1931 Rowing Victoria State Championships

1^st H E Ricketts, Yarra Yarra

2^nd E F Johnson, Mercantile

3^rd A Dawson, Ballarat

Disqualified George Anderson, Albert Park

Owing to flood waters and a strong westerly, the Championship Sculls was postponed from Saturday, 21^st March, 1931, to Saturday, 28^th March, 1931. The race was held over a course of 2 1/2 miles on the Lower Yarra, commencing at the 10 chain mark and finishing at the 2 mile 50 chain mark in Coode Canal. H. E. Ricketts won by 1 ½ lengths from E. F. Johnson. G. Anderson was disqualified for bad steering. No time was taken, as the race stopped at the 1 1/2 mile mark, where a clash occurred. This was the second victory in this event by Ricketts.

1^st Albert Park – Bow: C E Alsop, Str: A W McLeish, Cox: C Orme

2^nd Richmond

3^rd Rutherglen

Other competing crews:

Ballarat

Mildura

Mercantile - Bow: J Dunstan, Str: P Radich, Cox: J Ambler, Cch: J Greenshields

South Melbourne

Hawthorn

Banks

Wendouree

For the first time in ten years, it was decided to hold a Pair-oared Championship on the Lower Yarra, in lieu of Lake Wendouree, Ballarat. Boisterous weather prevented the race from being held on the Lower Yarra, and it was decided to hold the event over the Henley mile course, in heats. The race was held on Saturday, 17^th January, 1931. In the final Albert Park won by three-quarters of a length, with half a length between second and third. 

1^st Albert Park – Bow: V S Axup, 2: A R Duncan, 3: C E Alsop, Str: Alex W McLeish, Cox: R Orme, Coach: Harry R Duncan

2^nd Mercantile - Bow: G R B Patterson, 2: Doug C Brooke, 3: Fred H Shore, Str: J H Bailey, Cox: R Cliff, Cch: Alex B Sloan

3^rd Rutherglen

4^th Hawthorn

5^th Bendigo

6^th Banks

7^th Richmond

8^th South Melbourne

Eight crews competed for the Four-oared Championship, rowed on the Lower Yarra over a course of 2 1/2 miles, starting at the 3 mile 2 chain mark, and finishing at the 42 chain mark, on Saturday, 19^th December, 1931. Albert Park registered an easy win by six lengths from Mercantile, with Rutherglen, three lengths away, third. 

1^st Richmond – Bow: F G Thompson, 2: J Sharples, 3: V Callaghan, 4: M Gardner, 5: G Whittaker, 6: Lachlan Thompson, 7: B Thompson, Str: J Barton, Cox: R Godfredson, Coach: G McPhail

2^nd Albert Park

3^rd Mercantile - Bow: G R B Patterson, 2: J E Campbell, 3: Henry G Guinn, 4: R S Bolton, 5: J South, 6: Doug C Brooke, Str: Fred Shore, Cox: R Cliff, Cch: Alex B Sloan

4^th Bendigo

5^th Hawthorn

Five entries were received for the Champion Eights, which was to be rowed on the 21^st March, 1931. The flooded condition of the river and strong winds forced the Executive to postpone the fixture to the following Saturday, 28^th March, 1931. The race was rowed over a course of 2 1/2 miles, starting at the 2 mile 50 chain mark in Coode Canal, and finishing at the 10 chain mark, Lower Yarra. Richmond won an exciting race by a canvas from Albert Park, Mercantile being two lengths away in third. Richmond Rowing Club are heartily congratulated on their first win in the Championship Eights.

Richmond's inaugural Champion Eight

1^st James Barton, Richmond

2^nd J C Hardy, Footscray City

Other competing crews:

Stan B McGorm, Ballarat

George Anderson, Albert Park

R S Bolton, Mercantile - disqualified for faulty steering

A strong wind on Saturday, 17^th January, 1931, prevented the One Mile Sculling Championship from being held on the same date over the Henley mile in heats. The final was won by J. Barton, from J. C. Hardy, by 1 1/2 lengths. Mr. Barton is heartily congratulated on his success.

1^st Footscray City – Bow: J Kranz, 2: P O’Shea, 3: T Budden, 4: R Armitage, 5: F Barnett, 6: J Lay, 7: B Cant, Str: A McGill, Cox: J Smith, Coach: D Cunningham

2^nd Richmond

3^rd Ballarat City

4^th Albert Park

5^th Essendon

6^th Wendouree

7^th Mercantile - Bow: A Sloss, 2: R Scott, 3: W Belltowers, 4: J Hoppe, 5: S Timewell, 6: T Fogarty, 7: S McKay, Str: S McCologh, Cox: R Cliff, Cch: James G H Sprigg

8^th Hawthorn

DNF University

Scratched - Banks 

A record entry of ten crews was received for the Third Annual Junior Eight-oared Championship, which was rowed on the Lower Yarra, over a course of two miles, upstream, starting at the 2 1/4 mile mark in Coode Canal, on Saturday, 2^nd May, 1931. Perfect conditions enabled the starter to effect an excellent start, but over-eagerness on the part of the coxswains caused the race to be stopped on two occasions within a quarter of a mile from the start. Footscray City won an excellent race by a length from Richmond. University, owing to an accident, did not finish, and Banks scratched. Footscray City Rowing Club are warmly congratulated on their initial success in this event.

1^st Albert Park Ladies 

Essendon - did not finish due to equipment faults

The Championship was conducted on 14th February 1931 on Albert Park Lake at the VLRA regatta. 

There was a senior pairs event at the VLRA regatta but the newspaper report does not call it a Championship. Accordingly no Championship Pairs are recorded for this year.