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rowing victoria state championships

1927-1928 Rowing Victoria State Championships

The outstanding feature of the men's races was the large entries in all events except the scull. Men's sweep oared racing was obviously most competitive and as a result, the men's championships were all won by different clubs. Hawthorn Rowing Club won it's first Championship this year.

 

Champion Men's Scull

Row Over

 

1st A H Cambridge, Bendigo

The Sculling Championship was held prior to the Eight-oared Championship on Saturday, 18th February, 1928, over a 2 1/2 mile course downstream. Mr. A. H. Cambridge was the only entrant, and, in accordance with the Rules of the Association, was obliged to row over the course to obtain the title.


Champion Men's Pair

(1 mile)

Time: 8:23.0

1st Wendouree – Bow: A Hall, Str: G Hutchins, Cox: A Brayshaw

2nd Mercantile - Bow: H R Rush, Str: R D Emms, Cox: W Green

3rd Ballarat City - Bow: A J Dixon, Str: O Hauser, Cox: O Gercovitch

4th Merbein - Bow: L McTaggart, Str: A Storer, Cox: J Gow

5th Albert Park - Bow: C Brittingham, Str: G R Patterson, Cox: G Axup

6th Hawthorn - Bow: J Murphy, Str: T Wicks, Cox: R Alexander

7th Ballarat - Bow: J Inglis, Str: H Inglis, Cox: F Suffren

8th Barwon - Bow: R Degenhardt, Str: J McLure, Cox: D Harrison

9th Bendigo - Bow: D Marrows, Str: J Hosking

Nine crews entered for the race held on Lake Wendouree, Ballarat, on Saturday, 14th January, 1928. The race was won by the Wendouree crew. Wendouree are again congratulated on their victory in the Pairs, in which race the Club has been exceedingly successful.

NB: There is a typographical error with the year - this was the 1928 race.


Champion Men's Four

(2 1/2 miles)

Time: 16:46.2

1st Hawthorn – Bow: J Murphy, 2: V Barker-Hays, 3: G Coleman, Str: T Wicks, Cox: R Alexander, Coach: George Anderson

2nd Banks

3rd Richmond

4th Albert Park

5th Barwon

6th Essendon

7th Melbourne

DNS Wendouree, Ballarat City

The Four-oared Championship was rowed over a 2 1/2 mile course from 2 chains below the 2 1/2 mile mark in Coode Canal to the 2 chain mark at Queen’s Bridge on Saturday, 17th December, 1927. Nine crews entered, Hawthorn Rowing Club winning the event for the first occasion. Wendouree and Ballarat City did not start. Hawthorn are heartily congratulated on their initial victory in the event.

The victorious Hawthorn Four


Champion Men's Eight

(3 miles*)

Time: 18:19.0

1st Melbourne – Bow: T S Flint, 2: G K McLeod, 3: G O Heyward, 4: J B McFarlane, 5: F C Borrman, 6: E V Porter, 7: B C Edwards, Str: H Schlichting, Cox: J Dutton, Coach: Mr E Horsburgh

2nd Hawthorn

3rd Ballarat

4th Richmond

5th Banks

6th Mercantile - Bow: J A Greenshields, 2: A R Shannon, 3: H G Guin, 4: James G Sprigg, 5: W C Haworth, 6: J L Mounsey, 7: Jack South, Str: Cecil N McKay, Cox: M Green, Cch: Alex B Sloan

7th Albert Park

8th University

Rowed over a three-mile course from the 3 mile 2 chain mark to the 2 chain mark at Queen’s Bridge on Saturday, 18th February, 1928, being won by the Melbourne crew. *Owing to a dredge being working at the starting post, it was necessary to reduce the distance about 250 yards. The race was rowed in Clinker boats, due to a shortage of best boats consequent upon the fires during the previous season.

This race was not without controversy. The Mercantile crew collided at the start and claimed that their chances of success were materially affected and that the starters commands could not be heard from their lane. The umpire could not see the incident given that his launch had broken down and his view was blocked by two boats between him and the incident. Whilst the collision was admitted, the appeal was dismissed. An appeal was lodged but also dismissed. 


Champion Women's Four

Time: Not recorded

No record can be found of the Championships this year. A newspaper report on Monday 13th February indicated that a meeting would be held to set that date for the VLRA regatta, at which Championships were held and arrangements for the Interstate Championships. It also indicated that the VLRA regatta would most likely be conducted prior to Easter.

The following week, the report on the meeting in The Argus indicated that the VLRA Regatta would be postponed until after the interstate races as several of the clubs found it difficult to train crews for both events.

No subsequent regatta has yet been located. Victoria was represented at the Interstate Championships by what appears to be a YWCA crew.


Sources

Victorian Rowing Association, Reports 1903 - 1944.

Mercantile Rowing Club Annual Report

Pairs program from the Rowing Victoria records 

Hawthorn Four from Hawthorn Rowing Club

The Argus, Monday 13th February 1928, page 9, sourced from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3910538

The Argus, Monday 20th February 1928, page 5, sourced from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article3912104

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