George E F Finlayson
UTS Haberfield Rowing Club (NSW), UC Berkeley (USA) and University of Cambridge Boat Club (UK)
George commenced his rowing with Scots College in Sydney where he finished his rowing in the six seat of the first crews in 2015 and 2016.
He raced successfully with UTS Haberfield Rowing Club in 2017 taking a National Championship in the under 21 four and club four before taking up his tertiary education at University of California Berkeley where he studied history with a minor in creative writing. Rowing with Berkeley was not to be foregone with an impressive college rowing career. George also took the opportunity to join the Australian under 23 men's eight which was based in the US in 2019. This crew was a finalist at the World Under 23 Championships.
2019 Australian Under 23 Eight
George was clearly still not satisfied with either his studies or rowing, as he undertook a master of Philosophy: Business Administration and Management at the University of Cambridge. He also raced in the blue boat at The Boat Race, coming second to Oxford in 2022.
Finally returning to Australia in 2023, George took up racing again and finished the season in the Australian Windermere Cup crew.
Rowing record to date
2015 - GPS Head of the River, Scot's College First Eight, six seat - Second
2015 - National Championships, Schoolboy coxed quad, three seat - Sixth
2016 - GPS Head of the River, Scot's College First Eight, six seat - Fourth
2016 - National Championships, Schoolboy Scull - Third
2016 - National Championships, Under 19 Scull - Fourth
2016 - National Championships, Under 19 Quad Scull, three seat - First
2017 - National Championships, Under 21 pair, stroke - Fifth
2017 – National Championships, Under 21 coxed four - First
2017 - National Championships, Club four, two seat - First
2018 – IRA Championships– Bronze as the 4-seat of the Varsity 8+
2018 – PAC-12 Championships– Silver in the varsity 8+
2018 – Head of the Charles– Top 4+ in Collegiate Rowing (Second overall)
2018 – Henley Royal Regatta (Ladies Challenge Plate) – Racing for UTS Haberfield in a combined crew with Sydney Rowing Club. Knocked out by Germany on day 3.
2019 – PAC-12 Championships– second place in the stroke seat
2019 – IRA Championships– Gold in the 2V
2019 – World Under 23 Championships, Men's Eight, six seat – 6th (With fellow crew member Jack Robertson who also raced in 2022 Boat Race)
2020 – Head of the Charles– Second collegiate team
2022 – Boat Race– three seat of the Cambridge boat. Lost to Oxford by 2 ¼ lengths.
2023 - Australian Men's Eight to compete in the Windermere Cup in Seattle USA
Flynn Snowden and Andrew Guerin
April 2023
Sources
https://juniorrowingnews.com/the-gemini-mens-boat-race-2022-the-fatsculler-preview/ ;
https://calbears.com/sports/mens-rowing/roster/george--finlayson/17617 ;
https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-finlayson-a79a841a3 ;