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australian rowers profiles and history

James Yeomans

Melbourne City Rowing Club (VIC) until 1890 then Yarra Yarra Rowing Club (VIC) and from 1894, Queen's Drive Rowing Club (NZL)

James Yeomans was an outstanding oarsman of his day who enjoyed great success as a rower in Victoria. Despite continuous success over five season, he was a Victorian representative only on one occasion. 

In 1894, Yeomans moved to New Zealand where he became a noted rower and coach. He rowed in and coached the Queen's Drive Rowing Club Champion Four. In one newspaper report, he is noted as being "the greatest coach of his day". The unsourced newspaper article on New Zealand rowing coaches goes on to report that he remodelled the rowing style the senior crews. "He introduced the powerful leg drive from Australia and shortened the swing. The result was victory in the champion fours of '95, '96 and '97."

1891-2-3 Victorian Champion Eights from Yarra Yarra Rowing Club with Yeoman seated on the left hand side

1889 - Victorian Championships, Champion Men's Four, three seat - First (Melbourne City RC)

1890 - Melbourne Regatta, men's Maiden Scull - First (Melbourne City RC)

1890 (Feb) - Warrnambool Regatta, Senior Four, three seat - First (Melbourne City RC)

1890 - Colac Regatta, Senior Four, two seat - First

1890 (Dec) - Warrnambool Regatta, Senior Four, three seat - First 

1890 - Victorian Championships, Champion Men's Four, two seat - First

1891 - Warrnambool Regatta, Senior Eight, six seat - First

1891 (March) - Claymore Challenge Cup, six seat - First

1891 (Dec) - Claymore Challenge Cup, six seat - First

1891 - Geelong and Barwon Regatta, Men's Four, two seat - First

1891 - Melbourne Regatta, Men's Four, two seat - First

1891 - Bairnsdale Regatta, Senior Four, two seat - First

1891 - Victorian Championships, Champion Men's Four, two seat - First

1891 - Victorian Championships, Champion Men's Eight, six seat - First

1892 - Warrnambool Regatta, Senior Eight, six seat - First

1892 - Richmond and South Yarra Regatta, Senior Four, two seat - First

1892 - Bairnsdale Regatta, Senior Four, two seat - First

1892 - Geelong and Barwon Regatta, Junior Eight, two seat - First

1892 - Melbourne Regatta, Men's Four, two seat - First

1892 - Victorian Championships, Champion Men's Four, two seat - First

1893 - Melbourne Regatta, Men's Four, two seat - First

1893 - Victorian Championships, Champion Men's Four, two seat - First

1893 - Victorian Championships, Champion Men's Eight, six seat - First

1893 – Intercolonial Men’s Eight Championship seven seat – Second

1895 - New Zealand Championships, Men's Four, two seat - First

1896 - New Zealand Championships, Men's Four, two seat - First

1896 - Intercolonial Four Oared Championship. Selected to race for New Zealand but the crew was withdrawn in favour of a Blenheim crew after NSW objected to two carpenters being in crew, thus offending their amateur definition.

1897 - New Zealand Championships, Men's Four, coach - First

The following further Yarra Yarra Rowing Club information was supplied in June 2024 by Jim Skidmore.

Member of Yarra Yarra 1890/91 to 1893/94

Club records lost dates reflect wins recorded:-

Some of his medallions won at state championships are on display in the Yarra Yarra shed.


Andrew Guerin
June 2021 (Updated February 2022 and again in June 2024 with information from Jim Skidmore)

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