1940 NSW AAGPS Head of the River
Grammar’s Win Head of the River. Magnificent Tussle. Shore Wins Both Fours. (Sydney Morning Herald, 22 Apr 1940)
Winning one of the greatest and most exciting eight-oar rowing contests witnessed by the present generation, Sydney Grammar School, after a lapse of six years, gained the Great Public Schools’ “Head of the River” title on the Nepean River on Saturday.
Going to the front after the first 100 yards had been rowed, it gradually increased its lead to a length, steadied its stroke, and, giving an almost faultless exhibition of oarsmanship, went on to win from Sydney High School by three-quarters of a length, with Shore third, half a length farther back.
Then followed St. Joseph’s College, The King’ School, Newington College, St. Ignatius’ College, and The Scots College, in that order.
Ten Thousand saw the eight-oar race. In former years, many thousands, who scrambled for positions to watch the race, had no personal link with the G.P.S. and no interest in the race itself except that is was a huge annual public show. This year, the crowd was substantially smaller. But 90 per cent of the spectators seemed to be schoolboys, relatives, and friends.
Observers who had attended that boat race for more than a decade, considered it was the quietest Head of the river they had ever seen.
Senior 1st Eight
Major Rennie Trophy
1st Sydney Grammar School – Bow: E.C. Marshall, 2: S.H. Prentice, 3: W.A. Tait, 4: J.R. McDonnell, 5: D.A. Smyth, 6: J.H. Sutherland, 7: R.A. Short, Str: A.F. Clarke, Cox: W.W. Hay, Cch: R.B. Ward
2nd Sydney High School – Bow: E. White, 2: N. Rea, 3: K. Davenport, 4: A. Brown, 5: J. Duffy, 6: K. Wieland, 7: F. Smith, Str: K. Longmuir, Cox: A. Vidal, Cch: F.M. Nichols
3rd Shore – Bow: H.W. Couison, 2: D.E. Wood, 3: L.R. Osborne, 4: P.L. Colleit, 5: D.R. Osborne, 6: D.R. Roughton, 7: G.C. Dent, Str: P.N. Shaw, Cox: K.E. Goldring, Cch: L.C. Robson
Senior 1st Four
Yaralla Cup
1st Shore – Bow: G.R. Evans, 2: B.H. Gosling, 3: L.D. Heath, Str: J.H. Morgan, Cox: J.D. Hum, Cch: J.B. Burten
2nd Sydney Grammar School – Bow: D.B. McCrede, 2: A.E. Waits, 3: R.G. Davey, Str: L.J. Alexander, Cox: O.C. Brook, Cch: A.T. Stewart
3rd St. Joseph’s College – Bow: G.A. Horton, 2: G.J. Ryan, 3: P.J. Walsh, Str: C.W. Crane, Cox: P.C. Simms, Cch: S.C. Cusack
Senior 2nd Four
1st Shore – Bow: G.V. Wolstenholme, 2: G.B. Kansas, 3: L.W. Davies, Str: L.H. Carter, Cox: H.D. Springfield, Cch: J.B. Barrle
2nd Sydney Grammar School – Bow: L.D. Bond, 2: W.T. Waite, 3: D.H. Keller, Str: L.H. Linlay, Cox: R.G. Sharp, Cch: A.T. Stewart
3rd Sydney High School – Bow: G. Jones, 2: J. Barty, 3: W. McBride, Str: B. Stauer, Cox: D. Rose, Cch: D.J. Dunty