18	4
2012	Cambridge	11	5
2011	Cambridge	9	7
2010	Cambridge	6	5
2009	Cambridge	9	7
2008	Oxford	4	8
2007	Cambridge	6	4
2006	Oxford	?	?
2005	Oxford	8	11
2004	Cambridge	13	2
2003	Cambridge	16	3
2002	Cambridge	16	9
2001	Oxford	5	10
2000	Oxford	2	9
1999	Cambridge	?	?
1998	Oxford	4	6
1997	Cambridge	17	4
1996	Cambridge	?	?
1995	Cambridge	?	?
1994	Cambridge	?	?
1993	Cambridge	?	?
1992	Cambridge	27	2
1991	Cambridge	?	?
1990	Oxford	?	?
1989	Cambridge	?	?
1988	Oxford	?	?
1987	Oxford	?	?
1986	Oxford	?	?
1985	Cambridge	?	?
1984	Cambridge	?	?

Year	Winner	Goals for Cambridge	Goals for Oxford
2025	Cambridge	14	3
2024	Oxford	3	12
2023	Cambridge	7	5
2022	Cambridge	10	7
2021	No match
2020	Cambridge	15	12
2019	Oxford	6	10
2018	Oxford	3	9
2017	Cambridge	14	11
2016	Cambridge	9	8
2015	Oxford	8	9
2014	Oxford	5	6
2013	Cambridge	10	5

Year	Winner	Goals for Cambridge	Goals for Oxford
2025	Oxford	7	11
2024	Oxford	3	8
2023	Oxford	7	12*
2022	Cambridge	8	6
2021	No match
2020	Cambridge	9	2
2019	Cambridge	7	4