1908-1909 Rowing Victoria State Championships

1^st A Richards, South Melbourne

2^nd Harold D Brash, Mercantile

Lower Yarra, October 10^th, 1908. This event was decided under favorable conditions, A Richards gaining the distinction from Harold Brasch by a good margin. The South Melbourne Club is to be sincerely congratulated on having for the first time secured Championship honours.

1^st Civil Service – Bow: J Howieson, Str: W L B Anketell, Cox: S A Jeram

2^nd Albert Park

3^rd Nagambie

4^th Seymour

5^th Banks

6^th Mercantile - Bow: H E Stevens, Str: Lisle Jones, Cox: C Bennett

7^th Footscray City

8^th South Melbourne

9^th Yarra Yarra

The record entry of nine crews was received for this event, and, owing to this fact, the race was started at the “Tunnel”, that being the widest part of the river. Boisterous weather somewhat spoilt the effect of nine crews starting abreast, but the Civil Service representatives – Bow: J Howieson, Str: W L B Anketell, Cox: S A Jeram – by an excellent display of oarsmanship, gained a victory by two lengths. The race was conducted on 16th January 1909 with a record entry of nine crews.

1^st Nagambie – Bow: J Welch, 2: T Vickers, 3: F Catlin, Str: W Heath, Cox: D C Carter

2^nd Footscray City

3^rd Mercantile - Bow: G Logan, 2: William Potter, 3: M K Moses, Str: Percy C Ivens, Cox: W Totton

4^th Albert Park

5^th Civil Service

Lower Yarra, November 28^th, 1908. The twenty-first race for this event was contested by five crews, the largest entry since 1890, and was finely won by the Nagambie Club’s representatives. The race was rowed in record time, and the winners were heartily congratulated on their excellent performance.

Whilst not the start of this race, a view of a start at this time on the Lower Yarra

1^st Albert Park – Bow: J Wright, 2: W Weekes, 3: J Johnstone, 4: D McNaughtan, 5: F Johnson, 6: C H Kohn, 7: MG Scott, Str: Charles Donald, Cox: B Arnold

2^nd Footscray City

3^rd Nagambie

4^th Mercantile - Bow: G Ferguson, 2: G Logan, 3: H F Stevens, 4: William Potter, 5: M C Brown, 6: J J Fogarty, 7: A Moore, Str: Lisle Jones, Cox: C Bennett

5^th Yarra Yarra

6^th Banks

In this race the number of crews starting constituted a record, and for this reason special permission, much appreciated, was obtained from the Melbourne Harbor Trust Commissioners to row the event over the course finishing at the Crane. It was witnessed by a great assemblage of the public, the sight presented by the six competing eight-oared crews being magnificent.