Blue
A Blue is the sporting honour awarded to Cambridge students who compete against Oxford in a Varsity match in qualifying sports, named after the University's light blue colour. Oxford's sportspeople win Blues too, in their dark blue.
In practice
Varsity matches are held in dozens of sports each year, from rugby and cricket to fencing and ice hockey. Depending on the sport and the standard reached, Cambridge awards a Full Blue or a Half Blue, and a "Blue" is often entitled to wear the light blue colours and join the Hawks' Club, the University's sporting club for Blues. The best-known contests are the Boat Race on the Thames in London and the rugby Varsity Match, both of which attract national attention.
Why it matters to newcomers
"He got a Blue for rowing" is a significant achievement in Cambridge terms, and you will meet it in biographies and job histories. Varsity matches are good, cheap days out, and the Boat Race in spring is one of the big events of the year for both universities.
Related
- Bumps - College-level rowing
- College - where most students play their sport
- May Week and May Balls - the end-of-year celebrations
Source: Hawks' Club.