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Australian Interstate Championships —
Men's Eight-Oared Championship
From 1921, crews have competed
for the King’s
Cup Trophy
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Early History of the Event
The following early history of this event is related in
John Lang’s
Book The Victorian Oarsman published
in 1919:
"In October, 1877, the year in which eight-oared boats may be said to have first
come into general use in many of the rowing centres in Australia, a challenge
was sent by the Victorian Rowing Association to the Sydney and Mercantile [now
Mosman] Clubs in New South Wales. This was taken up with spirit by the-last-named
club, and the first eight-oared race took place on the 6th March, 1878, over
about four miles on the Lower Yarra, from Stony Creek up round what is now “The
Old River” to the Gas Works.
"For about two-thirds of the distance the race was very interesting. At a quarter-mile
Victoria was leading by a half-length. At the Sugar Works Victoria led by a clear
length. Rounding the bend at the junction of the Saltwater River the New South
Wales crew came up like a racehorse, and looked as if they would go right away.
Victoria spurted, and for half a mile the boats rowed level. After that the Victorians
went, gradually ahead, the pace having told more on the other crew. The New South
Wales men pressed Victoria again half a mile from the finish, but were unable
to catch up, and Victoria won by two lengths. No official or reliable time was
taken.
"As this is the first of what is now one of the world’s famous rowing
championships,
the names, weights, and clubs represented are given (see table below).
"The Intercolonial Boat Race, rowed regularly every year until war broke out,
is one of the chief rowing championships of the world. In no other country is
there regular annual competition in rowing between six great centres so far separated
as Brisbane and Perth, with 3476.25 miles of railway between them: Victoria has
got a great proportion of the wins, and until recent years time after time brought
home the Australian Championship. Lately the Victorian flag has been displaced
by the colours of Tasmania (1906, 1909, 1914), New South Wales (1908, 1910, 1911),
and South Australia (1913)." |
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The King's Cup Trophy
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The Crews of the
First Eight-Oared Intercolonial Race — 1878
| Victorian Crew |
St |
lb |
|
New South Wales Crew |
St |
lb |
| Bow: R Ward (Melbourne) |
10 |
1 |
|
Bow: W Benson (Mercantile) |
10 |
1 |
| 2: J Booth (Melbourne) |
11 |
2 |
|
2: John T Arthur (Sydney) |
11 |
2 |
| 3: W C Bray (Warehousemen) |
11 |
8 |
|
3: J McKensey (Mercantile) |
11 |
1 |
| 4: J L Irvine (Melbourne) |
11 |
0 |
|
4: W G Brett (Mercantile) |
11 |
11 |
| 5: W H Tuckett (Melbourne) |
11 |
13 |
|
5: J H Wilkinson (Mercantile) |
11 |
12 |
| 6: J M Simson (Melbourne) |
11 |
4 |
|
6: T F Strange (Mercantile) |
12 |
8 |
| 7: T H Young (Melbourne) |
12 |
11 |
|
7: W Dind (Mercantile) |
11 |
5 |
| Str: Geo Fairbairn (Melbourne) |
12 |
2 |
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Str: C Medcalf (Mercantile) |
10 |
2 |
| Cox: F Edwards |
5 |
7 |
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Cox: W Thomas |
5 |
6 |
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The 1906 Interstate programme aptly described the state
of Australian rowing in 1878 as follows:
"In those days
New South Wales was the home of rowing, and all the crack
scullers were Sydney-side Saxons. Victoria, however, put
in her claim, and practically since that time has held the
honors as the greatest rowing State of Australasia."
Later
in the same article, the writer provides some suggestions
why the race is so great. |
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"The word 'greatest' is used
advisedly. Rowing never has been able to get a 'gate',
and the rowing associations throughout Australia are poor — terribly
poor — so that to send crews thousands of miles every
year is a tremendous achievement.
"If determination and enthusiasm
makes a thing great, then the Interstate eight race must
be so counted. If the severe training, and personal sacrifice
of the 40 or 50 athletes in the race, without any hope of
reward — not even a 'tin pot' — make
a contest great, then the Interstate is again so. And if
strength and skill, combined with grit and gentlemanly attributes,
characterize a set of sportsmen and make their competition
great, assuredly is the championship race great.
"The history
of it is a record of clean sport, and a monument to the survival
of pure amateurism. The breadth of scandal has never tarnished
the bright escutcheon of amateur rowing in Australia, and
the Interstate race holds the proudest place among the many
proud records emblazoned on the banner. And long may it so
continue. May the best crew always win and may rowing and
the Interstate contests last as long as Australia is a land
of sport." |
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History of the King's Cup Trophy
From 1921 crews have competed for the King's Cup Trophy.
The following description currently appears in the annual
Interstate Championships programme.
"First won in 1919 at the Henley-on-Thames Regatta held on 2nd to 4th July
of that year, this handsome trophy, a substitution for the Grand Challenge Cup
race for that year, was presented by His Majesty King George V to the successful
AIF No 1 crew which, along with seven others, contested the eight-oared race
for competition between crews from the armies of the Allies in the 1914 -18 War.
"The successful crew comprising:
| Bow: Sgt A A Robb |
11 st 10 lb |
| Derwent Rowing Club (Tas) |
| 2: Lieut F A House |
11 st 12 lb |
| Derwent Rowing Club (Tas) |
3: Lieut T McGill
|
12 st l0 lb |
| Leichhardt Rowing Club (NSW) |
4: Gunner A V Scott
|
13 st |
| Murray Bridge Rowing Club (SA) |
5: Lieut H Hauenstein
|
13 st 9 lb |
| MM Leichhardt & Balmain
Rowing Clubs (NSW) |
6: Major S A Middleton
|
13 st 6 lb |
| DSO, Glebe & Sydney Rowing
Clubs (NSW) |
7: Gunner G W Nettam
|
11 st 12 lb |
| West Australian Rowing Club
(WA) |
Stroke: Captain H C Disher
|
11 st 1 lb |
| Melbourne University Boat Club
(Vic) |
Cox: Sgt A E Smedley
|
8 st 1 lb |
| Sydney Rowing Club (NSW) |
defeated the AIF No 2 crew in the first heat, Cambridge University in the
semi-final and Oxford University in the final by a margin of one length
in a time of 7 minutes 7 seconds, the other competitors being Canada, France,
New Zealand and United States
"The famous trophy was left in the custody of the Australian Military Authorities,
and was later handed over to the Australian War Memorial Council and placed in
the Australian War Museum.
"On 14th May, 1920, at a conference of delegates of the Australian Rowing
Associations held in Brisbane, it was decided to ask the Australian War Memorial
Council for the Cup as a perpetual trophy for the Australian Eight-Oared Championship.
This request was refused, and on 12th October of the same year a further request
was made by the Victorian Rowing Association for the Cup with the suggestion
that it be kept in the Australian War Museum of the State which won the race
each year. This request was also refused.
"The second refusal precipitated further action by the Victorian Rowing
Association, and a petition to the King prepared by it dated 30th October 1920,
and signed by Captain H C Disher, was sent to his Majesty with the request that
he make known his wishes with regard to the disposal of the trophy.
"A reply dated 13th May 1921 received from
the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Mr Winston Churchill, stated that, 'His Majesty commands me
to inform you that it is his wish that the Cup should be used as a permanent trophy and
be competed for annually in the Interstate Eight-oared Race of Australia'. "
The first Interstate Men’s Eights Championship raced for the King’s
Cup was in 1922. However for the record, the sport and the trophy itself
have recorded that crews raced for the Cup from 1920.
> See transcripts and images of these documents:
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The King’s Cup Trophy
Inscriptions
On the front of the base is inscribed:
Royal Henley Peace Regatta
1919
Presented By
King George V
to the winners of
The Allies Eight Oared Race
On the reverse side of the cup is inscribed:
| Won by Australian Imperial Force No 1 crew |
| |
St Lbs |
| Sergt A R Robb Bow |
11-10 |
| Lieut F A House No 2 |
11-12 |
| Lieut T McGill No 3 |
12-10 |
| Gunner A V Scott No 4 |
13-0 |
| Lieut H Hauenstein MM No 5 |
13-9 |
| Major S A Middleton DSO No 6 |
13-6 |
| Gunner G W Nettam No 7 |
11-12 |
| Captn H C Disher Stroke |
11-1 |
| Sergt A E Smedley Cox |
8-1 |
Other
Competitors
Oxford University, Cambridge University, Australian Imperial Force No
2 Crew, United States, Canada, New Zealand and France.
Course 1 Mile 550 yds
Final won from Oxford University by one length Time 7 minutes 7 secs.
Coaches
Lieut Colonel N Marshall DSC MC
Lieut H Ross-Soden
Inscribed on the reverse side of the base
is:
Presented by
The Australian Imperial Force No 1 crew
with the gracious concurrence of
His Majesty King George V
as a perpetual trophy for the
Australian Interstate Eight Oared Race
Inscribed on the sides of the base are:
Results
Heats: USA def France
Australia (No 1 AIF crew) def Australia (No 2 AIF crew)
Cambridge University def New Zealand
Oxford University def Canada
Semi-finals: Australia def Cambridge University
Oxford University def USA
Final: Australia def Oxford University
The AIF number 2 crew comprised:
Bow: Lt J Howieson (VIC)
2: Sgt G M Penny (SA)
3: Sgt E J Harrison (NSW)
4: Lt H A White (VIC)
5: Major W A Audsley (NSW)
6: Cpl J K Cogle MM (NSW)
7: Gnr J A Begg (SA)
Str: Lt H R Newall (VIC)
Cox: Lt O J Wood (NSW)
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< previous Early History of the Australian Intercolonial
Racing
> next Summary of Men's Eight Race Results
top of page
Whilst every effort has
been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided,
errors may exist. Please send advice of any errors or inaccuracies
by email to: andrewguerin@rowinghistory-aus.info
Also your comments, suggestions and photos are sought to enhance the site. |
The ideas and format for this history originated from the Olympic Rowing and
World Senior Rowing Championship histories written by Andrew Guerin and Margot
Foster in 1991, 1992 & 1993 for the Australian team handbooks. Andrew Guerin
has developed and extended the histories to the current format in 2004 for
publication in 2004 and 2005 and acknowledges the ongoing assistance of Margot
Foster.
© Andrew Guerin – 2004
These contents of this history are copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for
the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted
by the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written
permission.
Disclaimer: Whilst extensive efforts
have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information
supplied, the editors take no responsibility for any
loss or damage whatsoever arising from inaccuracies contained
in this work.
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