Joshua J Hooper
Mercantile Rowing Club (VIC), Cambridge University Boat Club (UK) and UTS Haberfield Rowing Club (NSW)
Joshua comes from the well known Melbourne rowing Hooper clan. His uncle Warwick was a renown rower, as was his sister Rebekah, and his cousins.
His two years racing in The Boat Race followed in the footsteps of fellow Mercantile Rowing Club member Alexander Sharp, who applied before Joshua and rowed in the Boat Race the year before. Josh is quoted in a Financial Times article by Nathan Brooker as follows: “A close friend of mine at the club, Alexander Sharp, applied to read for a law degree at Cambridge the year before me, and he rowed in the Boat Race in 2012 and 2013.”
Josh's career in rowing extended over a decade and shows his love for the sport. He noted himself that “My passion for the sport and the friends I’ve made have prompted me to continue rowing.”
Not only has his career extended over this period, but he raced with some of the best in the sport. He is a significant rower of our sport.
Josh receiving his Kenny memorial medal from the Governor general after winning the King's Cup in 2016
Known rowing record
2006 - APS Head of the River, MGS second VIII, stroke - Seventh
2007 - Victorian Championships, Schoolboy Eight, stroke - Second
2007 - APS Head of the River, MGS first VIII, bow seat - Fifth
2007 - National Championships, Schoolboy eight, stroke seat - Fifth
2009 - National Championship Men's Coxed Four, bow - First
2009 - University Championships, Monash University Men's Pair - First
2009 - University Championships, Monah University Coxed Four, bow - First
2010 - National Championship Under 23 Pair - Fourth
2010 - National Championship Under 23 Eight - Third
2011 - University Championships, men's Double Scull - Second
2013 - The Boat Race, Goldie crew - Second
2014 - The Boat Race, Blue Boat, seven seat - Second
2015 - The Boat Race, Blue Boat, three seat - Second
2016 - Interstate Championship Men's Eight, bow - First
2016 - National Championships Men's Four, two seat - Third
2016 - Olympic training squad
Sources
https://www.ft.com/content/206d28b0-b5ae-11e3-81cb-00144feabdc0
https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/more-sports/aussie-joshua-hopkins-on-losing-end-of-huge-losing-margin-as-oxford-beat-cambridge-in-boat-race/news-story/0bca28f67be2b1fd6f84050b228be8fd
https://www.olympics.com.au/news/hooper-eyes-boat-race-glory-and-rio/
https://www.rowinghistory-aus.info/national-championships/mens-coxed-four-summary
https://arc.rowingaustralia.com.au/day-7-wrap-up-victoria-takes-out-both-kings-and-queens-cups-at-2016-interstate-regatta/
https://www.rowinghistory-aus.info/school-rowing/vic/aps-head-of-river/2007-images/2007_APSHeadoftheRiver_results.pdf
https://au.linkedin.com/in/joshua-hooper-73a39022
Flyn Snowden and Andrew Guerin
May 2023