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History of AAGPS Head of the River Rowing Regatta

1977 NSW AAGPS Head of the River

Newington Still Head of River (Sydney Morning Herald, 03 Apr 1977)

Newington won their second successive GPS Head of the River championship on the Nepean River at Penrith yesterday.

The superbly drilled Newington eight surged to the line to-and-a-half lengths clear of their rivels Shore, with Scots a half-a-length further back third. Newington cleared away from the rest of the field in the final 1,000 metres to cover the 2,400-metre course in 7 minutes 49.8 seconds.

It was the first time in the school’s history that Newington has captured the coveted GPS classic in successive years.

Shore, installed as firm favourites, admitted that they had committed a tactical blunder in the first 500 metres.

Coach Ken St Heaps said that the crew were over-confident in the early stages of the race.

“At the time they were comfortably leading the Riverview crew on the inside lane and they consequently thought they were better placed to Newington than they were,” he said.

By the time Shore realized their error, Newington had stolen a march on the rest of the field.

Newington’s win silenced critics, who had written them off after Shore won the NSW youth eight championships last weekend.

Newington coach, Olympic silver medalist Mike Morgan, said that the crew had the extra incentive to make history.

“They made the most of their opportunities,” he added.

Morgan said that he was confident his crew would win the race after they snatched the lead from Scots nearly 1,000 metres after the start.

“All season we have been forced to chase the leaders before winning, but today it was the other crews who did the chasing,” Morgan said.

 

Senior 1st Eight

Major Rennie Trophy

7:49.80

2 ½ lengths

½ length

1st Newington - Cch: Michael D Morgan

2nd Shore - Cch: Ken St Heaps

3rd Scots

4th St. Ignatius’

5th The King’s

6th Sydney High

7th St. Joseph’s

8th Grammar


Senior 2nd Eight

7:53.00

1 ¼ lengths

2 lengths

1st Shore

2nd Scots

3rd The King’s

4th St. Joseph’s

5th St. Ignatius’

6th Newington

7th Grammar

8th Sydney High


Senior 1st Four

Yaralla Cup

5:43.00

3ft

2ft

1st Shore

2nd Scots

3rd St. Ignatius’

4th Grammar

5th St. Joseph’s

6th The King’s

7th Newington

8th Sydney High


Senior 2nd Four

5:48.00

1 ¼ lengths

2 ½ lengths

1st Shore

2nd St. Joseph’s

3rd Sydney High

4th Scots

5th Grammar

6th The King’s

7th St. Ignatius

8th Newington


Senior 3rd Four

6:09.60

½ length

1 length

1st           Scots

2nd          Shore

3rd          The King’s

4th          St. Joseph’s

5th          Grammar

6th          Newington

7th          St. Ignatius’

8th          Sydney High


Senior 4th Four

6:04.03

3 lengths

¼ length

1st           Scots

2nd          St. Ignatius’

3rd          St. Joseph’s

4th          Shore

5th          The King’s

6th          Grammar

7th          Sydney High

8th          Newington

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