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rowing victoria state championships

1888 Rowing Victoria State Championships

Unofficial championship racing was undertaken from as early as 1860 with the formation of the Melbourne Regatta. The Melbourne Regatta was clearly the pinnacle of amateur racing in Victoria and the Grand Challenge Cup certainly the championship race of that time.

However it was not until after the formation of the Victorian Rowing Association in 1876 that consideration was given to formalising Victorian Championships. By 1888, such annual Championships were established and were the most important rowing events of the year.

The boatsheds at the old Princes Bridge in the mid 1880s

Note the sprawling Edwards Boatsheds which housed most rowing clubs, the original bridge, Brickmakers Swamp behind the sheds, the swamps of St Kilda Road and in the distance Albert Park Lake.

 

Champion Men's Scull

(2 3/4 miles)

Time: 22:35

1st J C Fitzgerald, Williamstown

2nd Edward R Ainley, Yarra Yarra

3rd J Gilbert, Corio Bay

4th P J Fogarty, Yarra Yarra


Champion Men's Four

(3 1/4 mile)

Time: 19:32

1st Wendouree - Bow: S Wilson, 2: W Archibald, 3: J Mathieson, Str: W Gierck, Cox: H Kemp 

2nd Banks

3rd Corio Bay

4th Yarra Yarra

5th Melbourne


Sources

The Victorian Oarsman with a Rowing Register, by John Lang, published by A H Massina and Company 1919.

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