This has always been a fiercely contested event whether a selection race or not. As with the men's under 23 sculling event, the top male sweep oared rowers figure prominantly in this event. By way of example, the picture opposite shows Olympic Champions Michael McKay and Andrew Cooper.

1985 National Champions from Mercantile
| Year | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Equal 1st - UQBC, QLD | Equal 1st - Perth & Collegians / ANA, WA | Torrens, SA | Lindisfarne, TAS | AUBC, SA | Lismore, QLD | 7:21.00 |
| 1983 | Lindisfarne, TAS | AUBC, SA | Bunbury / ANA, WA | 7:19.95 | |||
| 1984 | ACT | Tamar, TAS | Mosman, NSW | SUBC / Sydney, NSW | SUBC / Nepean, NSW | Corio Bay, VIC | 8:25.4 |
| 1985 | Mercantile No 1, VIC | Commercial, QLD | Tamar, TAS | Toowong, QLD | Buckingham / Ulverston, TAS | Swan River No 1, WA | 7:02.20 |
| 1986 | Mercantile No 2, VIC | Toowong / Commercial, QLD | Mercantile No 1, VIC | Commercial, QLD | Torrens, SA / Mercantile, VIC | Banks, VIC | NTT |
| 1987 | Mercantile, VIC | 7:02.11 | |||||
| 1988 | Mercantile, VIC | NTT | |||||
| 1989 | Mosman, NSW | 7:45.37 | |||||
| 1990 | WAIS, WA | 7:16.50 | |||||
| 1991 | Sydney, NSW | 6:56.70 | |||||
| 1992 | Commercial / Toowong, QLD | 6:52.79 | |||||
| 1993 | Banks, VIC | 6:48.79 | |||||
| 1994 | UTS Haberfield, NSW | 6:47.77 | |||||
| 1995 | Sydney, NSW | 6:40.39 | |||||
| 1996 | Mercantile, VIC | 6:52.26 | |||||
| 1997 | Swan River, WA | 7:07.48 | |||||
| 1998 | MUBC, VIC | 7:14.21 | |||||
| 1999 | Mercantile, VIC | 6:42.21 | |||||
| 2000 | MUBC, VIC | 6:42.90 | |||||
| 2001 | Swan River, WA | 6:39.15 | |||||
| 2002 | Sydney / SUBC, NSW | 7:04.43 | |||||
| 2003 | UQBC, QLD | 7:15.32 | |||||
| 2004 | UQBC, QLD | UQBC, QLD | SUBC, NSW | Mersey, TAS | Adelaide, SA | Corio Bay, VIC | 7:10.14 |
| 2005 | SUBC No 1, NSW | UQBC / Commercial, QLD | Mercantile No2, VIC | UQBC No 2, QLD | SUBC No 2, NSW | Mercantile No 1, VIC | 6:44.12 |
| 2006 | SUBC, NSW | SUBC, NSW | UBBC, QLD | UWA / Swan River, WA | MUBC, VIC | Wendouree Ballarat / Mercantile, VIC | 7:59.61 |
| 2007 | SUBC, NSW | Bunbury, WA | SUBC, NSW | SUBC, NSW | AUBC, SA | TUBC, TAS | 6:51.26 |
