CU Association Football Club
We have taken a new approach this year, with a combined Committee and much more integrated approach to running the Club.
We entered two new teams into BUCS - the Women's 2s (Eagles) and the Men's 3s (Kestrels). The Women's 2s went unbeaten to win their league, and both the Men's 2s and 3s also won their leagues and the 3s winning their Cup Competition.
The women’s 3s have come a long way with a full squad training twice a week now. And both Blues squads have performed incredibly well against tough teams in the top divisions
The 2s/3s Varsity Matches had an outstanding 800-person crowd, with CUAFC winning 3 out of 4 Varsity matches on the day.
The Blues Varsity Matches saw victories for both the Women's and Men's Blues teams - with the Men winning for the first at home in Cambridge since the early 90s. The event was one of the highlights of the sporting calendar, attended by 2000 people. The Club won 5 out of 6 Varsity Matches this year.
The Club has had one of its strongest years to date, both on and off the pitch with an excellent Club spirit. Club socials join both sides of men and women which make us more united than ever, our presidents' collaboration speak to the true #oneclub nature and inclusivity of CUAFC and the overall atmosphere and dedication from our teams has been huge this season also, and we have reaped success as a result!
CU Cheerleading Society
This was the first year in which we obtained outside sponsorship from a regional law firm additionally to the Sports Service grant. This allowed us to reduce the subscription fees for all Club members (from £80 to £53) and completely cover the cost of participation in the sport for three athletes facing financial hardship. This has widened the access to an already expensive sport.
One of our weekly trainings takes place at a cheerleading gym in Newmarket, which a team of 19 use to carpool to with four cars. This is the first year where we have been able to arrange transport with a minibus that covers the whole team and has reduced our fuel consumption by 50%.
This year we have also seen the highest scores from both teams at UK university nationals we have ever had in the club, alongside a varsity win by both teams (with some of the highest win margins in the history of our 12 varsity matches). Our first and second team scores at nationals this year were 93.48% and 93.86% compared to 81.93% and 84.92% last year.
We have also had incredible leadership within the first team, where responsibilities of the captain were enthusiastically shared by the rest of the team after she dropped out (e.g., others stepping up to lead warmups, organisation of music, and arrangements of choreography).
CU Clay Pigeon Shooting Club
We are the Sports Club of the Year because our dedication to excellence, teamwork, and community sets us apart.
In Michaelmas, over 150 students attended taster sessions run by qualified coaches and committee members, allowing them to try a sport that is traditionally difficult to access. The intra-club competition allowed novices to shoot a competition, with some of them later going on to achieve places in the Varsity Teams.
At BUCS, our teams again demonstrated dominance, with the Women’s Team securing gold for the second year running and the Men’s Team earning a well-deserved bronze. Liz Stevenson took Silver in Individual Ladies and many other members ranked in the top 10% individually. At Varsity, both the Men’s and Women’s A Teams won, and Georgina Chamberlain took Women’s High Gun (for the 4th year running), with Nick von Jeinsen taking the Men’s High Gun (for a 2nd time). To end the year, CUCPSC sent a Men’s Team to the inaugural Intercollegiate All-Round Competition for Universities and Schools and won Silver as a team.
Beyond the victories and accolades, we foster an inclusive, supportive environment that champions athletes at all levels. Our success isn't just measured by trophies but also by being able to offer the sports to all levels and coach athletes to the best of their abilities. This combination of athletic achievement and community makes us the clear choice for Sports Club of the Year.
CU Modern Pentathlon Club
CUMPC have continued to show they are the most versatile sport and club in Cambridge!
CUMPC has tackled the introduction of a new sport, Obstacle Course Racing (OCR), to the pentathlon family of sports, replacing horse riding. The club has enthusiastically introduced OCR to Cambridge students, including sending athletes to national and international OCR competitions.
This has aligned with the club's continued focus on accessibility, providing beginner coaching across our five sports. We had our first student para-athlete compete for us this year, and the club supported the organisation of the first Para Pentathlon event at our BUCS event.
CUMPC has once again won team gold and 4 individual medals at BUCS. We swept Varsity, winning the Blues Men’s and Women’s matches. We also sent a squad of 8 athletes to National Rankings for the first time since COVID, and hope to see some athletes represent GB at international competitions later in the year.
The club raised £13,000 in alumni donations to replace our ageing stock of laser pistol equipment and CUMPC will soon be recognised as a Pentathlon GB ‘Hub’
For the past 3 years, CUMPC has continued to lead collaborative training agreements with CUTriC, CUSWPC, and CUFC to address rising venue hire costs and shared coaching, making swimming and beginner fencing more accessible to students.
Members say “I'm so glad I chose to join this club this year, it has been so friendly and welcoming, everyone is so supportive of each other”
CU Table Tennis Club
I nominate CUTTC for Club of the Year following an exceptional season of growth, performance, and community impact.
The club saw a record-breaking 113 members, an increase of 30% from 2023/24 and 43% from 2022/23. In response, CUTTC increased the number of weekly club sessions from 3 to 5. Furthermore, there was an increase in college sports participation with nearly 40 teams from over 20 colleges participating in College League and the most competitive Cuppers Tournament in recent memory.
Performance-wise, in BUCS Individuals club members reached the later knock out rounds and another won the Plates competition. In the BUCS League, the Men’s Team topped their division securing a promotion, while the Women’s Team placed in the top half. In the BUCS Conference Cup, the Men’s Team reached the finals, while the Women’s Team reached the semi-finals.
In Varsity, 4 out of 5 teams triumphed over Oxford including a historic first win for the Men’s 3rd Team the Varsity Match praised by all as the most memorable and enjoyable in years with the booklets and catered lunch as stand-outs. In general, all long-term members of the club described this year as their favourite.
Because of the momentum the club currently has, there were a record number of applications for next year’s committee who will surely continue the rise CUTTC has seen over the past year and put table tennis prominently on the map in Cambridge.
