1954 SATIS Head of the River
Saturday, April 24 - Tamar River
First Four:
6 crews contested the 1954 Golden Fleece Cup, on the Tamar River over 1⅛ mile:
- The Friends’ School
- Hutchins School
- Launceston Church Grammar School
- Scotch College
- St. Patrick’s College, and
- St. Virgil’s College
The Examiner wrote that despite the day was met by pouring rain, hundreds of spectators still lined the shores. In calm water, Launceston Church Grammar took the lead early in the race and never looked back, winning the Golden Fleece Cup by an impressive four lengths over Hutchins. The pre-race favourites and 1953 winners St. Virgil’s could only manage 3rd.
Second Four:
Over ½ mile, the same 6 crews entered in the seconds division:
- 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 made it back-to-back in the seconds division to win by ¾ length.
Third Four:
5 crews started in the Third Four category:
- The Friends’ School
- Hutchins School
- Launceston Church Grammar School
- St. Patrick’s College, and
- St. Virgil’s College
Launceston Church Grammar won the thirds division by a length over St. Virgil’s, with Hutchins behind in 3rd as reported by The Mercury.
Fourth Four:
There was a large entry in the fourths division with some schools having multiple entries:
- The Friends’ School
- Hutchins School 1 & 2,
- Launceston Church Grammar School 1, 2 & 3,
- St. Patrick’s College, and
- St. Virgil’s College 1 & 2
In this 9-boat race, The Mercury wrote that St. Virgil’s 1 rowed strongly to win by ½ length from Launceston Church Grammar.
First Four:
The Examiner provided this detailed report of Launceston Church Grammar’s dominant win in 1954:
“Grammar immediately went to the front, leading St. Virgil's by half a length by the time the crews had covered 100 yards. St. Pat.'s, on the inside, got away well, and alongside them was St. Virgil's, rating about 36. After 200 yards St. Pat.'s were rating about 32, St. Virgil's 34, Friends 32 and Scotch 34. Grammar were holding their half-length lead over St. Virgil's, and St. Pat.'s were about a canvas behind them. About half a mile from the junction of the rivers Grammar and St. Virgil's had singled out from the other crews, Scotch bringing up the rear. St. Pat.'s were keeping their position behind the leading pair. with Hutchins, rowing a good race following them. Approaching the wharf, St. Virgil's had increased their rating to 34 to keep up with the even stroking of Grammar, easily holding the lead. St. Pat.'s were getting closer, with Hutchins pressing them. then came Friends and Scotch. At the wharf Grammar led St. Virgil's, and Hutchins had moved up into third from St. Pat.'s, Friends and Scotch. Grammar, second from the outside, had a length over Hutchins near the junction of the rivers. St. Virgil's were tiring, but St. Pat.'s were rowing well. Grammar dashed away at the junction… The result was never in doubt after passing the North Esk, Grammar gaining with every stroke. Hutchins rowed particularly well to take second place four lengths away, and the tiring St. Virgil's were third.”
Winners of the Golden Fleece Cup for First Fours in 1954 - Launceston Church Grammar School
(Source: The Mercury, 26 April 1954)
Second Four:
The Mercury commented that hat St. Virgil’s made it back-to-back in the seconds division to win by ¾ length.
Third Four:
The Mercury described that Launceston Church Grammar defeated by a length over St. Virgil’s, with Hutchins behind in 3rd.
Fourth Four:
The Mercury wrote that in the 9-boat race, St. Virgil's College 1 defeated Launceston Grammar by ½ length.
Organising Committee:
Tasmanian Rowing Association
Officials:
Starter: Mr. A. G. Hollingsworth
First Four
Golden Fleece Cup
1⅛ miles
Time: 5 min 47 sec
Margins: 4, ½ lengths
1st Launceston Church Grammar – Bow: R. P. Wyly, 2: A. V. Roff, 3: V. C. Holyman, Str: G. M. Taylor, Cox: P. J. Hetherington
2nd Hutchins School – Bow: H. Foster, 2: B. Hull, 3: R. Purden, Str: J. Rankin, Cox: M. Page
3rd St. Virgil’s College – Bow: G. M. Howard, 2: L. J. Walker, 3: J. E. Shirley, Str: R. J. Smart, Cox: J. M. Colraine
4th St. Patrick’s College – Bow: K. Spicer, 2: R. Gregg, 3: B. Compton, Str: F. Forstner, Cox: T. McDougall
5th The Friends’ School – Bow: J. Rowntree, 2: R. Barrett, 3: R. Stilwell, Str: R. McCulloch, Cox: L. Upchurch
6th Scotch College – Bow: G. Thorne, 2: P. Graham, 3: O. Davis, Str: H. Christie-Johnston, Cox: G. Harris
Second Four
½ mile
No Time Taken
Margins: ¾, 2 lengths
1st St. Virgil’s College – Bow: B. J. Doyle, 2: M. J. Reynolds, 3: A. W. Roach, Str: D. J. McMahon, Cox: G. P. Harrington
2nd Launceston Church Grammar – (crew unknown)
3rd St. Patrick’s College – (crew unknown)
4th Hutchins School – Bow: R. McArthur, 2: M. Bryden, 3: T. Bowden, Str: I. Parker, Cox: P. Brammall
Other Starters:
The Friends’ School, Scotch College
Third Four
½ mile
No Time Taken
Margins: 1, 2 lengths
1st Launceston Church Grammar – Bow: D. G. Barnett, 2: W. P. Moore, 3: G. Craigie, Str: M. D. Scott, Cox: D. B. Scott
2nd St. Virgil’s College – (crew unknown)
3rd Hutchins School – Bow: C. Chen, 2: D. Bunnag, 3: R. Skinner, Str: T. Vincent, Cox: C. Burbury
Other Starters:
The Friends’ School, St. Patrick’s College
Fourth Four
½ mile
No Time Taken
Margins: ½ length, 1 canvas
1st St. Virgil’s College 1 – Bow: R. F. Gray, 2: A. L. Doyle, 3: J. M. Brooks, Str: P. F. Doran, Cox: G. J. Fish
2nd Launceston Church Grammar 1 – (crew unknown)
3rd St. Virgil’s College 2 – (crew unknown)
4th Hutchins School 1 – Bow: D. Blain, 2: S. Pixley, 3: C. Rankin, Str: H. Burbury, Cox: G. Salmon
Other Starters:
The Friends’ School, St. Patrick’s College, Hutchins School 2, Launceston Church Grammar 2 & 3
Sources
GRAMMAR ALL THE WAY IN HEAD-OF-RIVER (1954, 26 April), The Examiner (Launceston, Tas.: 1900 – 1954), p. 14, Retrieved 15 June 2020, from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/96274760
HEAD-OF-THE-RIVER TO LAUNCESTON GRAMMAR (1954, 26 April), The Mercury (Hobart, Tas.: 1860 – 1954), p. 20, Retrieved 15 June 2020, from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/27198275
Hutchins School Magazine, July 1954