Cambridge University Punting Society
Encyclopedia
The Cambridge University Punting Society, or "CUPS", is an undergraduate student society in the University of Cambridge. It was founded in 2010, and holds official society
status in the University of Cambridge
. It exists to promote the ancient pursuit of punting, i.e. boating on a river using a flat-bottomed punt
propelled by means of a pole. The society's constitution enshrines and promotes the regulations and guidance of the Conservators of the River Cam
. It operates on the River Cam
, and its upper reaches, known as the River Granta, which flows from Grantchester down to Cambridge
. In its initial incarnation, the society was named the Granta Rats, after this stretch of the river. The Society succeeded the Dampers Club, a punting society which disbanded in the late 1980s.
The club insignia consists of three golden cups on a Cambridge Blue background, representing the social connotations of the Tarot
Three of Cups
, and also the three disciplines of punting, outdoor swimming
and sculling
. One cup is bigger than the other two, as punting predominates in the society.
The Granta Rats insignia of a Rat
holding a flagpole with the legend "Live to Live!", on a sky blue background, is still retained for some of the social functions of the society. The motto derives from a fireplace in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
.
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
status in the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. It exists to promote the ancient pursuit of punting, i.e. boating on a river using a flat-bottomed punt
Punt
Punt may refer to:In boats:*Punt , a flat-bottomed boat with a square-cut bow developed on the River Thames*Norfolk Punt, a type of racing dinghy developed in Norfolk*Cable ferry, known as a punt in Australian EnglishIn people:...
propelled by means of a pole. The society's constitution enshrines and promotes the regulations and guidance of the Conservators of the River Cam
Conservators of the River Cam
The Conservators of the River Cam are the navigation authority for the River Cam in Cambridgeshire and were founded in 1702.-History:Cambridge had been a major inland port as a result of its position on the navigable River Cam for centuries, but this position changed with the draining of the Fens...
. It operates on the River Cam
River Cam
The River Cam is a tributary of the River Great Ouse in the east of England. The two rivers join to the south of Ely at Pope's Corner. The Great Ouse connects the Cam to England's canal system and to the North Sea at King's Lynn...
, and its upper reaches, known as the River Granta, which flows from Grantchester down to Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
. In its initial incarnation, the society was named the Granta Rats, after this stretch of the river. The Society succeeded the Dampers Club, a punting society which disbanded in the late 1980s.
The club insignia consists of three golden cups on a Cambridge Blue background, representing the social connotations of the Tarot
Tarot
The tarot |trionfi]] and later as tarocchi, tarock, and others) is a pack of cards , used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play a group of card games such as Italian tarocchini and French tarot...
Three of Cups
Three of Cups
Three of Cups is the third Minor Arcana tarot card on the suit of Cups. In some decks the suit is named Chalices instead. This card is used in game playing as well as in divination.-Divination usage:...
, and also the three disciplines of punting, outdoor swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and sculling
Sculling
Sculling generally refers to a method of using oars to propel watercraft in which the oar or oars touch the water on both the port and starboard sides of the craft, or over the stern...
. One cup is bigger than the other two, as punting predominates in the society.
The Granta Rats insignia of a Rat
Rat
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus, the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus...
holding a flagpole with the legend "Live to Live!", on a sky blue background, is still retained for some of the social functions of the society. The motto derives from a fireplace in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is notable as the only college founded by Cambridge townspeople: it was established in 1352 by the Guilds of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary...
.