Anglia Ruskin Boat Club (ARBC) is the rowing club for members of Anglia Ruskin University. It was known as CCAT Boat Club (usually said as sea cat) until 2008. The name CCAT derives from a former name for the University, the Cambridgeshire College of Arts and Technology, which is abbreviated to CCAT. The boat club has chosen to retain the name CCAT for historical reasons. It was once thought the club would lose its positions in the bumps races if the name were changed, but that is urban legend (as is the notion that a club must retain 'college' in its name).
Although not affiliated with Cambridge University, ARBC have rowed in the Lent and May Bumps since the 1980s as a guest club. CCAT first put a men's crew on in 1988 in both events, and has risen quickly to lie in the middle of the 2nd division in both sets of bumps races, although recent progress has been a little slower. The women first appeared in the May Bumps in 1983 and Lent Bumps in 1984, but have only had a continuous presence since 1987 in both events. ARBC 1st women rose to take a place in the bottom of the 1st division in the late 1990s in the Lent Bumps, but since faded to the middle of the 2nd division. However, in Lent Bumps 2007, ARBC 1st Women were awarded blades (up four) and currently sit in the sixth position of the second division. In the May Bumps, ARBC 1st women rose to get into the 1st division only for two days in 2002, and have now fallen to the top of the 2nd division (position 3).
ARBC crews also participate in other races and regattas throughout the year--on and off the River Cam. Some off-Cam locations include: Beford, Peterborough, and London, where crews have enjoyed numerous success over the recent years. ARBC 1st Women won the ARA Novice 8+ Plate Competition in Bedford Regatta 2006, and both the 1st Men and 1st Women won the Sunday Novice 8+ races at Peterborough Regatta 2006, with ARBC women taking first, second, and third place in the final. In 2007 Peterborough Regatta, ARBC enjoyed particular success with the Men and Women's 1st VIIIs winning their Senior 4 8+ events on Saturday, and the 2nd Women's VIII winning their Novice 8+ event on Sunday. As well, the 1st Women finished 97th out of 274 crews from across the UK and Europe in the Women's Eights Head of the River Race in London in 2006.
Currently, ARBC boat club rents space at the Emmanuel College Boathouse, with a fleet consisting of five VIIIs.
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