The Varsity is one of the few rowing races that is exclusive to students and a fever-pitch rivalry exists between participants.
For instance, while rowing crews defend the honour of the club on the water, spectators on the dike are traditionally brawling with equal fanaticism.
The main event is the Oude Vier (Varsity Four, literally 'Old Four') which is rowed in a 4+ over a distance of 3 km.
The history of the Varsity began with the establishment of the first student rowing club in the Netherlands.
"Njord" in Leiden with the patronage of Prince Henry of the Netherlands.This inspired other students to form their own rowing clubs.
Laga accepted the challenge and raced against Njord on 2 July 1878 on the 'Galgewater' (Gallows water) in Leiden.
The three clubs decided to form the Koninklijke Nederlandsche Studenten Roeibond or KNSRB (Dutch Student Rowing Association).
Aegir joined the KNSRB and participated in the Varsity for the first time in 1918, 40 years after its founding.
In 1930, some drunken Varsity spectators infiltrated the Royal Palace of Amsterdam, which led to questions in parliament.
Honorary members of the KNSRB resigned over the dispute, and the 1937 winners refused their prize in protest of the new location.
Triton swore an oath to organise the Varsity on behalf of the KNSRB, as long as the race was rowed in Utrecht.
Representatives of the student rowing clubs created a game where dice determined the outcome.
Triton won the race, but this Varsity is mostly remembered because the KNSRB received the honorary title 'Koninklijke' (Royal).
KNSRB members showed their disappointment by wearing black belts during the first 'joined' Varsity.
Since then the relationship normalised, although many KNSRB members misbehaved when a non-KNSRB club, Orca, won the varsity in 1980.
In the 1970s, club members of Laga, Aegir, Skadi and Njord began to brawl earlier in the rowing season for the expected victory in the Varsity.
In the mid-2000s Njord decided to stop hosting this event due to many injuries and damages to their boathouse.
During the 134st Varsity in 2017 the organisation introduced a second main event: the women's coxless four.