1962 National Championships - Lake Wendouree Victoria
The first National Regatta attracted an entry of 201 competitors in 63 crews from the six States, providing excellent racing over two days. Unfortunately, the public attendance was disappointing. The Regatta resulted in the following crews being selected to represent Australia at the British Empire & Commonwealth Games:
Men's Coxed Four - Corio Bay (Vic)
Men's Coxless Four - Mosman (NSW)
Men's Coxless Pair - Mosman ( NSW)
Men's Double Scull - Haberfield (NSW)
In addition, the Corio Bay crew were selected to represent Australia at the first World Championships at Lucerne Switzerland. They decided not to race and a Victorian composite crew was nominated in their stead.
Index to Results:
- Men's Double Scull
- Men's Coxless Pair
- Men's Coxed Pair
- Men's Coxless Four
- Men's Coxed Four
- Men's Lightweight Single Scull
- Men's Lightweight Coxed Pair
- Men's Lightweight Eight
A PDF copy of the 1962 Men's National Championships program can be found through this link.
Full definition images the 1962 National and Interstate Championships can be found on the Australian Rowing Images website.
Organising Committee
Michael S Williams (Chairman), Robert R Aitken, Geoff H Taylor, A T Trahar, Noel F Wilkinson, & Norman W Cairnes.
The finish line with a shot gun finish notification, one judge and commentators
The view from the start
Presentation arrangements
Time: 7 min 24.4 sec
Margin: 3 lengths
1st Haberfield No.1 (NSW) - Bow: J Barclay Wade, Str: Ian V Tutty, Cch: Kevyn P Webb
2nd Mosman No. 1 (NSW) - Bow: Iain Macdonald, Str: William Mison
3rd Tasmania - Bow: Graham Squires, Str: Ray Trousselot
4th Adelaide University (SA) - Bow: R J Morgan, Str: F C R Levinge, Cch: C Coogan
E1: 1st Mosman No.1, 2nd, Tasmania
E2: 1st Haberfield No.1 , 2nd Yarra Yarra, 3rd Adelaide University
R: 1st Tasmania, 2nd Adelaide University, 3rd Yarra Yarra
Margin: 1 length
1st Mosman No. 2 (NSW) - Bow: Roger Ninham, Str: Peter Raper, Cch: Wim Sirks
2nd Mercantile (Vic) - Bow: Geoff C Wills, Str: F Stuart McArthur
3rd Nagambie (Vic) - Bow: Neil Lodding, Str: Bruce Richardson, Cch: Alf Lodding
4th Mosman No.1 (NSW) - Bow: Maurie Grace, Str: William Hatfield
5th Balmain (NSW) - Bow: Ronald Carrapiett, Str: Allan Hawkes, Cch: George Neilson
E1: 1st Nagambie, 2nd Mosman No. 1, 3rd Haberfield No. 1
E2: 1st Mercantile, 2nd Balmain
E3: 1st Mosman No.2, 2nd South Melbourne
R: 1st Mosman No.1, 2nd Balmain, 3rd Haberfield, 4th South Melbourne
The Mercantile Centenary history records the second placed crew as follows: "Among Mercantile's representatives at this event was a pair from what was referred to as the "Lake Bolac Branch" of the club. Stewart McArthur and Geoff Wills were successful Geelong College Head of the River oarsmen who lived in the Western District. They trained at Lake Bolac and, although unsuccessful in the Nationals, they put in a highly creditable performance on behalf of Mercantile.
Margin: Easily
1st Wendouree (Vic) - Bow: Peter Fraser, Str: Victor Gingell, Cox: Peter Zala, Cch: Jack Weston
2nd Haberfield (NSW) - Bow: Tom Barbin, Str: Hugh Chalmers, Cox: Robert Watson, Cch: Kevyn P Webb
This was a first and final.
Margin: 3/4 length
1st Mosman (NSW) - Bow: William Hatfield, 2: Maurie Grace, 3: Peter Raper, Str:Roger Ninham, Cch: Wim Sirks
2nd Sydney (NSW) - Bow: Neil C Smith, 2: Graham K Allen, 3: Alfred W Duval, Str: Stewart L Derwin Cch: Phillip A
Cayzer
3rd Mercantile (Vic) - Bow: Simon H Newcomb, 2: Michael F McKenna, 3: William S Arnold, Str: David H Boykett, Cch:
Norman W Cairnes
4th Yarra Yarra (Vic) - Bow: James Skidmore, 2: Ian McCulloch, 3: David Hosking, Str: Ian Allan, Cch: Roger L Moore
5th Banks (Vic) - Bow: Jack T Donaldson, 2: Brian J Vear, 3: John P Nettleton, Str: W (Bill) M O'Connell, Cch: Les
F Szabo
E1: 1st Banks, 2nd Haberfield, Composite (NSW) removed
E2: 1st Mercantile, 2nd Composite (Vic), 3rd Yarra Yarra
E3: 1st Mosman, 2nd Sydney, 3rd Colleagues (NSW)
R1: 1st Yarra Yarra, 2nd Haberfield, Colleagues scratched after heat.
R2: 1st Sydney, 2nd Composite (NSW), 3rd Composite (Vic)
Margin: 1 1/2 lengths
1st Corio Bay (Vic) - Bow: David M John, 2: David M Caithness, 3: Derek E Norwood, Str: David B Ramage, Cox: Robin Edge,
Cch: Albert B Bell
2nd Composite (Vic) - Bow: John Castle, 2: Peter Edwards, 3: Peter Gillon, Str: Jim Howden, Cox: Kevin Wickham, Cch:
Ron Jelbart
3rd Colleagues (NSW) - Bow: William Young, 2: John Quick, 3: Stuart McGill, Str: Robert Sample, Cox: Alf McLaren,
Cch: Alan R Callaway
4th Mercantile (Vic) - Bow: Simon Newcomb, 2: Michael F McKenna, 3: William S Arnold, Str: David H Boykett, Cox:
David Palfreyman, Cch: Norman W Cairnes
5th Yarra Yarra (Vic) - Bow: James Skidmore, 2: Ian McCulloch, 3: David Hosking, Str: Ian Allan, Cox: William (Bill)
Spendlove, Cch: Roger L Moore
E1: 1st Colleagues (NSW), 2nd Composite(Vic), 3rd Yarra Yarra, 4th Haberfield
E2: 1st Corio Bay, 2nd Swan River, 3rd Queensland, Nepean scratched
E3: 1st Mercantile, 2nd Composite (NSW), 3rd Banks
R1: 1st Composite (Vic), 2nd Queensland, 3rd Banks, Haberfield scratched
R2: 1st Yarra Yarra, 2nd Composite (NSW), 3rd Swan River
1962 Corio Bay Four
Bow: David John, 2: David Caithness, 3: Derek Norwood, Str: David Ramage, Cox: Phillip Sarah (in this photo)
Margin: 6 lengths
1st Corio Bay - Jeff Sykes
2nd Leichhardt - Steve Roll
3rd Haberfield - Colin Bullard
M Wignall Scratched
E1: 1st Jeff Sykes (Corio Bay), 2nd Michael Wignall (Leich't), 3rd Colin Bullard (Haber.), 4th G Lorking (Mosman)
E2: 1st Steve Roll (Leich't), M Harrison ( Ball. City), W Ftizgerald scratched
R1: 1st G Lorking (Mosman), 2nd M Wignall (Leich't)
R2: 1st Colin Bullard (Haber.), 2nd M Harrison ( Ball.City)
1962 Jeff Sykes
Margin: 3 1/2 lengths
1st South Melbourne (Vic)- Bow:George Taylor, Str: Lance Gallagher, Cox: G Beary
2nd Hawthorn (Vic) - Bow: Ron J Smith, Str: Rod C Gladman, Cox: Stan Neal, Cch: Peter L P Cosgrove
3rd Yarra Yarra (Vic) - Bow: Brian Dennis, Str: Stan Bulmer
4th Haberfield (NSW) - Bow: David Willmott, Str: Maxwell Smith, Cox: Robert Watson, Cch: C W (Bill) Winkworth
5th Leichhardt (NSW) - Bow: Raymond Bushell, Str: John Henderson, Cox: Lionel Robberds, Cch: Lionel Robberds
This was a first and final.
Margin: 3/4 length
1st Mercantile (Vic) - Bow: Mal H Corben, 2: Jeff J Wylie, 3: Geoff C Grinblat,
4: A Russell McLean, 5: Andrew M Evans, 6: George Xouris, 7: Peter Downey, Str: Ken M Hume, Cox: H Penry Green, Cch: Keith A Bilney
2nd Sydney Rowing Club (NSW) - Bow: Terry Bourne, 2: Rod Whereat, 3: Geoff Knight, 4: Peter Gwalter, 5: Frank Davies,
6: Geoff Hancock, 7: John Magner, Str: Allan Symons, Cox: Larry Parker, Cchs: W E (Bill) Andrews & Neil McCallum
3rd Leichhardt (NSW) - Bow: Richard Tarlinton, 2: Brian Coutts, 3: John Henderson, 4: Victor C O'Toole, 5: Michael
Wignall, 6: John Steedman, 7: Robert Stone, Str: Steve Roll, Cox & Cch: Lionel Robberds
4th Haberfield (NSW) - Bow: Graham Lorking, 2: Colin Ogilvie, 3: Phillip Faddy, 4: Warren Eddie, 5: David Wilmott,
6: Allan Coote, 7: Colin Bullard, Str: Maxwell Smith, Cox: Robert Watson, Cch: C W ( Bill) Winkworth
E1: 1st Mercantile, 2nd Corio Bay, 3rd Hawthorn
E2: 1st Sydney Rowing Club, 2nd Leichhardt, 3rd Haberfield
R1: 1st Haberfield, 2nd Corio Bay
R2: 1st Leichhardt, 2nd Hawthorn
The winning Mercantile crew had a last minute change on the morning of the heat when Peter Downey replaced the seven man Tony Walker who was ill on the morning of the race. In the final Mercantile rated 38 off the start and took and early lead. After 150 metres, the higher rating Sydney crew took the lead and maintained it to 1200 metres. The steadier rating Mercantile crew overhauled the higher rating Sydney crew with 300 metres to go and went on to win by 3/4 of a length.
1962 Mercantile Lightweight Eight
Sources:
- 1962 regatta program
- Photos - Andrew Guerin and Corio Bay Rowing Club