The regatta was conducted on the Upper Yarra on the new Henley course. The new course enabled a final containing three crews.
The very succesful Henley on the Yarra Regatta enabled many other river improvements to be made to the area of the Henley staging and Henley lawns. This followed the significant changes to the course of the river made last in the last century.
Geelong College joined the Head of the River in fine style finishing second behind Scotch College.
The six schools now enabled three heats of two crews and a three crew final. This system continued until 1961 except for the war years of 1942 and 1943.
A losers final was introduced in 1943.
Head of the River
Time: 5:01.0
Margin: 1 1/2 lengths and 3 lengths
1st Scotch College - Bow: Clive S Steele, 2:P Athol H J Harding, 3: Ashley R Grist, 4: Keith M Edmunds, 5: Albert E V Hartkopf, 6: Olaf F de Lacy, 7: Frank O Robertson, Str: Howard C Morrison, Cox: William c Totton, Cch: Alexander B Sloan
2nd Geelong College - Bow: J V Pearce, 2: J G Kininmonth, 3: E J Phillips, 4: J D Blair, 5: P G Pullar, 6: W B McCulloch, 7: J B Gibson, Str: G C McNeilage, Cox: G D Atherton, Cch: William H Pincott
3rd Xavier College - Bow: Edgar Burne, 2: H Caulfield, 3: T O'Brien, 4: J Whitty, 5: F Alston, 6: P Morrissey, 7: R MacGillicuddy, Str: Gordon Kirby, Cox: A Cussen, Cch: Jack Fogarty
Other crew competing were:
Geelong Grammar - Bow: F Austin, 2: F H Lascelles, 3: B W Briggs, 4: C N Armytage, 5: E L Smith, 6: A G Hunter, 7: W H Godby, Str: J E Roe, Cox: R Chomley, Cch: A F Garrard
Melbourne Grammar - Bow: F G Moule, 2: A F Jolley, 3: K G Jamieson, 4: E S Anderson, 5: H L Baillieu, 6: W P Austin, 7: C L Baillieu, Str: C M Williams, Cox: I C Watt
Wesley College - Cch: Charles Donald
Known heat results:
E1: 1st XC, 2nd MGS, see below for details
The heats brought out some very interesting results. Melbourne Grammar met a maligned Xavier crew in the heat. Xavier had a fast start and maintained a lead into the final stages of the race. Melbourne Grammar were beginning to overhaul the Xavierians, when the Grammar cox steered off course, causing a clash with Xavier and for Xavier to stop rowing. Melbourne Grammar won by a canvas. A protest by Xavier was upheld and Xavier raced in their first final.
1908 Xavier Crew
Photo reproduced from "Lift her home to victory, lads, a centerary history of Xavier College Rowing" by Michael Lefebvre