1971 NSW AAGPS Head of the River
GPS Eights To Joey’s. Took Them 15 Years To Do It. Alan Wood (Sydney Morning Herald, 04 Apr 1971).
It took 15 years but St. Joseph’s finally outclassed the opposition to win the GPS Head of the River again at Penrith. One length separated St. Joseph’s and Scots with The King’s three-quarters of a length astern. St. Joseph’s last won the race in 1956.
Coach Brother Gerald said after the race: “It has been a long time but I am very proud of the boys on today’s effort.” St. Joseph’s inexperienced crew led from the half-mile mark with a smooth rhythmical stroke. Mick Carbone, one of the two 15-year-olds in the St. Joseph’s crew, collapsed immediately after the race and had to be assisted from the racing shell.
Another crew member, Tim Tindale was also close to collapse. The second 15-year-old, Ric Williams, shower no ill effects after the gruelling race.
Senior 1st Eight
Major Rennie Trophy
7:59.80
1 length
¾ length
1st St. Joseph’s College – Bow: L.J. Dwyer, 2: R.L. Williams, 3: T.J. Tindale, 4: C.C. Reardon, 5: F. Carbone, 6: M.J. Williams, 7: J.A. Reading, Str: M. Otten, Cox: P.E. Clarke
2nd Scots College
3rd The King’s School
4th Shore
5th Riverview
6th Sydney Grammar
7th Newington
8th Sydney High
Senior 2nd Eight
8:03.40
1 ¾ lengths
½ length
1st The King’s School – Bow: W.H. Gunthorpe, 2: G.J. Gee, 3: A.W. Griffiths, 4: H.J. Pavitt, 5: G.S. Webb, 6: R.H. Boydell, 7: R.J. Needham, Str: J.J. Allport, Cox: J.O. Sutherland
2nd Sydney Grammar
3rd Riverview
4th Shore
5th Scots College
6th Newington
7th St. Joseph’s College
8th Sydney High
Senior 1st Four
Yaralla Cup
5:56.70
1 ¼ lengths
1 length
1st Scots College – Bow: R.S. Burrell, 2: A.C. Purcell, 3: I.M. Burrell, Str: C. Vaughan, Cox: W.D. Oliver
2nd Sydney High
3rd The King’s School
4th Shore
5th Sydney Grammar
6th Riverview
7th St. Joseph’s College
8th Newington
Senior 2nd Four
5:55.50
¾ length
½ length
1st Shore – Bow: G.H. Barker, 2: J.F. Gillespie, 3: P.J. Waight, Str: C.O. Stanton-Cook, Cox: S.A. Smith
2nd Riverview
3rd St. Joseph’s College
4th Sydney Grammar
5th Scots College
6th The King’s School
7th Sydney High
8th Newington
Senior 3rd Four
5:53.00
¾ length
1 length
1st The King’s School – Bow: S.J. Barnes, 2: T.M. Dobell-Brown, 3: G.M. Wilkinson, Str: D.R. Roberts, Cox: M.R. Vincent
2nd Shore
3rd Sydney Grammar
4th St. Joseph’s College
5th Riverview
6th Sydney High
7th Newington
8th Scots College
Senior 4th Four
5:47.70
2 lengths
1 3/4 lengths
1stShore – Bow: E.S. Dietrich, 2: B.W. Morgan, 3: D.C. Ronald, Str: Mark C. Shrimpton, Cox: P. A. Symons
2nd The King’s School
3rd St. Joseph’s College
4th Sydney Grammar
5th Scots College
6th Sydney High
7th Newington
8th Riverview
The fast time of 5:47.70 was the fastest time for all four oared crews of this day.