What’s better than one Headship? Two! PCBC’s 2025 Summer VIIIs campaign

They’ve done it again – our incredible Women's First Eight have gone and won their second Headship this year. On the final day of Summer VIIIs, our W1 crew achieved a perfectly timed bump against Wadham right outside Pembroke Boat House for all to see. Their win marks the first time Pembroke W1 have won two consecutive Headships in a year, following on from their Torpids Headship in Hilary. 

This is yet another accolade PCBC can add to their belt, alongside being the first and only Boat Club to have held both the Men’s and Women’s Summer VIIIs Head of the River in 2003. We are immensely proud of W1 for their grit and determination. 

"Seven out of nine people in this crew learned how to row at Pembroke, and six out of eight of the rowers were also in the Torpids Headship boat," shared PCBC's President Cian Lomax. "This club has seen such a huge amount of growth over the past couple of years, and these results are testament to this. PCBC is a great place to be and the legacy of this special crew will not be forgotten. This has been PCBC's most successful year in at least a decade."

What better way to celebrate an incredible year for PCBC than with a summary of their campaign at Summer VIIIs, the University of Oxford’s most anticipated, centuries-old inter-collegiate rowing event that takes place over four days. The aim of all crews on the river, whatever division they’re in, is to bump the crew in front of them and avoid being bumped by the crew behind them. Should a crew achieve a bump on every day of racing, they win blades, a feat which our M3 achieved this year. If a crew in the first division manages to bump up to the top of that division and remain there, they win Headship, making them the top boat of the river; something our W1 achieved not only once but twice this year! 

Day 1

On Day 1 our M1, W2 and M4 rowed over, with M1 keeping some fierce competition from University, who closed up to just under half a length, at bay. Some confusion on the river and an awkward clearance by Wadham led to our W1 rowing straight past University College. An appeal did not go our way, however, resulting in a row over for W1. Both M2 and M3 bumped up, with M3 bumping up two positions after Balliol M3 rowed their Empacher straight through a house boat. 

W3 And M4

Our W3 had a respectable Summer VIIIs campaign this year; whilst they did get bumped on Days 1 and 3, they held their own in impressive row overs on Days 2 and 4. Our M4 should be equally proud. Despite getting bumped by Balliol M4 on Day 2 and, after driving into the bank, by Wadham on Day 4, they performed a respectable row over on Day 3. If anything, they should be proud of showcasing some incredible tap turns this year. 

M1

A long-awaited bump on Keble ‘that was nine years in the making’ was achieved by our M1 on Day 2 and a fantastic start earned them a bump against Christ Church on Day 3. ‘Light work’, shared PCBC President Cian Lomax. Whilst they rowed over on Day 4, the boys got to row past our Boat House and watch Oriel lose their Summer VIIIs Headship after their steering broke. 

M4

After their double bump on Day 1, our M3 bumped New M4 in 31 strokes on Day 2 and caught Univ M4 in 32 strokes on Day 3. In 37 strokes, our M3 quickly caught up to Oriel on Day 4, winning them blades in a very impressive Summer VIIIs performance. Congratulations! 

W1

Finally, our powerhouse W1 bumped Christ Church just after Donny Bridge on Day 2 and forced Univ to concede at the top of the gut on Day 3, leading to an incredible bump on Wadham just outside their Boat House on Day 4 which earned them their second Headship this year. 

We are incredibly proud of the performance of all our crews at Summer VIII’s, ending a great year for PCBC on a high note.