McGill-Queen's Boatrace
Conceived in 1996, the McGill-Queen's Challenge Boatrace adds another dimension to the long-standing athletic rivalry that exists between these two schools. Just as Oxford has its Cambridge and Harvard has its Yale, McGill has Queen's.
The first Challenge, hosted at the Olympic Basin in 1997, was comprised of a 2000m race and a 500m dash. That year, McGill Crew won the inaugural D. Lorne Gales Challenge Cup, awarded to the school possessing more aggregate points. In 1998 the Challenge Blade was unveiled, intended for the superior Men's Crew. In 1999, another prize, the Women's Challenge Trophy, was added to the potential accolades. In 2001, the alumni were added as an exhibition category.
As the Challenge Boatrace has evolved over the years, so has its format. McGill and Queen's alternate hosting the event from year to year, and the traditional format has become a 5000m headrace followed by a 500m sprint.