1972 NSW AAGPS Head of the River
King’s Rule the River (Alan Speers, Sydney Morning Herald, 09 Apr 1972)
“The King’s School, runaway winners of the 1972 GPS Head of the River yesterday, vindicated a departure from normal preparation procedure by coach Greg Moore.
A crowd estimated at about 10,000, disappointing in view of the fine weather, saw the King’s record their fifth win in six years in the GPS rowing classic.
The King’s demoralized their rivals in the 1 ½ mile race, bursting across the finishing line 2 ½ lengths in front of favourites, St Joseph’s, with Riverview a canvas away third.
They turned the event into a one-act affair over the last half-mile. Moore, coaching the school first eights for the first time, was faced with a crisis only five or six weeks ago when two of his crewmen were forced to withdraw.
Graham Wilkinson (glandular fever) and Digby Roberts (ricked back) were forced out of the crew. Moore promoted Rodney Osborne and Stephen Buzacott from the second eights to fill their places and re-shuffled almost the entire crew, with the exception of the number two oarsman, Greg Webb, and Geoff Raymond (number six).
But the move which really paid off for Moore and the King’s was the coach’s decision to take both the first and second eights to regatta at Lismore and Grafton over the Easter weekend. The first eights won Maiden, School and Open events at the two regattas – and their extra conditioning pair off in yesterday’s exciting race on the Nepean.”
Senior 1st Eight
Major Rennie Trophy
7:40.60
2 ½ lengths
Canvas
1st The King’s School – Bow: S. Buzacott, 2: G.S. Webb, 3: R. Osborne, 4: A.R. Woolnough, 5: J.R. Sharp, 6: G.A. Raymond, 7: J.B. Roberts, Str: R.F. McIntosh, Cox: G.T. Bell
2nd St Joseph’s College – Bow: P.E. Fox, 2: W.L. Williams, 3: T.A. Murray, 4: T.R. Hain, 5: F. Carbone, 6: J.D. Dwyer, 7: J.A. Reading, Str: G.L. Elliott, Cox: P.E. Clarke
3rd Riverview – Bow: S.J. Williams, 2: B.M. Cruise, 3: P.J. Webster, 4: N.J. Stiffe, 5: J.E. Coolican, 6: M.A. Coonaghan, 7: D.E. Quinn, Str: F.C. Curtin, Cox: C.G. Corcoran
4th Sydney High
5th Newington
6th Shore
7th Sydney Grammar
8th Scots
Senior 2nd Eight
7:56.80
3ft
¼ lengths
1st Newington – Bow: M.S. Bradford, 2: R.C. Whalan, 3: S.S. Smith, 4: R.P. Eu, 5: W.I. Grant, 6: K.B. Haigh, 7: J.M. Johnson, Str: A.D. Goodchild, Cox: I.C. Swane
2nd Sydney Grammar
3rd St Joseph’s College
4th The King’s School
5th Scots College
6th Shore
7th Riverview
8th Sydney High
Senior 1st Four
Yaralla Cup
5:43.30
½ Lengths
¾ lengths
1st St Joseph’s College – Bow: P.J. Comerford, 2: D.M. Curry, 3: P.F. Mack, Str: G.P. McCann, Cox: M.A. Ryan
2nd Scots College
3rd Sydney Grammar
4th The King’s School
5th Newington
6th Shore
7th Sydney High
8th Riverview
Senior 2nd Four
5:50.40
¾ lengths
½ lengths
1st The King’s School – Bow: N.J. Coleman, 2: J.C. Hamilton, 3: M.E. Hughes, Str: M.A. Woods, Cox: P.J. Hagan
2nd Riverview
3rd Scots College
4th Sydney high
5th Sydney Grammar
6th St Joseph’s College
7th Shore
8th Newington
Senior 3rd Four
5:33.00
¾ lengths
½ lengths
1st St Joseph’s College – Bow: M.F. Daniel, 2: T.E. Quigley, 3: M.A. Levy, Str: C.J. Picone, Cox: A.J. Klely
2nd Shore
3rd The King’s School
4th Riverview
5th Sydney Grammar
6th Newington
7th Scots College
8th Sydney High
Senior 4th Four
5:52.00
3ft
1st Shore – Bow: M.L. Vivers, 2: T.R. Fitzpatrick, 3: G.G. Brown, Str: S.T.F. May, Cox: T. Clark
2nd Scots College
3rd The King’s School
4th St Joseph’s College
5th Riverview
6th Newington
7th Sydney Grammar
8th Sydney High