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History of AAGPS Head of the River Rowing Regatta

1948 NSW AAGPS Head of the River

High Carried Cargo of Bricks (Sydney Morning Herald, 18 Apr 1948).

Sydney High School crew, which won the G.P.S. Head of the River eights on the Nepean River on Saturday, had bricks in its boat to make up weight got cox G.L. Ferris.

Ferris was entered as weighing eight-stone, but on the morning of the race weighed only 7st 3 ½ lb. When Ferris was tossed into the river by his crew after the race, the bricks were thrown with him.

The win was High School’s first since 1929, and its fifth since the race was first rowed in 1893. High won narrowly from Newington, in the record time of 7m 52 1-5s. Shore was third.

About 15,000 people saw the race. A pre-race survey of the course revealed it to be 147 yards short, and the starting line was adjusted. Officials said yesterday that a change had been made late last week in the rating of High School’s fours.

Coaches found that the fourth four was setting better times in training than the third crew, and a switch was made.

 

Senior 1st Eight

Major Rennie Trophy

7:52.20

½ length

½ length

1st Sydney High School – Bow: J. Clelland, 2: S. Sherritt, 3: J. Bos, 4: B. Downie, 5: B. Soane, 6: D. Anderson, 7: B. Hopkins, Str: W. Mahoney, Cox: G. Ferris, Cch: F.M. Nicholls

2nd Newington – Bow: L. Blackman, 2: I.W. Abbott, 3: G. Nicholls, 4: R. Handley, 5: R. Lester, 6: D. Stanley, 7: L. Notaras, Str: J. Allanson, Cox: L. Leonard, Cch: C.C. Davies

3rd Shore – Bow: E. Perdriau, 2: J.D. Webster, 3: D.L. Hudson, 4: T.I. Baillieu, 5: I.A. Carlewis, 6: V.F. Arnold, 7: A.W. McAuley, Str: E. Cowdery, Cox: D.K. Budd, Cch: L.C. Robson

4th St. Joseph’s College

5th Sydney Grammar

6th Scots College

7th The King’s School

8th St. Ignatius’ College


Senior 1st Four

Yaralla Cup

5:48.60

¼ length

1 length

1st Sydney High – Bow: K.J. Paul, 2: J.L. Kerr, 3: J.G. Harris, Str: J.H. Adair, Cox: A.C. Pearce, Cch: Major D.J. Duffy

2nd Newington

3rd Scots College


Senior 2nd Four

No time

½ length

2 lengths

1st Sydney High

2nd Newington

3rd Sydney Grammar


Senior 3rd Four

No time

½ length

¼ length

1st           Sydney High

2nd          Shore

3rd          St. Joseph’s College


Senior 4th Four

No time

Canvas

4ft

1st           Shore

2nd          Scots College

3rd          Newington

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