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Australian Rowers at Henley Royal Regatta

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Cecil McVilly at Henley Royal Regatta in 1912

The Henley Royal Regatta is perhaps one of the most iconic rowing events on the world rowing calendar. It is often described as an Edwardian Garden Party, with a rowing distraction, which has refused stubbornly to move into the modern age. It has it's own unique race distance and markers, superb trophies, quaint traditions, run by an active group of self selected stewards and is conducted on a working river, to name just some of it's qualities.

Accordingly, rowers and spectators from around the world actively seek to participate at it.

It's status has always been high. In the first part of the twentieth century, rowers regarded racing at Henley higher than the Olympic Games. For example, it would have been impossible to fund and promote the 1912 Australian Olympic eight to crew members and supporters alike had the crew not also raced at Henley.

Australian rowers have been drawn to compete at this regatta throughout time. Initially only those who resided in the UK for study, work or war, but increasingly others travelled for the sole or main reason to compete.

The most famous of the Australian to compete at Henley are probably those which have won the Grand Challenge Cup, namely 1912 and 2018, the No. 1 A.I.F. crew that won the King's Cup in 1919 and of course Stuart Mackenzie who won the Silver Sculls 4 times.

Summary of Australian at Henley Royal Regatta

Follow the year link for more details on the Australian competitors.

Over time, we would also be interested in identifying all Australians who raced in crews from other nations at this regatta. Italitised crews above are international composites or crews in which Australian nationals are competing.

Year	Sculler, Club	Event	Results
1912	Sydney	Grand Challenge Cup	Champions
	Cecil McVilly, Derwent	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 1
1913	Cecil McVilly, Derwent	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Champion
1919	AIF No 1	King's Cup	Champion
	AIF No 2	King's Cup	Round 1
	Alma S Cox, Balmain	Kingswood Sculls	Round 1
	Australian Army	Leander Cup	Round 1 - disq.
	Wattle Club, AIF	The Hambleden Pairs	Runners-up
1922	Arthur Baynes, Commercial Rowing Club, Brisbane	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Semi-finalist
1948	Mosman	Silver Goblets & Nickalls’ Challenge Cup	Runners-up
	Mervyn T. Wood, NSW Police	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Champion
1952	Sydney	Grand Challenge Cup	Runners-up
	Mervyn T. Wood, Sydney	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Champion
1957	Stuart A. Mackenzie, Sydney	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Champion
1958	Leichhardt	Grand Challenge Cup	Runners-up
	Stuart A. Mackenzie, Sydney	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Champion
1959	Stuart A. Mackenzie, Sydney	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Champion
1961	Stuart A. Mackenzie, Mosman	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Champion
1970	Corio Bay	Silver Goblets & Nickalls’ Challenge Cup	Runners-up
1972	Richard J. Garrard, Mercantile	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 1
1973	Sydney	Thames Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Sydney	SydneyStewards’ Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Sydney	Prince Phillip Challenge Cup	Round 2
	Sydney	Wyfold Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Edward O Hale, Lindisfarne	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 2
	Islay R. Lee, Glebe	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 2
1974	Edward O Hale, Lindisfarne	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Semi-Finalist
1976	Sydney University	Silver Goblets & Nickalls’ Challenge Cup	Champions
	Edward O. Hale, Sydney	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Champion
	Richard Reddel, Haberfield	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Semi-Finalist
1980	Edward O. Hale, Sydney	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 2
1982	Queensland University & Mosman	Prince Phillip Challenge Cup	Semi-Finalist
1982	Mercantile	Silver Goblets & Nickalls’ Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Anthony J. Lovrich, Perth & Collegians	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Semi-Finalist
	J. Martin, Mosman	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 1
1983	Simon P. Cook, Melbourne University	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 1
1985	Australian Institute of Sport	Grand Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Australian Institute of Sport	Double Sculls Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Andrew M. Cannon, Mercantile	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 1
	Adrian Norman, Melbourne	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 2
1987	A. W. Street, North Shore	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 2
1988	Australian Institute of Sport	Grand Challenge Cup	Runners-up
	Australian Institute of Sport	Silver Goblets & Nickalls’ Challenge Cup	Semi-Finalists
	Mercantile	Ladies’ Challenge Plate	Champions
	Melbourne University & Queensland University	Queen Mother Challenge Cup	Champions
	G. Hamish McGlashan of Melbourne University	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Champion
	L. K. McLachlan of Nepean	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 1
1989	G. Hamish McGlashan of Melbourne University	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 3
1992	Victorian Institute of Sport	Ladies’ Challenge Plate	Round 2
	Queensland Amateur	Silver Goblets & Nickalls’ Challenge Cup	Round 2
	Queensland Amateur	Double Sculls Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Mosman & Leichhardt	Double Sculls Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Paul Reedy, Melbourne University	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Runner-up
	P. L. Andersen, Queensland Amateur	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Semi-Finalist
	James J. A. Burton, Queensland Amateur	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 3
1993	Brisbane Boys’ College	Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup	Champions
	Sydney	Silver Goblets & Nickalls’ Challenge Cup	Round 2
	A. E. Cook, The Southport School	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 2
1994	Sykes	Grand Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Sykes	Queen Mother Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Sykes	Silver Goblets & Nickalls’ Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Jason Day, Sykes	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 2
	Mosman	Thames Challenge Cup	Round 2
	Mosman	Wyfold Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Mosman	Britannia Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Mosman	Britannia Challenge Cup	Round 1
	A. Maiore, Mosman	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 1
	Melbourne Grammar	Temple Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Melbourne Grammar	Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup	Round 1
	UTS Haberfield	Silver Goblets & Nickalls’ Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Richard C. Roach, UTS Haberfield	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 1
	Gillian Campbell, Leichhardt	Women’s Single Sculls	Round 1
1995	Melbourne University	Thames Challenge Cup	Round 2
	Tweed Heads & Melbourne University	Double Sculls Challenge Cup	Champions
	Peter T. Antonie, Melbourne University	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 3
	M. D. Free, Tweed Heads	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 2
	R. Hobbs, Tamar	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 1
	Alistair B. McLachlan, Adelaide	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 3
1996	King’s College & Mercantile	Fawley Challenge Cup	Round 2
	Mosman & Commercial	Double Sculls Challenge Cup	Round 2
	S. E. B. McLaughlin, Mosman	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 1
	James J. A. Burton, Commercial	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 1
	Melbourne University & Queen’s Tower	Double Sculls Challenge Cup	Round 2
	Peter T. Antonie, Melbourne University	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Semi-Finalist
1997	Australian & NSW Institutes of Sport	Grand Challenge Cup	Champions
	Melbourne University	Ladies’ Challenge Plate	Round 1
	Melbourne University	Queen Mother Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Melbourne University	Double Sculls Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Emma L. Rickards, Melbourne University	Princess Royal Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Sydney	Thames Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Sydney	Wyfold Challenge Cup	Round 2
	Tweed Heads	Double Sculls Challenge Cup	Champions
	Simon D. Spriggs, Mercantile	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 2
1998	Sydney	Thames Challenge Cup	Semi-Finalists
	Sydney	Fawley Challenge Cup	Semi-Finalists
	Sydney	Women’s Quadruple Sculls	Round 1
	Prince Alfred College	Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Melbourne University & Mercantile	Stewards’ Challenge Cup	Semi-Finalists
	Gina Douglas, Mercantile	Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup	Runner-up
	A. T. Pascall, Edith Cowen University Perth	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 3
	D. A. K. Linley, Banks	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 1
	Australian Institute of Sport	Women’s Invitation Eights	Semi-Finalists
1999	Sydney	Thames Challenge Cup	Round 3
	Sydney	Fawley Challenge Cup	Round 2
	Sydney	Silver Goblets & Nickalls’ Challenge Cup	Round 2
	St Andrew’s College, Sydney	Temple Challenge Cup	Round 3
	St Peter’s College	Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup	Runners-up
	The Southport School	Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup	Round 3
	The Southport School	Visitors’ Challenge Cup	Round 2
	The Southport School	Fawley Challenge Cup	Round 2
	Huon	Silver Goblets & Nickalls’ Challenge Cup	Semi-Finalists
	NSW Institute of Sport	Silver Goblets & Nickalls’ Challenge Cup	Runners-up
	M. D. Free, Queensland Academy of Sport	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 2
	C. Gosling, UTS	Princess Royal Challenge Cup	Round 1
2000	Australian Institute of Sport	Grand Challenge Cup	Champions
	Australian Institute of Sport	Queen Mother Challenge Cup	Runners-up
	UTS Haberfield	Stewards’ Challenge Cup	Runners-up
	Mercantile	Britannia Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Sydney	Britannia Challenge Cup	Round 3
2001	Sydney & UTS	Grand Challenge Cup	Runners-up
	Sydney	Fawley Challenge Cup	Semi-Finalists
	The King’s School, Parramatta	Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup	Champions
	Australian Institute of Sport	Henley Prize	Champions
	UTS & Nottinghamshire	Men’s Quadruple Sculls	Champions
	Brisbane Grammar & Anglican Church Grammar	Fawley Challenge Cup	Round 2
	The Southport School & St. Joseph’s College	Fawley Challenge Cup	Champions
	T. E. Chapman, St George	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 1
	F. Murray, UTS	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 1
	Duncan S. Free, Surfer’s Paradise	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Champion
2002	UTS & Drummoyne	Men’s Quadruple Sculls	Round 1
	Melbourne University	Men’s Quadruple Sculls	Semi-Finalists
	Mercantile	Men’s Quadruple Sculls	Semi-Finalists
	Sydney	Fawley Challenge Cup	Round 1
	St Joseph’s College & Anglican Church Grammar	Fawley Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Brisbane Grammar & Brisbane Boys’ College	Fawley Challenge Cup	Semi-Finalists
	A. R. Sutherland, Rockhampton Grammar	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 1
	David W. Crawshay, Mercantile	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 2
	T. L. Edwards of Lindisfarne	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Round 2
2003	Curtin University	Ladies’ Challenge Plate	Round 1
	Curtin University	Wyfold Challenge Cup	Round 1
	NSW & Australian Institutes of Sport	Remenham Challenge Cup	Runners-up
	Australian Institute of Sport	Princess Grace Challenge Cup	Runners-up
	St Joseph’s College & Brisbane Grammar	Fawley Challenge Cup	Round 2
	Sydney	Fawley Challenge Cup	Semi-Finalists
	Anglican Church Grammar & St Joseph’s College	Fawley Challenge Cup	Semi-Finalists
	Inglis & Pascall, Mosman	Double Sculls Challenge Cup	Runners-up
	B. P. Hopkins, Curtin University	Diamond Challenge Sculls	Runner-up
	C. J. Oliver, Australian Institute of Sport	Princess Royal Challenge Cup	Champion
	D. R. Martin, Australian Institute of Sport	Princess Royal Challenge Cup	Runner-up
2004	Melbourne University & University of Queensland	Stewards’ Challenge Cup	Runners-up
	Drummoyne	Wyfold Challenge Cup	Semi-Finalists
	Drummoyne	Double Sculls Challenge Cup	Round 2
	Mosman	Men’s Quadruple Sculls	Semi-Finalists
	The Southport School & St Joseph’s, Gregory Terrace	Fawley Challenge Cup	Round 2
	Brisbane Grammar & Brisbane Boys’ College	Fawley Challenge Cup	Semi-Finalists
	Sydney	Fawley Challenge Cup	Runners-up
	Canberra & Kingston	Princess Grace Challenge Cup	Round 1
	Kerry J. Knowler, Canberra	Princess Royal Challenge Cup	Round 2
	D. E. Egerton-Warburton of Canberra	Princess Royal Challenge Cup	Round 2

>forward to 1912

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, errors may exist. Please send advice of any errors or inaccuracies by email to:



Also your comments, suggestions and photos are sought to enhance this site.

The idea for this history originated from the Olympic Rowing and World Senior Rowing Championship histories written by Andrew Guerin and Margot Foster in 1991, 1992 & 1993 for the Australian team handbooks. Andrew Guerin developed and extended these histories to the current format in 2004 for publication in 2004 and then expanded the site.

Steve Roll has been an invaluable contributor to the website in locating errors and finding Christian names of rowers. His superb work is acknowledged.

© Andrew Guerin – 2004
These contents of this history are copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted by the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. However given that the purpose of the history is to assist rowers and rowing clubs, written permission is not required for non-commercial usage by rowers and rowing clubs provided acknowledgement is made.

Disclaimer: Whilst extensive efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information supplied, the editors take no responsibility for any loss or damage whatsoever arising from inaccuracies contained in this work.