The Olympic Games may be just around the corner – with one current Cambridge University student and nine graduates competing in Beijing - but it’s already been a year of sporting success for the University.

Perhaps the sweetest was victory over Oxford in the inaugural 20:20 cricket match at South Parks, Oxford.

Cambridge University Cricket Club also had the better of their rivals in the one-day match at the home of cricket, Lord’s, before playing their part in an eventful draw in the four-day version of the game.

And despite the disappointment of the Boat Race, where Cambridge’s strong start floundered as they eventually lost by six lengths, the university did find some consolation via the result of the Varsity football match.

Played on the same day as the Boat Race, Cambridge ran out 5-3 winners against Oxford in the 124th annual contest between the two rivals.

A healthy crowd of 2600, including the Chairman of the Football Association, made their way to Craven Cottage, home of Fulham Football Club, to see Cambridge’s Matthew Stock (St Catharine’s College) claim a Varsity record by bagging four goals – and making the fifth.

Cambridge’s men were also successful on the tennis court. At the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton, they managed to see off Oxford 15-6, although the women’s team narrowly lost to Oxford 11-10.

Since records began in 1881, Cambridge’s men now have 66 Varsity victories to their name compared to Oxford’s 42. Meanwhile, the ladies lead by 22-10 overall despite this year’s defeat.

Further full Blue Varsity victories for Cambridge in 2007-8 were recorded in cross country, hockey, rugby and squash.

In discretionary full Blue sports, Cambridge also came out on top over Oxford in canoeing and karate.

In half Blue sports, Cambridge were victorious in archery, Eton fives, korfball, mountain biking, real tennis, small bore, table tennis and volleyball.

Meanwhile, it was also announced in March that the University of Cambridge will be included in the London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide.

The university was designated as an officially approved training venue for the sports of athletics, fencing and archery in the guide which will be circulated to all National Olympic Committees.

The Wilberforce Road Sports Ground could also host a national athletics team in the run-up to the Games.

The guide will be published at the Beijing Games with a website featuring Cambridge also launched.

Away from Varsity matches, Cambridge also performed creditably in British University Sports Association (BUSA) events.

The knock-out tournament saw Cambridge’s women’s lacrosse team crowned champions after beating their Birmingham counterparts in the final (11-7), as well as Oxford, Exeter and UCL in the group stages to finish the season with a 100 per cent record.

The men’s karate team were also crowned BUSA champions, although there was heartache for the men’s volleyball, fencing  and water polo team who all finished as runners-up in their events.
 

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