[3] Women began rowing on the River Cam in the 19th century, mainly from Newnham College Boat Club, but only on a recreational level.

Newnham competed against the Oxford University Women's Boat Club (OUWBC) from 1927 until 1939.

For the first few "races", the two crews were not permitted to be on the river at the same time, and the winner was largely determined on style merit marks, rather than boat speed.

Until the foundation of the Cambridge University Combined Boat Club (CUCBC) in the mid-1990s, the CUWBC controlled the rules and races for all women's rowing.

Eventually, as the number of women rowing increased to rival that of the men, the CUCBC was founded to bring all college rowing under the control of a single entity, leaving the CUWBC to concentrate on the Henley Boat Races.