|
Although earlier international races were conducted between crews from ships visiting Australia, the first inter colonial racing took until 1833. The early rowing history of Australia can be found in the significant events chapter.
The
following early history of intercolonial competition is provided
by John Lang in his book The Victorian Oarsman published in
1919:
Before 1878, various boat races between the Australian Colonies had
taken place in four-oared gigs, but in the year 1878 the first boat
race in eights, between any of the Colonies, was rowed when Victoria
defeated New South Wales. The earliest race recorded between crews
of different colonies was conducted on 9 November 1833 when a Sydney
crew defeated a Hobart Town crew in whalers. The race was very popular
and caused quite a stir.
However the earliest Intercolonial amateur boat race with a distinct
Intercolonial character was rowed in 1863 in gigs over a three-mile
course on the Parramatta River, N.S.W. The N.S.W. four defeated Victoria
(time, 19 min. 25 sec.). In this race the crews were of a representative
character, and each crew bore the name of its colony. The Victorian
crew was made up of members from the Elswick, Melbourne, and Melbourne
University Clubs.
After the race the differences about the amateur status of oarsmen in the two
Colonies became accentuated, Victoria alleging the New South Wales crew was to
all intents and purposes watermen, having rowed against watermen and for money
prizes. The Victorian definition excluded both sorts of oarsmen from amateur
competition.
For some years this break continued, preventing competition by crews really representing
the Colonies, though club crews frequently raced in Intercolonial matches, the
crews being club crews charged more or less with a mission to win the honours
for their Colony.
In 1870 a race took place at the Balmain Regatta, N.S.W., which the New South
Wales crew won against Tasmanian crews, Victoria not being represented.
In 1872 a race was rowed over a five-mile course on the Derwent River, Tasmania,
the Sydney Rowing Club winning against the Parramatta Rowing Club, some Hobart
Club crews, and one from the Barwon Rowing Club, the time for, the course being
36 min. 30 sec.
The same year over a 7,000-yard course on Sydney Harbour, two crews from the
Sydney Rowing Club beat a Victorian crew (of an Intercolonial character, the
crew being composed of members of various clubs, among whom were members of the
Civil Service, University, and Melbourne Rowing Clubs). The 1872 regatta was
a highlight of early colonial life with some 20,000 spectators watching the event
and much press coverage.
Next year (1873) Victoria secured the first win with another non-club four (Melbourne,
Melbourne University and Warehousemen). The other crews in the race were club
crews, comprising two from Ballarat, a Sydney Rowing Club crew, and crews from
Hobart Town and Geelong. The race was rowed over about four miles on the Lower
Yarra — time, 25 min. 30 sec. This race is generally recognised as the
first "official" Intercolonial
match.
After much debate between Victoria and New South Wales over the amateur definition,
a race was organized in 1874 over the Parramatta championship course, 3 miles
300 yards; time, 21 min: 59 sec. New South Wales won easily before a crowd of
some 15,000 spectators and much press coverage.
For some years after
this no such meetings took place until, at the New South Wales Regatta,
1888, a Victorian four, which Mr. George E. Upward stroked, beat
New Zealand, New South Wales, and Tasmania in that order. The
last of the Intercolonial four-oar races was rowed (in outriggers)
on the Parramatta in 1896, over 2.25
miles; Victoria first, New Zealand second, New South Wales third.
|
|
John Lang writes that:
The 1873 and 1874 gig races were
the first races of a character where the crews were representing
their respective colonies, the other events before this date being
more or less competitions between clubs or combination crews from
the various colonies.
1893 Intercolonial Racing
|
