The Corpus challenge
Simply, the Corpus Challenge is one of the most fun days ever in Cambridge and Corpus life. It is an epic sporting battle between us and our sister/enemy college, Corpus Christi College, Oxford.
We compete in practically all sports - hockey, football, lacrosse, netball, badminton, frisbee, rugby, ergs and many others. We even throw the field open to bar sports - pool, darts, table tennis and table football.
After the sport, we celebrate victory on either side with Corpus, Oxford in the form of the Challenge Formal and a night out together.
The Challenge began in 1995 and became an annual event in 1997. Although historically, the winning record has been firmly in Oxford's court, in recent years, Cambridge have started to turn things around.
Here is the full record of winnings as engraved on the Challenge Cup:
| Year | Location | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Oxford | |
| 1997 | Oxford | Oxford |
| 1998 | Cambridge | Oxford |
| 1999 | Oxford | Cambridge |
| 2000 | Cambridge | Oxford |
| 2001 | Oxford | Oxford |
| 2002 | Cambridge | Oxford |
| 2003 | Oxford | Oxford |
| 2004 | Cambridge | Oxford |
| 2005 | Oxford | Oxford |
| 2006 | Cambridge | Cambridge |
| 2007 | Oxford | Oxford |
| 2008 | Cambridge | Cambridge |
| 2009 | Oxford | Oxford |
| 2010 | Cambridge | Cambridge |
| 2011 | Oxford | Cambridge |
This leaves the score at 11:5 to Oxford. In 2012, both colleges will have everything to play for.
Corpus challenge 2011
Bleary eyed at 6am on a Sunday morning, 120 Corpuscles marshalled outside Queens’ waiting in tired ranks for the day’s battle to commence. We emulated Hannibal’s crossing of the Alps by elephant in the hiring of two 72 seater coaches to traverse the rolling hills. After three hours of trepidation the battlefield of Oxford loomed heavy on the horizon.
It was of course the day of the Corpus Challenge. Since 1995, each year has seen groups of students (from Corpus Oxford and Cambridge) venture to each other’s colleges to do battle on the pitches and the river, in the courts and the bar. It is the pinnacle of a Corpuscle’s sporting career to win the Challenge, for which they will attain glory for all eternity, or at least a week. Last time on home turf, Oxford managed to ward off the encroaching forces owing to their superior talent before the darts board.
Skirmishes began at the Abingdon Road pitches with a pair of hockey matches, the score left even. On the football pitch the men fought fiercely but lost. They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned; a fact that was confirmed when the women’s football team emerged with a convincing win. One flank battered, the other advancing, we reached a stalemate. Hope now rested in the naval prowess of Cambridge; it was the first ever river fixture at the Challenge. The women lost valiantly by a mere canvas, whilst the men redeemed themselves. A flurry of further sporting activity did little to remedy this, to everybody’s chagrin.
As the jaws of hunger began to affect the troops, they forayed into the city to find nourishment. Tesco’s and Londis seemed to provide the most economic option whilst for those determined few who had eyes only for victory, the assault continued.
Whilst the “Corpus Casuals” (deceptively bad football team), trashed and thrashed, the more serious and sensational rugby match was underway. Our boys brought home a modest and humble win, scoring a mere 1240% more points than their opponents. The winds of change were upon us, the morning’s angst evaporated in the glorious sunshine of what turned out to be quite a nice day. Our superior speed and agility on the squash and badminton courts enabled both teams to triumph in spite of skilled opposition. Oxford’s netball teams, on the other hand, did not provide a challenge of the same magnitude. And thus concluded the day’s sport.
Having profited cosmetically and odour-wise from showering, as the sun neared the horizon, we congregated in a moment of peace in the beautiful court of Corpus Oxford, before making our way down to the subterranean venue for the next bout of games; the bar sports. In spite of our winning position, pool and darts were eagerly watched by many, while tired sportspeople laid down their arms and drinks flowed freely at the bar. We had won.
So began the final chapter. We emerged from the Platonic Cave into the Dining Hall, just off the main quad. We had been led to expect all the oak panelling and candelabra of the fifteenth century (check), and so stood baffled by the 1970s Methodist Church (with fewer windows) that confronted us. In spite of the trappings of this renovation, it was nonetheless a scene of mass feasting, as Oxford provided a fine repast. After a toast “to Corpus” proposed by their President, and further merriment in various corners of that city, we stepped onto the coaches, almost as weary as when we left.
Written by Angus Whiston and Pesh Patel.
Final scores
| Sport | Points Awarded | Score (Cambridge:Oxford) |
|---|---|---|
| Rugby | 25 | 62:5 |
| Men's Football | 25 | 2:5 |
| Women's Football | 15 | 5:2 |
| Women's Hockey | 20 | 0:2 |
| Mixed Hockey | 15 | 5:1 |
| Women's Netball | 25 | 19:0 |
| Mixed Netball | 15 | 24:2 |
| Mixed Lacrosse | 15 | Cancelled |
| Squash | 10 | 2:1 |
| Badminton | 10 | 2:1 |
| Rowing | 10 | 1:1 |
| Casual Football | 10 | 2:1 |
| Pool | 5 | 1:0 |
| Darts | 5 | 1:0 |
| Table Football | 5 | Cancelled |
| FINAL SCORE | 145:55 | |
Timetable
| Event | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Coaches leave Cambridge | 6.15am | Queens' Pieces |
| Women's Hockey | 9am | Queen's Sports Ground |
| Mixed Hockey | 10.30am | Queen's Sports Ground |
| Men's Football | 12pm | Brasenose Sports Ground |
| Mixed Lacrosse | 12.30pm | Queen's Sports Ground |
| Rowing 4's Race | 1pm | Corpus Boat House |
| Rugby | 2pm | Brasenose Sports Ground |
| Women's Football | 2pm | Brasenose Sports Ground |
| Women's Netball | 4pm | Queen's Sports Ground |
| Mixed Netball | Following Women's Netball | Queen's Sports Ground |
| Squash | 4pm | Corpus College |
| Table Tennis | 5pm | Corpus College |
| Badminton | 5pm | Wadham College |
| Bar Sports | 5pm | Corpus College |
| Challenge Formal | 7pm | Corpus College |
| Coaches leave Oxford | 12.15am | Corpus Plodge |
Locations
View Challenge Sports Locations in a larger map
Apologies, we couldn't find the Corpus, Oxford Boathouse on Google Maps, but apparently it's less than 10 minutes away from the College. Details of its location will be available on the day.