The Amsterdam Student Rowing club (ASR) Nereus, (Dutch De Amsterdamsche Studenten Roeivereeniging (ASR) Nereus) was founded in 1885 by Mr. J. Schölvinck as a subsidiary organization of The Corps, an Amsterdam student fraternity. Within a short period of time, Nereus started proving itself by achieving big successes and winning its first event in 1888 followed by a winning streak of four Varsity victories 1891–1894. After obtaining national recognition, Nereus finally made its mark on the international rowing scene by winning at Hamburg in 1891 and by winning the Thames Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta in 1895.
Nereus has provided rowers for the Netherlands' national Olympic crews, of which the golden men's eight in Atlanta (1996), the silver quad in Sydney (2000),the silver men's eight, bronze lightweight women's double and women's eight in Athens (2004) are recent examples. At the Beijing Olympics (2008) the Nereus lightweight women's double won the gold medal.
Nereus has won the most prestigious and oldest student rowing event of The Netherlands, The Varsity, which is modelled after the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, a total of 38 times.
The club's first boathouse was built in 1886 along the river Amstel. It was situated closer to the centre of Amsterdam than the present one. The old boathouse was demolished during the Second World War. The current boathouse was opened in 1953. A miniature version of the Nereus boathouse can be found in Madurodam.
Membership of Nereus was originally confined to members of The Amsterdam Student Corps, also ‘The Corps’. Changes in Dutch society in the 1970s and decreasing membership levels caused Nereus to welcome non-Corps members as well as merging with its female counterpart Thetis.
Nereus will celebrate its 25th lustrum on its 125th Dies Natalis on December 11, 2010.