1953 SATIS Head of the River
Saturday, April 18 - Derwent River
First Four:
6 crews raced over 1⅛ mile on the Derwent River for the 1953 Head of the River title:
- The Friends’ School
- Hutchins School
- Launceston Church Grammar School
- Scotch College
- St. Patrick’s College, and
- St. Virgil’s College
An estimated 3,000 people were along the shores of the Derwent, according to The Mercury. The conditions were challenging due to a strong tail breeze. St. Virgil’s College managed to win the premier race two lengths ahead of both Launceston Church Grammar and Scotch who dead-heated. This was St. Virgil’s 3rd ever title, with the other two coming in 1935 and 1951.
Second Four:
The same 6 schools in the first’s category were represented in the seconds category:
- The Friends’ School
- Hutchins School
- Launceston Church Grammar School
- Scotch College
- St. Patrick’s College, and
- St. Virgil’s College
The Mercury reported that St. Virgil’s also won the seconds race over the ½ mile distance by three-quarters of a length.
Third Four:
Four crews raced in the third’s category:
- The Friends’ School
- Hutchins School
- Launceston Church Grammar School, and
- St. Virgil’s College
The Mercury wrote that Launceston Church Grammar won the thirds race by ¾'s-of-a-length.
Fourth Four:
Four crews also raced the fourths category; the first time there was a fourths race at the Head of the River:
- The Friends’ School
- Launceston Church Grammar School, and
- St. Virgil’s College 1 & 2
Friends won by a length over Launceston Grammar, as written by The Mercury.
First Four:
The Mercury reported the following of St. Virgil’s convincing display:
“Friends' gained the best start from St. Virgil's, Scotch, and Hutchins. St. Virgil's rated 38 and exploited a powerful leg drive and smart catch to take the lead from Scotch after about 100 yards. Scotch was rowing with, good precision and not throwing up much water, but lacked length and drive through the water. At the half-way mark, St. Virgil's was more than a length clear of Scotch and was moving away with every stroke. Hutchins and St. Patrick's had dropped well back. Rating a steady 30, St. Virgil's crossed the finishing line two lengths in front of Grammar and Scotch.”
Winners of the 1953 Golden Fleece Cup for First Fours - St. Virgil's College
(Source: The Mercury, 17 April 1953)
Second Four:
The Mercury wrote of the seconds race:
“Good watermanship won St. Virgil's the race. Half-way down the course St. Virgil's led Hutchins narrowly, but Hutchins struck trouble in the choppy conditions near the finish and St. Virgil's drew away to a three quarter-length win.”
Third Four:
The Mercury wrote:
“The contest was even until 50 yards from the finish, when St. Virgil's struck trouble in the backwash from the 'bridge. Grammar lifted its rating to 36, and forged ahead to win by three-quarters of a length.”
Fourth Four:
The Mercury wrote that The Friends' School won by a length over Launceston Church Grammar.
Organising Committee:
Tasmanian Rowing Association
Officials:
Starter: Mr. D. Large
First Four
Golden Fleece Cup
1⅛ miles
No Time Taken
Margins: 2 lengths
1st St. Virgil’s College – Bow: G. Howard, 2: J. Wilmshurst, 3: R. Smart, Str: W. Egan, Cox: J. Colrain
=2nd Scotch College – Bow: O. Davis, 2: J. McKenzie, 3: R. B. Cullen, Str: P. G. Bird, Cox: M. Tandy
=2nd Launceston Church Grammar – Bow: C. M. V. Roff, 2: E. M. Taylor, 3: M. J. Fisher, Str: J. C. Edis, Cox: P. J. Hetherington
4th The Friends’ School – Bow: C. Wright, 2: C. Campbell, 3: G. Taylor, Str: K. Gunn, Cox: D. Rattray-Smith
5th Hutchins School – Bow: N. Levis, 2: R. Purdon, 3: B. Butler, Str: J. Milington, Cox: M. Page
6th St. Patrick’s College – Bow: E. Compton, 2: E. Koleits, 3: G. Bennett, Str: P. Bennett, Cox: B. Hoy
Second Four
½ mile
No Time Taken
Margins: ¾, 2 lengths
1st St. Virgil’s College – Bow: B. J. Doyle, 2: D. J. McMahon, 3: J. E. Shirley, Str: P. B. Youl, Cox: G. P. Harrington
2nd Hutchins School – Bow: H. Foster, 2: J. Sorell, 3: H. Lindsay, Str: J. Rankin, Cox: P. Calvert
3rd Launceston Church Grammar – (crew unknown)
4th The Friends’ School – (crew unknown)
5th St. Patrick’s College – (crew unknown)
6th Scotch College – (crew unknown)
Third Four
½ mile
No Time Taken
Margins: ¾, 2 lengths
1st Launceston Church Grammar – Bow: R. P. Wyly, 2: P. A. V. Roff, 3: V. C. Holyman, Str: J. C. Platt, Cox: D. B. Scott
2nd St. Virgil’s College – (crew unknown)
3rd The Friends’ School – (crew unknown)
4th Hutchins School – Bow: J. Dunn, 2: A. Godfrey, 3: T. Bowden, Str: I. Parker, Cox: P. Brammall
Fourth Four
½ mile
No Time Taken
Margins: 1, 2 lengths
1st The Friends’ School – Bow: D. Evans, 2: A. Elrick, 3: J. Gaul, Str: R. Barratt, Cox: L. Upchurch
2nd Launceston Church Grammar – (crew unknown)
3rd St. Virgil’s College 1 – (crew unknown)
4th St. Virgil’s College 2 – (crew unknown)
Sources
Hutchins School Magazine, December 1953
ST. VIRGIL’S EASY WIN IN HEAD-OF-RIVER (1953, 20 April), The Mercury (Hobart, Tas.: 1860 – 1954), p. 16, Retrieved 11 June 2020, from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/27133412
Who Will Be Head of River? (1953, 17 April), The Mercury (Hobart, Tas.: 1860 – 1954), p. 10, Retrieved 11 June 2020, from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/27129622