The moment I received my King’s College, Cambridge acceptance letter, I immediately knew I would join the King’s College Boat Club (KCBC). Having heard tales of the legendary Bumps races, I was eager to continue the rich tradition of King’s students participating in this quintessentially Cambridge sporting event. What has exceeded all expectations is how this experience has enriched my time at Cambridge beyond mere athletic pursuit.
The Bumps racing format is uniquely Cambridge, with boats starting in a line, spaced apart, each trying to catch and “bump” the crew ahead. As an MBA student balancing rigorous academics with extracurriculars, the structured training sessions with KCBC provided not just physical exercise but also a welcome mental break from case studies and financial models. The 6am training sessions along the misty Cam quickly became a highlight of my week, watching the sun rise over the College spires as we perfected our stroke.
There’s something special about wearing the royal purple of King’s College. The distinctive colour carries centuries of tradition, and as we rowed past spectators lining the riverbanks, the flash of purple moving in unison created a sense of pride. My Business School classmates from around the world came to cheer us on, many experiencing the peculiar spectacle of Bumps racing for the first time, and some even coming to row for their own College in this friendly competition.
Walking the same boathouse paths as Sir Alan Turing, perhaps the most famous KCBC alumnus, adds another dimension to the experience. Turing was an avid rower during his time at King’s, and there’s something profound about participating in the same tradition that shaped part of his Cambridge experience. The boathouse walls display the oars of crews through the centuries, a visual reminder of the illustrious company we join when donning the royal purple.
The start of each Bumps race is nothing short of theatrical. The boom of actual cannons echoing across the River Cam signals the beginning of each division’s race, sending adrenaline coursing through every crew member’s body. That explosive start, followed by the epic sprint to catch the boat ahead while avoiding being caught from behind, creates a unique racing experience unlike anything in traditional regatta formats.
Perhaps most valuable are the connections formed with fellow KCBC members spanning undergraduates, postgraduates, and alumni. Our crew includes natural scientists, mathematicians, economists, creating a microcosm of Cambridge’s intellectual diversity where I found friendships that will endure far beyond my MBA year. The post training breakfasts and celebratory ‘Formal Hall’ dinners, where we sing traditional KCBC songs that echo on the medieval walls around us, also facilitate conversations that cross disciplines in a way that wouldn’t happen within the MBA programme alone.
Eliott Fournet is a recipient of the Cambridge MBA Scholarship for Entrepreneurs>