College boat clubs were fined a total of £4,430 by Cambridge University Combined Boat Clubs (CUCBC) following this year’s Lent Bumps races.

This marks the highest total in fines at any Lent Bumps since at least 2019, exceeding previous years by over £1,000.

The Lent Bumps take place over five days and across eight divisions, involving around 110 crews and 960 rowers. Boats race end-to-end, with the aim of ‘bumping’ the boat in front.

Caius Boat Club was the most heavily fined overall, facing £440 in penalties, narrowly ahead of Lady Margaret Boat Club (the St John’s boat club), which was fined £430.

These were followed by the boat clubs of Trinity Hall, fined £350, Downing, fined £275, and King’s, fined £235.

Caius’ O1 boat was the most fined on the river, racking up £390 in penalties, including an unprecedented £100 fine for “unsportsmanlike conduct,” and £85 for public urination.

The crew claimed headship of the river, bumping every day that they raced.

Caius was also the most heavily fined boat club at last year’s May Bumps, receiving £740 in fines, while their M1 boat was the most fined crew. Their misconduct led to fines amounting to £465, including £255 for three instances of public urination.

College boat clubs were fined a total of £5,215 following last year’s May Bumps.

This year, Trinity Hall’s W1 was the second most fined boat, incurring £250 in penalties, followed by Lady Margaret’s O2 and Downing’s O1, which were each fined £225.

A rower at Downing told Varsity: “As rowers, we never stop at ‘fine’ – we strive for excellence and to be the best boat on the Cam. Fines should not impede us – results are what matter.”

Newnham was the only college whose boat club received no fines.

£1,455 in fines were issued for “foul” or “abusive” language, spanning 27 individual offences. The standard fine for foul language was £25 until the fourth day of racing, when CUCBC cited “several incidents of extremely foul language including complaints from the public,” and increased the minimum penalty to £75.

Other fines included £75 for handheld filming, between £20 and £40 for early celebration, from £15 to £50 for “failure to hold it up upon bumping,” and £30 for excessive bank parties.

CUCBC is the umbrella organisation for student rowing at the University of Cambridge. It is responsible for organising and regulating the use of the River Cam for the annual Lent and May Bumps. Where participants are found to be in violation of the rules, the associated college boat club is punished through varying levels of fines.