Australians at 1958 Henley Royal Regatta

Leichhardt Rowing Club (NSW)

Bow: Bruce L Evans (NSW) 
2: Neville J Clinton (NSW)
3: Ralfe R Currall (NSW)
4: Victor A Schweikert (NSW) 
5: Kenneth P Railton (NSW) 
6: Peter R Waddington (NSW)
7: Graeme K Allan (NSW) 
Str: Kevin J Evans (NSW) 
Cox: Lionel P Robberds (NSW)
Cch: Dr Eric O Longley (NSW)

This crew was the Australian crew to compete at 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games at Cardiff Wales racing under Leichhardt colours. The crew defeated Thames Rowing Club in the heat but were defeated by the Russians rowing under the Trud Club colours in the final by 2 1/2 lengths.

The crew at the Test Race at Ballarat for Commonwealth Games/Henley Royal selection

Sydney Rowing Club (NSW) - Stuart Mackenzie

Round 1 - Mackenzie defeated R D Carver of First and Third Trinity, Cambridge easily.

Semi-final - Mackenzie defeated G C Justicz of Birmingham Rowing Club by 1 1/2 lengths. The Australian was several lengths in front before he slowed down to allow Justicz to catch up. A couple spurts were also added for colour.

Final - Ivanov started at 40½, Mackenzie at 40 . Ivanov led by a canvas at the¼ mile, by¾ length at the Barrier and by½ length at the½ mile. Ivanov was down to 29, but Mackenzie was not below 31 throughout. They were level at Fawley. Mackenzie made a sustained spurt at 32 and led by several lengths at the Mile. Ivanov at 25 dropped further and further behind. The time to the Barrier was a new Record and the time to Fawley equalled the Record.

Stuart was up to his tricks again angering the stewards. The situation is well described in Harry Gordon's book Young Men in a Hurry as follows. 

Significantly, by the time the 1958 Diamond Sculls arrived, the regatta rules had been altered drastically. So much controversy had surrounded the giant Australian's win the previous year that any rower moving into an opponent's lane, even when well ahead, would now be automatically disqualified. It made little difference; he beat the Russian by 20 lengths, but still managed to have him­self hooted (rather politely, of course) and accused by some of the starchier critics of "bad form". He raised his cap, while still con­testing the race, and nodded genially to the crowd on the lawns. Taxed about this behaviour later, Mackenzie retorted: "You can call it swank if you want to ... actually I was just being polite." 

In the final the red-vested Russian led at the halfway mark-to which point both had equalled the 28-year-old record for the distance-but he folded up soon after. Then Mackenzie cut loose with superb power and style, and his bulky blue singlet went farther and farther away. Yards before he reached the winning post the Australian had stopped sculling to glide home-and as he passed the press box he could be heard bellowing to the occupants: "Sorry I couldn't do any better, boys ... I've got a bad back." Having passed the line, he promptly turned round and sculled back about 50 yards along the course, bobbing and grinning to fans and officials-most of whom gazed on stonily. This victory row was construed by rowing writers as a "typically flamboyant Mackenzie gesture", and it was certainly quite unprecedented at Henley. But when I asked him about it a few days later, he explained: "Look, all I wanted to do was shake hands with that poor bloke Ivanov. He was feeling pretty bad." 

Mackenzie and Ivanov in 1958

Leichhardt Rowing Club (NSW) - Bow: Steve Roll (steers) and Str: Kevyn Webb

Roll and Webb started at 40 1/2, continued at 34 and were not below 32 throughout. The Russians Buldakov and Ivanov started at 36 and led by 2 lengths at the 1/4 mile. They settled to 32 and were several lengths ahead by Fawley. The final margin was easily.

Sydney Rowing Club (NSW) - Bow: Murray Riley and Str: Mervyn Wood (NSW)

Riley and Wood started at 38, Baker and Spracklen at 40. They were level at the top of the Island. Riley and Wood led by½ length at the¼ mile and at the Barrier. Baker & Sprack­len kept going at 33, were only ¼ length down at the ½ mile and were level at Fawley. They then drew steadily ahead at 32 and had ¾ length at the ¾ mile and 1 ½ lengths at the Mile. The finish was tight with Riley and Wood going down by 2/3 length.