1886-1889 Intercolonial Championships

1st VIC – Bow: E R Ainley, 2: F J Taylor, 3: W J Leverett, 4: S H Gowdie, 5: Alex Chamley, 6: C A P Moline, 7: C A Champion, Str: R D Booth, Cox: H Kempf. Average weight 11st 5lb.
2nd NSW – Bow: Nick Johnson, 2: George G Robertson, 3: W (Bill) G Brett, 4: H H Pickering, 5: J Edward H Kennedy, 6: J A Brodie, 7: G Searle, Str: Charles A Bros, Cox: S Ferguson, Cch: W (Bill) G Brett. Average weight 11st 2lb.

A new boat was commissioned for the NSW crew from R Fuller in Melbourne.

1st VIC – Bow: E R Ainley, 2: F J Taylor, 3: C F Thomas, 4: S H Gowdie, 5: Alex Chamley, 6: J L Bannister, 7: C A P Moline, Str: R D Booth, Cox: C J Grant. Average weight 11st 9lb.
2nd NSW – Bow: G Searle, 2: W C Freeman, 3: J Gerald Kennedy, 4: W Martin, 5: J Fraser, 6: J E (Ted) Kennedy, 7: Nick Johnson, Str: Charles A Bros, Cox: J (Sid) Hellings, Cch: John Myers, Selectors: Charles Bros, John Myers & Albert Goodyear. Average weight 11st 10lb.

Again only two colonies competed. Prior to the race, the NSW Rowing Association objected to the inclusion of W G Leverett in the Victorian crew, as he was a registered bookmaker and not a bona fide amateur.

The Victorian Rowing Association decided he was eligible to row. Leverett resigned from the crew to resolve the issue. The Victorian crew, without Leverett, won the race.

Good things were expected of the NSW crew but they were not fulfilled with a 4 1/2 length loss. It was not assisted by a crab by both Gerald Kennedy and another crew member losing their slides.

1st VIC – Bow: H Oxlade, 2: E R Ainley, 3: F G Payne, 4: E Hopkins, 5: C A P Moline, 6: R B Nicolson, 7: Alex Chamley, Str: S H Gowdie, Cox: H C Edwards. Average weight 11st 7lb.
2nd NSW – Bow: Nick Johnston, 2: F J Payne, 3: J A Brodie, 4: W Martin, 5: J Fraser, 6: J E (Ted) Kennedy, 7: J Gerald Kennedy, Str: Charles Dobson, Cox: J (Sid) Hellings, Cch: Jim Clark, Selectors: Charles Bros, Jim Oatley & John Myers. Average weight 11st 9lb.

Considerable controversy surrounded the selection of the NSW crew. The NSW selectors, namely Bros, Oatley & Myers, were called upon to resign after submission of the names of the crew which excluded prominent oarsmen of the time, namely Johnson and the Kennedys.

The crew was finally selected with these oarsmen included. Bros, as well as selector, was named as stroke. He withdrew from the crew and was also asked to resign as treasurer for neglect of duties.

The race was closely contested until Dobson crabbed and the crew stopped rowing. The Victorians were queried over two crew members who were saddlers. The Victorians responded by saying that they were eligible under their rules.

1st VIC – Bow: H Oxlade, 2: F G Payne, 3: W Watson, 4: J L Bannister, 5: E Hopkins, 6: R B Nicolson, 7: Alex Chamley, Str: S H Gowdie, Cox: E Hobson. Average weight 11st 11lb.
2nd NSW – Bow: R S Thompson, 2: F Hooker, 3: W C McDonald, 4: W Bellbridge, 5: J Carlton, 6: F Bellbridge, 7: J Collins, Str: T McDonald, Cox: A Chate, Selector: Albert Goodyear. Average weight 11st 12lb.

This was the second intercolonial event of 1888. It had been proposed by NSW that the race should be held in November rather than April/May and this was achieved in November 1888.

Whilst George Upward described the Victorian crew as one of the strongest to ever row for Victoria, the NSW crew suffered from the withdrawal of the Sydney Rowing Club oarsmen. The result by the NSW crew was therefore called as "a plucky performance" by Alan May in Sydney Rows.

The amateur question was raised again with the result that the each colony agreed to race under their respective rules.

1st VIC – Bow: H Oxlade, 2: F G Payne, 3: J L Bannister, Str: George Upward, Cox: unknown
2nd NZL (Napier & Canterbury Rowing Clubs) - Bow: E M Boulton, 2: F A Styche, 3; H F Nichol, Str: A L Smith, Cox: unknown
3rd NSW
4th TAS (Tamar Rowing Club)

A scheme was hatched to send an Australian crew to England being representative of all colonies. A test race in NSW was held for this purpose. Entries from Tasmania, NSW, Victoria and New Zealand competed.

Interest in the tour waned. In December NSW suggested that each of Victoria and NSW nominate 5 oarsmen, cox and coach. The VRA held a meeting in February to raise funds but the attendance was so disappointing that the matter was abandoned. NSW also decided to not to proceed with the first Australian representative crew.

1st VIC – Bow: W Hatch, 2: F G Payne, 3: W Watson, 4: A Jenkins, 5: Stephen Fairbairn, 6: R B Nicolson, 7: D Blair, Str: R D Booth, Cox: H C Edwards. Average weight 12st.
2nd NSW – Bow: J A Smith, 2: Stewart A Tiley, 3: William Mead Reynolds, 4: F A Styche, 5: G G McGill, 6: W C Freeman, 7: Nathaniel J McDonald, Str: John Thompson, Cox: J (Sid) Hellings, Selector: John Blackman. Average weight 11st 1lb.

The Victorian crew started favourite and justified this standard taking a margin at the start and moving this out to three lengths by the finish. The crew contained the great Stephen Fairbairn who recounted later “the old coach told me years after [the crew] was the best crew Victoria ever had.”