There were many imperatives for the introduction of under 23 events at the National Championships. These included selection for Australian crews in the Match des Seniors events with Australia's first representation being in 1981 andthe use of the AIS in the 1980s as a development centre focussing on under 23 rowers.
The winners of this event have usually gone onto become leading Australian oarsmen with most being Australian representatives and medallists overseas.
In recent years it has been contested by very large fileds of scullers.
Prior to this event, emerging scullers raced in the men's junior (not under 19) scull.
2000 National Champion David Crawshay
| Year | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Anthony Lovrich, Perth & Collegians, WA | Hamish McGlashan, MUBC, VIC | Brenton Terrell, Port Adelaide, SA | Bruce McNaughton, Corio Bay, VIC | 7:21.20 | ||
| 1983 | Paul Reedy, MUBC, VIC | Brenton Terrell, Port Adelaide, SA | 7:26.34 | ||||
| 1984 | Murray Doust, Drummoyne, NSW | Robert Leach, MUBC, VIC | Ed Fessey, Glebe, NSW | Andrew Fairfield-Smith, Canberra, ACT | Tony Inglis, MUBC, VIC | Andrew Palmer, Buckingham, TAS | 8:25.40 |
| 1985 | Richard Finlayson, ACT | Brice Hick, Leichhardt, NSW | Andrew Fairfield-Smith, Canberra, ACT | Peter Oxenford, Commercial, QLD | Craig Waghorn, Haberfield, NSW | Ian Carroll, UQBC, QLD | 7:33.40 |
| 1986 | Ben Gier, Narrabundah Easts, ACT | Ian Carroll, UQBC, QLD | Andrew Fairfield-Smith, Canberra, ACT | Andrew Palmer TUBC, TAS | Cameron Prout, Commercial, QLD | Gordon Marcks, ACT | 7:41.07 |
| 1987 | Ben Gier, Narrabundah Easts, ACT | 7:27.06 | |||||
| 1988 | James McKee, Ballarat City, VIC | 6:42.67 | |||||
| 1989 | Wayne Diplock, UQBC, QLD | 9:00.95 | |||||
| 1990 | M Turner, Torrens, SA | 9:01.08 | |||||
| 1991 | Craig Jones, Canberra, ACT | 7:24.80 | |||||
| 1992 | Duncan Free, Tweed Heads, QLD | 7:14.37 | |||||
| 1993 | Ron Snook, Curtin Uni, WA | 7:19.96 | |||||
| 1994 | Ralph Cruikshank, Commercial QLD | 7:20.94 | |||||
| 1995 | David Cameron, Lower Clarence, NSW | 7:24.71 | |||||
| 1996 | Martin Inglis, Sydney, NSW | 7:02.92 | |||||
| 1997 | M Quinn, ECU Perth WA | 7:48.50 | |||||
| 1998 | Peter Hardcastle, Nepean, NSW | 7:26.25 | |||||
| 1999 | Jono Fievez, ECU Perth, WA | 7:08.54 | |||||
| 2000 | David Crawshay, Mercantile, VIC | 7:15.80 | |||||
| 2001 | Mitchell Punch, Canberra, ACT | 7:10.79 | |||||
| 2002 | Scott Brennan, Lindisfarne, TAS | 7:19.84 | |||||
| 2003 | T Westgarth, Capital Lakes, ACT | 7:21.11 | |||||
| 2004 | Mitchell Punch, Canberra, ACT | Nicholas Phelps, MUBC, VIC | Patrick Storman, Sydney, NSW | David Kelly, Swan River, WA | Danjels Reedman, St George, NSW | Gareth Salkield, Commercial, QLD | 7:23.09 |
| 2005 | Sam Renton, UQBC, QLD | Anthony Males, Lindisfarne, TAS | Andrew Wilson, SUBC, NSW | David Kelly, Swan River, WA | Gareth Salkield, Commercial, QLD | Patrick Storman, Sydney, NSW | 7:11.71 |
| 2006 | James McRae, Murray Bridge, SA | Anthony Males, Lindisfarne, TAS | Sam Renton, UQBC, QLD | William Chambers, SUBC, NSW | Danjels Reedman, St George, NSW | Mitchell Estens, SUBC, NSW | 7:49.23 |
| 2007 | Danjels Reedman - St George, NSW | Sam Renton - UQBC, QLD | Steven Fletcher - Swan River, WA | Jared Bidwell - UQBC, QLD | Matthew Bolt - AUBC, SA | Jerry Ellis - ECU Perth, WA | 7:03.01 |