History of AAGPS Head of the River Rowing Regatta

1972 NSW AAGPS Head of the River

King’s Rule the River (Alan Speers, Sydney Morning Herald, 09 Apr 1972)

“The King’s School, runaway winners of the 1972 GPS Head of the River yesterday, vindicated a departure from normal preparation procedure by coach Greg Moore.

A crowd estimated at about 10,000, disappointing in view of the fine weather, saw the King’s record their fifth win in six years in the GPS rowing classic.

The King’s demoralized their rivals in the 1 ½ mile race, bursting across the finishing line 2 ½ lengths in front of favourites, St Joseph’s, with Riverview a canvas away third.

They turned the event into a one-act affair over the last half-mile. Moore, coaching the school first eights for the first time, was faced with a crisis only five or six weeks ago when two of his crewmen were forced to withdraw.

Graham Wilkinson (glandular fever) and Digby Roberts (ricked back) were forced out of the crew. Moore promoted Rodney Osborne and Stephen Buzacott from the second eights to fill their places and re-shuffled almost the entire crew, with the exception of the number two oarsman, Greg Webb, and Geoff Raymond (number six).

But the move which really paid off for Moore and the King’s was the coach’s decision to take both the first and second eights to regatta at Lismore and Grafton over the Easter weekend. The first eights won Maiden, School and Open events at the two regattas – and their extra conditioning pair off in yesterday’s exciting race on the Nepean.”

Senior 1st Eight

Major Rennie Trophy

7:40.60

2 ½ lengths

Canvas

1^st The King’s School – Bow: S. Buzacott, 2: G.S. Webb, 3: R. Osborne, 4: A.R. Woolnough, 5: J.R. Sharp, 6: G.A. Raymond, 7: J.B. Roberts, Str: R.F. McIntosh, Cox: G.T. Bell

2^nd St Joseph’s College – Bow: P.E. Fox, 2: W.L. Williams, 3: T.A. Murray, 4: T.R. Hain, 5: F. Carbone, 6: J.D. Dwyer, 7: J.A. Reading, Str: G.L. Elliott, Cox: P.E. Clarke

3^rd Riverview – Bow: S.J. Williams, 2: B.M. Cruise, 3: P.J. Webster, 4: N.J. Stiffe, 5: J.E. Coolican, 6: M.A. Coonaghan, 7: D.E. Quinn, Str: F.C. Curtin, Cox: C.G. Corcoran

4^th Sydney High

5^th Newington

6^th Shore

7^th Sydney Grammar

8^th Scots

Senior 2nd Eight

7:56.80

3ft

¼ lengths

1^st Newington – Bow: M.S. Bradford, 2: R.C. Whalan, 3: S.S. Smith, 4: R.P. Eu, 5: W.I. Grant, 6: K.B. Haigh, 7: J.M. Johnson, Str: A.D. Goodchild, Cox: I.C. Swane

2^nd Sydney Grammar

3^rd St Joseph’s College

4^th The King’s School

5^th Scots College

6^th Shore

7^th Riverview

8^th Sydney High

Senior 1st Four

Yaralla Cup

5:43.30

½ Lengths

¾ lengths

1^st St Joseph’s College – Bow: P.J. Comerford, 2: D.M. Curry, 3: P.F. Mack, Str: G.P. McCann, Cox: M.A. Ryan

2^nd Scots College

3^rd Sydney Grammar

4^th The King’s School

5^th Newington

6^th Shore

7^th Sydney High

8^th Riverview

Senior 2nd Four

5:50.40

¾ lengths

½ lengths

1^st The King’s School – Bow: N.J. Coleman, 2: J.C. Hamilton, 3: M.E. Hughes, Str: M.A. Woods, Cox: P.J. Hagan

2^nd Riverview

3^rd Scots College

4^th Sydney high

5^th Sydney Grammar

6^th St Joseph’s College

7^th Shore

8^th Newington

Senior 3rd Four

5:33.00

¾ lengths

½ lengths

1^st St Joseph’s College – Bow: M.F. Daniel, 2: T.E. Quigley, 3: M.A. Levy, Str: C.J. Picone, Cox: A.J. Klely

2^nd Shore

3^rd The King’s School

4^th Riverview

5^th Sydney Grammar

6^th Newington

7^th Scots College

8^th Sydney High

Senior 4th Four

5:52.00

3ft

1^st Shore – Bow: M.L. Vivers, 2: T.R. Fitzpatrick, 3: G.G. Brown, Str: S.T.F. May, Cox: T. Clark

2^nd Scots College

3^rd The King’s School

4^th St Joseph’s College

5^th Riverview

6^th Newington

7^th Sydney Grammar

8^th Sydney High

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Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, errors may exist. Please send advice of any errors or inaccuracies by email to:

Also your comments, suggestions and photos are sought to enhance this site.

The idea for this history originated from the Olympic Rowing and World Senior Rowing Championship histories written by Andrew Guerin and Margot Foster in 1991, 1992 & 1993 for the Australian team handbooks. Andrew Guerin developed and extended these histories to the current format in 2004 for publication in 2004 and then expanded the site.

Steve Roll has been an invaluable contributor to the website in locating errors and finding Christian names of rowers. His superb work is acknowledged.

© Andrew Guerin – 2004
These contents of this history are copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted by the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. However given that the purpose of the history is to assist rowers and rowing clubs, written permission is not required for non-commercial usage by rowers and rowing clubs provided acknowledgement is made.

Disclaimer: Whilst extensive efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the information supplied, the editors take no responsibility for any loss or damage whatsoever arising from inaccuracies contained in this work.

1972 NSW AAGPS Head of the River

Senior 1st Eight

Senior 2nd Eight

Senior 1st Four

Senior 2nd Four

Senior 3rd Four

Senior 4th Four

NSW AAGPS Head of River

Summaries