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History of the Queensland GPS Head of the River rowing regatta

1978 QLD GPS Head of the River

The 1978 GPS Head of the River was conducted on Saturday April 1st 1978 at Hinze Dam, Gold Coast.

Below is an article by the The Courier-Mail written in the lead up to the regatta.

Heavies ‘Head’ hotshots

THE heavyweight Southport eight should start outright favourites for the Head of the River rowing classic if conditions are even on Hinze Dam, Nerang, tomorrow. 

The Southport eight, which averages 79.1 kg (12st 6lbs) has one of the heaviest oarsmen to appear in a Head regatta in recent years - 101 kg (15st 12lb) No. 4 rower Steve Bingham. Bingham’s bulk and power is just one reason why Southport has dominated schoolboy rowing in most regattas so far this season. The Southport School is particularly strong in rowing depth this year and in one recent regatta the School took out the treble - the first, second and third eights.

The School has drawn the middle lane, No. 3 for the Head, which starts at 4 p.m. and, in even conditions should be unbeatable. But certain wind conditions on the dam can favour the No. 1 lane on the northern bank.

  

If these conditions happen on Saturday then defending champions Brisbane Grammar could cause an upset. Grammar has drawn No. 1 lane. Grammar eight are a strong inconsistent crew. Southport’s biggest headache should come from the powerful State High crew, which has performed well in recent regattas. Besides having the heaviest schoolboy rower in recent years, the Head also has one of the smallest - Brisbane Grammar’s R. Somerville. Somerville weighed in at 36 kg, a mere 5st 9lb.

The 12-event programme starts at 1.15 p.m.”

Page 16, The Courier-Mail, Friday March 31st 1978 Edition 

 

Organising Committee:

Great Public Schools' Association 


All Schools' Championship First Eight

The O'Connor Cup

Distance: 2000 Metres 

Winning Time: 6.13.50

Margins:

+ 0.3s (1-2)

+ 6.5s (2-3)

1st The Southport School - Bow: Ken R. Winter, 2: Gary R. Hughes, 3: Kevin A. Albany, 4: Steven R. Bingham, 5: Leo Young, 6: Brian R. Battersby, 7: Duncan C. Ethel, Str: Ian P. M. Lambert, Cox: Lachlan Pegler, Coach: R. Chic Graham

2nd Brisbane State High School - Bow: Simon Wellington, 2: Allan Threlfall, 3: Ian Edmunds, 4: Murray Maclachlan, 5: Peter Anderson, 6: Glenn Bailey, 7: Ian Wells, Str: Greg Kewley, Cox: Paul Andrew

3rd Brisbane Grammar School 

4th Church of England Grammar School - Bow:  A. G. Weatherstone, 2: R. E. White, 3: R. J. Webber, 4: G. M. Williams, 5: D. Catsoulis, 6: B. Armstrong, 7: N. T. Spencer, Str: S. W. Louks, Cox: M. W. Jowett, Coach: J. D. Powell 

5th Brisbane Boys’ College

6th Gregory Terrace - Bow: B. Green, 2: W. Hinze, 3: C. Hodda, 4: D. Toohey, 5: D. Frawley, 6: A. Byrne, 7: M. Sneesby, Str: T. Douglass, Cox: N. Macrossan  

1978 Brisbane State High School First VIII

1978 Church of England Grammar School First VIII

Mike W. Jowett, the Cox of the 1978 Anglican Church Grammar School VIII had a distinguished rowing career after leaving Churchie. He represented Queensland a total of eight times in the King’s Cup  (1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1991, 1993 & 1995). Jowett also coxed the 1980 Senior Lightweight Coxed Four at the Australian Rowing Championships 

B. Armstrong, the six seat in the 1978 Anglican Church Grammar School First VIII was the recipient of the 1978 Sylvia Dixon Cup awarded to the Churchie sportsman who most demonstrates leadership and skill whilst representing the school in sport that year. 

1978 Gregory Terrace First VIII


The Race Described

Heart rules Head

Nerang - A lightweight schoolboy with a “heart as big as a horse” led the Southport School to its first Head of the River rowing victory in eight years on Hinze Dam near here yesterday. 

Ian Lambert, one of the lightest oarsmen in the race, guided his superb eight to the narrowest of wins over State High only half a canvas or 0.3 sec. away. Third were Brisbane Grammar a further 6.5 sec. away. Lambert at 71 kg, the lightest man in this heavyweight crew with an average of 79 kg, lifted the crew to a superb effort over the last few metres of a 2000m race.

That effort deprives State High of winning its first Head since the last race went in eight oared boats in 1955.

Southport’s win was a great personal triumph for coach Chick Graham, a former Queensland oarsman. Graham took over Southport’s first eight three years ago. In his first year the crew placed third, last year it was second, and this year, victory. But Graham gave all the credit to his crew, particularly to stroke Lambert.

“Lambert is a real champion,” Graham said. “He’s the lightest man in the crew and he has a heart as big as a horse.”

Page 40, The Sunday Mail, Sunday April 2nd 1978 Edition 


All Schools' Second Eight

Distance: 2000 Metres

Winning Time: No Time Recorded 

Margins:

+ 0.3s (1-2)

+ 9.5s (2-3)

1st The Southport School 

2nd Brisbane Boys' College

3rd Brisbane State High School

Other Competing Crews:

Gregory Terrace - Bow: R. Gregg, 2: G. Ryan, 3: S. Wilson, 4: I. McLeod, 5: D. Kelly, 6: G. Baxter, 7: R. Woo, Str: M. Green, Cox: M. Pozzi 

Church of England Grammar School - Bow: n/a, 2: C. D. Ross, 3: n/a, 4: Maxwell, 5: P. T. Hodgkinson, 6: D. Karamisheff, 7: F. J. Kirkegard, Str: T. J. Charlton, Cox: D. W. Bell-Allen 


All Schools' Third Eight

Distance: 1500 Metres

Winning Time: 4:56.00

Margins:

+ 0.8s (1-2)

+ 4.4s (2-3)

1st Brisbane Grammar School

2nd The Southport School

3rd Church of England Grammar School - Bow: N. J. Collyer, 2: H. G. Oriti, 3: F. A. Spencer, 4: R. I. MacPherson, 5: M. R. Daly, 6: P. J. Meissner, 7: T. J. Maxwell, Str: T. J. Job, Cox: D. R. Cottle 

Other Competing Crews: 

Gregory Terrace - Bow: B. Gardiner, 2: T. Morgan, 3: D. Holt, 4: J. Gambaro, 5: P. Slater, 6: P. Roberts, 7: A. Buckley, Str: D. Wright, Cox: M. Kelly



All Schools' Fourth Crew

Distance: 1000 Metres

Winning Time: 3:35.00

Margins:

+ 3.0s (1-2)

+ 0.2s (2-3)

1st The Southport School 

2nd Church of England Grammar School - Bow: J. L. Hyne, 2: A. A. Buchanan, 3: J. Karamisheff, Str: M. I. Batzloff, Cox: P. J. Harwood 

3rd Brisbane State High School

Other Competing Crews:

Gregory Terrace - Bow: P. Lynch, 2: J. Murphy, 3: J. Greig, Str: P. Feeney, Cox: A. Bartlett

All Schools' Fifth Crew

Distance: 1000 Metres

Winning Time: 3:34.00

Margins:

+ 1.5s (1-2)

+ 5.5s (2-3)

1st Brisbane Grammar School

2nd The Southport School 

3rd Brisbane State High School

    Other Competing Crews:

    Church of England Grammar School - Bow: S. VanDerKreek, 2: W. G. Denny, 3: R. C. Stone, Str: A. H. Walker, Cox: A. R. Kynaston 

    Gregory Terrace - Bow: D. Crisp, 2: G. Ryan, 3: M. Facey, Str: P. Facey, Cox: B. Williams


    All Schools' Sixth Crew

    Distance: 1000 Metres

    Winning Time: 3:32.00

    Margins:

    + 0.5s (1-2)

    + 9.5s (2-3)

    1st The Southport School

    2nd Brisbane Grammar School 

    3rd Church of England Grammar School - Bow: D. A. Paul, 2: V. S. M. Kalwij, 3: A. H. Goode, Str: P. R. Fischer, Cox: M. J. Laidlaw 

    Other Competing Crews:

    Gregory Terrace - Bow: P. Rush, 2: R. Hegarty, 3: P. Mills, Str: J. Kormendy, Cox: S. Carroll 


    All Schools' Seventh Crew

    Distance: 1000 Metres

    Winning Time: 3.38.50

    Margins:

    + 0.2s (1-2)

    + 3.0s (2-3)

    1st The Southport School

    2nd Brisbane Grammar School

    3rd Brisbane State High School

      Other Competing Crews:

      Church of England Grammar School - Bow: S. W. Norton, 2: W. D. Brough, 3: S. D. Hall, Str: N. J. Reynolds, Cox: R. D. MacIntosh

      Gregory Terrace - Bow: B. Gooch, 2: S. McNamee, 3: R. Postle, Str: R. Rodger, Cox: M. Backstrom



      All Schools' Eighth Crew

      Distance: 1000 Metres

      Winning Time: 3:38.00

      Margins:

      + 2s (1-2)

      + 3.4s (2-3)

      1st Brisbane State High School 

      2nd The Southport School 

      3rd Brisbane Grammar School 

      Other Competing Crews:

      Church of England Grammar School - Bow: A. J. Page, 2: M. E. White, 3: S. A. Leahy, Str: A. A. Gill, Cox: S. V. Cox 

      Gregory Terrace - Bow: M. Arnold, 2: S. McNamee, 3: R. Postle, Str: R. Rodger, Cox: M. Backstrom


      All Schools' Ninth Crew

      Distance: 1000 Metres

      Winning Time: 3:41.00

      Margins:

      + 5.2s (1-2)

      + 3.2s (2-3)

      1st Church of England Grammar School - Bow: J. I Purvis, 2: R. M. Porteous, 3: D. J. Fisher, Str: B. R. Purssey, Cox: S. C. Padget

      2nd The Southport School

      3rd Brisbane Grammar School

      Other Competing Crews:

      Gregory Terrace - Bow: J. McIvor, 2: H. Kranen, 3: W. Grau, Str: D. Dempsey, Cox: A. Owen 




      All Schools' Tenth Crew

      Distance: 1000 Metres

      Winning Time: 3:04.00

      Margins:

      + 6.2s (1-2)

      + 1.2s (2-3)

      1st The Southport School

      2nd Church of England Grammar School - Bow: S. C. Lingard, 2: G. J. Magoffin, 3: D. A. Perrins, Str: L. M. Duckworth, Cox: M. R. Grimmer

      3rd Brisbane Grammar School

      Other Competing Crews:

      Gregory Terrace - Bow: D. McNamara, 2: J. Hinch, 3: B. Murphy, Str: S. Watt, Cox: G. O’Sullivan 





      All Schools' Eleventh Four

      Distance: 1000 Metres

      Winning Time: 3:43.50 

      Margins:

      + 2.7s (1-2)

      + 1.7s (2-3)

      1st Brisbane Grammar School

      2nd The Southport School

      3rd Church of England Grammar School - Bow: I. B. Donovan, 2: E. C. Ringrose, 3: R. L. Thompson, Str: M. B. Wareham, Cox: W. F. Nutting

      Other Competing Crews:

      Gregory Terrace - Bow: A. Holland, 2: M. Jones, 3: J. Venables, Str: V. de Ruos, Cox: S. Goulmy



      All Schools' Twelfth Crew

      Distance: 1000 Metres

      Winning Time: 3:52.00

      Margins:

      + 1.8s (1-2)

      + 1.9s (2-3)

      1st The Southport School

      2nd Brisbane Grammar School

      3rd Brisbane State High School

      Other Competing Crews:

      Church of England Grammar School - Bow: J. J. Howard, 2: A. G. Akers, 3: M. A. Stafford, Str: A. T. Feez, Cox: G. J. Way

      Gregory Terrace - Bow: B. Muller, 2: J. Fox, 3: R. Gyergyak, Str: N. Howard, Cox: S. McIntyre 




      Sources

      Page 16, The Courier-Mail, Friday March 31st 1978 Edition https://archive.org/details/screen-shot-2021-06-13-at-11.02.22-am

      Page 40, The Sunday Mail, Sunday April 2nd 1978 Edition https://archive.org/details/1978-photo

      Page n/a, The Sunday Mail, Sunday April 2nd 1978 Edition https://archive.org/details/1978_20210613

      St. Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace 1978 School Newsletter (Rowing Section) https://media.digistormhosting.com.au/sjgt-au-qld-91-oldboys/documents/1978-St-Joseph-College-Terrace.pdf?mtime=20180403151625

      Churchie Rowing by Peter Jell, Published by Anglican Church Grammar School 

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