1937 Interstate Championships

1st SA - Bow: J R Goode, 2: E F Yates, 3: John C Williams, 4: Ken Ormston, 5: Norm Croker, 6: Max Richardson, 7: William McCann, Str: Alf J Gregory, Cox: Deb Earl, Emerg: Geoff M Sheppard, Cch: Taufik K Qurban, Mgr: Charles Baumann
2nd NSW - Bow: William G Thomas, 2: R R Moody, 3: F Spencer Grace, 4: C L ("George") Elias, 5: Mervyn T Wood, 6: William J Dixon, 7: W L Buckham, Str: David A Elias, Cox: Douglas W Bowden, Emergs: D E W Bain & B A Willis, Cch: Sidney R Raper, Mgr: E J Buckley, Sole Selector: Bernie S Williams
3rd WA - Bow: Gordon Freeth, 2: John T (Beau) Burnett, 3: Frank Utley, 4: Edward (Ted) C Bishop, 5: Vic Shakepeare, 6: Richard (Dick) L Paramor, 7: Gordon H Yewers, Str: Donald Fraser, Cox: Ken Carrick, Emerg: Ralph Jeffreys, Cch: Roger Ryan, Mgr: H Leo Button
4th TAS - Bow: F Gilbert, 2: A Doran, 3: F Adlard, 4: E Doran, 5: J Chester, 6: D Scanlon, 7: L Porter, Str: W Gibson, Cox: J Smith, Emerg: B Gibson, Cch: E L Gibson, Mgr: E T Bessell
5th VIC - Bow: B Hainsworth, 2: K E Harrison, 3: A A Kelly, 4: Jim B Clemens, 5: J P Gaskin, 6: Max Gaskin, 7: Stewart J Elder, Str: R Godfredson, Cox: T J Crofts, Emerg: Roy Anderson, Cch: George Anderson, Selectors: G W Smith, F G Thompson & coach, Mgr: H E Butler
6th QLD - Bow: F Avery, 2: D D Glasgow, 3: F Foreman, 4: D J Joyce, 5: M Hourigan, 6: R B Scott, 7: R Whale, Str: Wilf B Mole, Cox: Robert Longmore, Emerg: C Monkhouse, Cch: P C Lahey, Mgr: F Lou Poulgrain

The men's races were rowed in smooth water, albeit with a strong tail breeze. The South Australians won the race after a close tussle with both the NSW and WA crews. The South Australian coach Toff Qurban said: "Three days before the event I was supremely confident of a win. I had a wonderful crew and we had learnt a lot from our narrow defeat by NSW in Perth the previous year. This crew in 1937 changed almost overnight and were unbeatable as the King's Cup day drew near."

It was the first win for South Australia since the famous Murray Bridge crew of 1923.

The Presentation of the King's Cup

The Happy Victors from SA

1st NSW - Cecil A Pearce
2nd VIC - Len A Purves
3rd SA - Aubrey V Kunoth

The sculling race was a contest between Pearce and Purves for only 1/2 mile before Pearce broke away to win by 8 lengths. Kunoth dropped off early in the race and was never in the hunt. In one newspaper report on 26th April 1937, it was reported that "The holder, C. Pearce, of New South Wales, easily won the sculling championship, giving a first-class exhibition."

NSW Sculler Cecil Pearce

1st TAS - Bow: Gladys Cullen, 2: Maisie Doran, 3: Joan Hawkins, Str: Nancy Reardon, Cox: R Marks, Cch: Don Hughes, Emerg: B Lester
2nd QLD - Bow: V Ford, 2: Peg Edwards, 3: T Tate, Str: Donna Kulich, Cox: Mr F Phillips, Cch: E Colclough
3rd VIC - Bow: Eunice Grumant, 2: Kath Roberts, 3: Nance Wilkins, Str: Kath Reid, Cox: Vi Allender, Cch: George Williams
4th NSW - Bow: Margaret Auld, 2: Millie Fisher, 3: May Harvey, Str: Nea Walcot, Cox: Ray Schneider, Cch: Claude Rosevear, Emerg: E Howe
5th SA - Bow: Gwen Reid, 2: Jean Collett, 3: Rose Dorman, Str: Jo Thomas, Cox: Mr A Stomp

The Tasmanian crew won all the way with the only interest in the minor placings. Queensland sprinted well to gain second place ahead of Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia in that order.

Whilst the Tasmanians were favoured to win, Ossie Rosevear, the NSW coach held out high hopes for his crew. Both the Victorians and South Australians had boat issues with the South Australians changing boats. The South Australians did not have a coach and newspaper reports indicated that they suffered as a result.

1937 Tasmanian Four

Front row - Gladys Cullen (bow), Maisie Doran (2), Joan Hawkins (3), Nancy Reardon (str) 
Back row - R Marks (cox), B Lester (emerg), Don S Hughes(Cch)