1948 SATIS Head of the River
Saturday, April 10 - Tamar River
First Four:
The 1948 edition returned to the Tamar with 6 entrants over the one-mile course:
- The Friends’ School
- Hutchins School
- Launceston Church Grammar School
- Scotch College
- St. Patrick’s College, and
- St. Virgil’s College
Conditions for the race were ideal for racing, according to The Mercury. Scotch College got into the lead early into the race, and managed to win by a length over Hutchins School. This was Scotch’s first ever win (involving both schools from the North and South of Tasmania) of the title race, earning the Golden Fleece Cup. It also broke Launceston Church Grammar’s stranglehold of the blue-ribband event, as they had won the event the previous 4 years, to which they only managed 4th place.
Second Four:
4 crews raced in the Second Four category in 1948:
- The Friends’ School
- Hutchins School
- Launceston Church Grammar School
- Scotch College
The Mercury noted that Launceston Church Grammar won by a convincing 5 lengths over Hutchins School.
Third Four:
2 crews raced in the third category in 1948:
- Launceston Church Grammar School
- Scotch College
The Mercury explained that Launceston Church Grammar's dominance was on display again, as they won by 7 lengths.
First Four:
The Mercury provided this report of Scotch College’s breakthrough victory:
“The race was rowed over lively water, and a large crowd attended. Four crews, Scotch, Hutchins, Friends, and Grammar, were bunched, but Scotch College, whose boat was running well, nosed to the front early in the race. Friends’ hung on to Scotch for the first half of the race, but this crew's challenge died, and was taken up by Hutchins. The strongly-fancied Grammar, crew, on the inside course, was stroking rather too slowly to take advantage of the lively water. Scotch threw off the challenges of Friends and Hutchins, to win easily by a length, with Hutchins a canvas in front of Friends, and Grammar in fourth place.”
Scotch College (left) winning the Head of the River for the first time in 1948
(Source: The Examiner, 12 April 1948)
.jpg)
Winners of the 1948 Golden Fleece Cup for First Fours - Scotch College
(Source: The Mercury, 12 April 1948)
Second Four:
The Mercury noted that Launceston Church Grammar won by a convincing 5 lengths over Hutchins School.
Third Four:
The Mercury explained that Launceston Church Grammar's dominance was on display again, as they won by 7 lengths.
Organising Committee:
Tasmanian Rowing Association
Officials:
(unknown)
First Four
Golden Fleece Cup
1 mile
No Time Taken
Margin: 1 length, 1 canvas
1st Scotch College – Bow: I. Campbell, 2: A. Brown, 3: G. Mayhead, Str: G. Dawson, Cox: A. Wright
2nd Hutchins School – Bow: R. D. Cuthbert, 2: A. R. Cumming, 3: D. Scalfe, Str: H. J. Thompson, Cox: M. Darcey
3rd The Friends’ School – Bow: P. Hindrum, 2: L. Brownell, 3: J. Ibbott, Str: D. Holder, Cox: S. Lester
4th Launceston Church Grammar – (crew unknown)
5th St. Virgil’s College – (crew unknown)
6th St. Patrick’s College – (crew unknown)
Second Four
½ mile
No Time Taken
Margin: 5 lengths, 1 canvas
1st Launceston Church Grammar – Bow: L. Grey, 2: A. Henty, 3: W. Ward, Str: D. Stephens, Cox: G. O’Brien
2nd Hutchins School – Bow: E. G. Butler, 2: J. P. Morris, 3: K. J. Hughes, Str: A. J. Hay, Cox: J. Biggs
3rd The Friends’ School – (crew unknown)
4th Scotch College – (crew unknown)
Third Four
½ mile
No Time Taken
Margin: 7 lengths
1st Launceston Church Grammar – Bow: P. R. Jones, 2: G. Nixon, 3: A. Pike, Str: P. Luck, Cox: G. O’Brien
2nd Scotch College – (crew unknown)
Sources
CONGRATULATIONS (1948, 12 April), The Mercury (Hobart, Tas.: 1860 – 1954), p. 10, Retrieved 3 June 2020, from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/26455709
HEAD OF THE RIVER (1948, 12 April), Examiner (Launceston, Tas.: 1900 – 1954), p. 11, Retrieved 3 June 2020, from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/52632847
HEAD-OF-RIVER WON BY SCOTCH (1948, 12 April), The Mercury (Hobart, Tas.: 1860 – 1954), p. 10, Retrieved 3 June 2020, from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/26455715
Hutchins School Magazine, June 1948