This event commenced in 1963 and has been won more by Melbourne University than any other. Many world champion lightweight oarsmen have won this event.
This event moved from coxed to coxless in 2004.

Sir Fred Schonell Trophy
| Year | Winner | Second | Third | Fourth | Fifth | Sixth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Melbourne | Adelaide | Sydney | Tasmania | Queensland | NSW |
| 1964 | Melbourne | Adelaide | Sydney | Tasmania | Western Australia | Queensland |
| 1965 | No contest | |||||
| 1966 | Adelaide | Sydney | Melbourne | Other placings unknown | ||
| 1967 | Melbourne | Sydney | Queensland | Monash | Adelaide | Western Australia |
| 1968 | Sydney | Melbourne | Adelaide | Western Australia | ||
| 1969 | Melbourne | Western Australia | Adelaide | ANU | Queensland | |
| 1970 | Melbourne | ANU | Adelaide | NSW | Sydney | Western Australia |
| 1971 | Melbourne | ANU =2nd | Adelaide =2nd | Queensland | Monash | |
| 1972 | Melbourne | Queensland | NSW | Sydney | Monash | |
| 1973 | Melbourne | Adelaide | NSW | Newcastle | ||
| 1974 | Adelaide | Melbourne | Sydney | NSW | Monash | |
| 1975 | Melbourne | Adelaide | NSW | Sydney | Flinders | |
| 1976 | Melbourne | Monash | Tasmania | Adelaide | ANU | |
| 1977 | Adelaide | Melbourne | ANU | Sydney | Tasmania | NSW |
| 1978 | Melbourne | Adelaide | Sydney | ANU | Queensland | Tasmania |
| 1979 | Melbourne | Queensland | ANU | UNSW | Sydney | |
| 1980 | Melbourne | ANU | Queensland | Other placings unknown | ||
| 1981 | Melbourne | Western Australia | ANU | Adelaide | Sydney | Royal Military College - Duntroon |
| 1982 | Melbourne | ANU | Queensland | Sydney | Macquarie | |
| 1983 | Queensland | Melbourne | NSW | |||
| 1984 | Melbourne | Monash | Sydney | Adelaide | University of NSW | |
| 1985 | Melbourne | University of WA | Sydney | |||
| 1986 | Melbourne | Sydney | Macquarie | New South Wales | ||
| 1987 | Melbourne | Adelaide | New South Wales | |||
| 1988 | Queensland | NSW | Melbourne | |||
| 1989 | Melbourne | ANU | Monash | Sydney | Macquarie | Adelaide |
| 1990 | Queensland | Melbourne | ANU | Macquarie | Sydney | New South Wales |
| 1991 | Melbourne | Queensland | Adelaide | |||
| 1992 | Melbourne | ANU | Sydney | |||
| 1993 | Queensland | |||||
| 1994 | Western Australia | Melbourne | Tasmania | |||
| 1995 | Melbourne | Macquarie | ||||
| 1996 | Sydney | |||||
| 1997 | Queensland | New South Wales | ||||
| 1998 | Melbourne | |||||
| 1999 | Sydney | |||||
| 2000 | Sydney | ANU | Macquarie | NSW | ||
| 2001 | Sydney | Melbourne | NSW | ANU | Macquarie | |
| 2002 | Sydney | Melbourne | Western Australia | New South Wales | ADFA | |
| 2003 | Queensland | Adelaide | Western Australia | Newcastle | NSW | Macquarie |
| 2004 | Melbourne | Sydney | Tasmania-Hobart | Western Australia | Adelaide | NSW |
| 2005 | Melbourne | ANU | Queensland | Sydney | Adelaide | Macquarie |
| 2006 | Adelaide | Melbourne | Sydney | ANU | LaTrobe | Newcastle |
| 2007 | Sydney | Macquarie | Adelaide | Melbourne | Monash | ANU |
| 2008 | Sydney | Newcastle | ANU |
