1925-1926 Rowing Victoria State Championships

1^st Arthur Cambridge, Sandhurst

2nd H May, Hawthorn

3rd T Keogh, Banks - did not finish

The Sculling Championship was held on Saturday, 20^th February, 1926, over a 2 1/2 mile course upstream from the 42-chain mark to the 3 mile 2 chain mark. Three scullers entered but only two finished on an exceedingly hot day, over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The race resulted in an easy win for the Sandhurst representative, A. Cambridge, the time being 18 minutes 30 seconds. Mr. Cambridge is congratulated in securing his second Championship victory.

Arthur Cambridge

1^st Wendouree – Bow: Ray W B Todd, 11st., Str: John R Jopling, 12st. 1lb., Cox: J Creelman

2^nd Hawthorn

3^rd Banks

4^th Essendon

5^th Ballarat City

6^th Melbourne

7^th Barwon

The Pair-oared Championship was rowed on Lake Wendouree, Ballarat, on Saturday, 5^th June, 1926. Seven crews competed; last season’s winners were not among the entrants. The race was won by the Wendouree crew, who put up the remarkable performance of winning the event for the fourth time. The winners are heartily congratulated on their record-breaking performance.

1^st Melbourne – Bow: Theo S C Flint, 2: E J Farrell, 3: F C Borrman, Str: H A Schlichting, Cox: B Coombes, Coach: Mr Harry E Butler

2^nd Wendouree - Bow: W Ray B Todd, 2: A Hall, 3: Stan McGorm, Str: John R Jopling, Cox: T Hewitt

3^rd Albert Park - Bow: L C Brittingham, 2: E W Cook, 3: H Whitlock, Str: Walter N Ricketts, Cox: M Tregear

4^th Banks - Bow: H S Rusden, 2: W T Owen, 3: G W Ward, Str: W D Thompson, Cox: A Bailey

5^th Essendon - Bow: T L Mannix, 2: G T Weatheritt, 3: G J Adam, Str: W R Fraser, Cox: W O Dron

6^th University - Bow: H A Phillips, 2: H L Yuncken, 3: O A Uncken, Str: R H Keon-Chen, Cox: W Thornton

The Four-oared Championship was rowed over a 2 1/2 mile course from 2 chain below the 2 1/2 mile mark in Coode Canal to the 2 chain mark at Queen’s Bridge on Saturday, 12^th December, 1925, when the Melbourne Club secured its second successive victory in this event. The race was rowed with a slight tail wind.

1^st Wendouree – Bow: R G Merriman, 2: C G Hutchins, 3: R H Pierce, 4: A Hall, 5: Stanley B McGorm, 6: F N Yates, 7: W Ray B Todd, Str: John R Jopling, Cox: A King, Coach: Mr J B Suffren

2^nd Essendon - Bow: R A Jones, 2: C J Richards, 3: H E Ricketts, 4: A E Ruff, 5: T L Mannix, 6: G Weatheritt, 7: D Johnson, Str: W R Fraser, Cox: B Coombes, Cch: W Clift

3^rd Nagambie - Bow: M Sinnott, 2: A Catlin, 3: F Furlong, 4: S Gigger, 5: R Duggan, 6: A Worland, 7: V Sullivan, Str: R Worland, Cox: D Toohey,, Cch: E Horsborough

4^th Albert Park - Bow: D W Black, 2: A H Barrenger, 3: Harry R Duncan, 4: A H Allsop, 5: F H Shore, 6: W Steinle, 7: H Whitlock, Str: H Easton, Cox: M Tregear, Cch: E W Tulloch

5^th University - Bow: B T Keon-Cohen, 2: E R Turnbridge, 3: R R Webb, 4: D T Oxer, 5: H D M L Murray, 6: H L Yuncken, 7: O A Yuncken, Str: R H Keon-Cohen, cox: G H lane, Cch: Harry Ross Soden

This event was rowed over a three-mile course from the 3 mile 2 chain mark to the 2 chain mark at Queen’s Bridge on Saturday, 20^th February, 1926, being won by the Wendouree crew for the third time in succession. They are congratulated on their meritorious performance of winning for the third time in succession the Eight-oared Championship of Victoria.

1^st St Paul's Ladies – Bow: Ada Green, 2: Edna Goddard, 3: Nell Dodd, Str: Violet Clifton

2nd Preston - Bow: M Simmonds, 2: N Freeman, 3: D Cummings, Str: M Cain

Again there does not appear to have been an official Championship for the women this year and so the senior fours at the Henley on Maribyrnong held on 6th February 1926 appears to have been the defining event. The Age reported the results as follows:

Ladies' Senior Fours - Final: Bendigo (Misses A Green, E Goddard, N Dodd and N Clifton stroke) - 1: Preston (Misses M Simmonds, N Freeman, D Cummings and M Cain, stroke) - 2. Won by two lengths.

The winning crew was in fact the St Pauls Ladies Rowing Club from Bendigo pictured below. As they had won the Boland Fitzgerald trophy three years in succession, they became the permanent holders of this trophy.

Victorious St Paul's Ladies Rowing Club crew

Back row: Edna Goddard (2), Davis Wilson (coach), Nell Dodd (3). Front row: Violet Clifton (stroke), Bill Parkinson (cox), Ada Green (bow)